Carmen’s Cuban Cafe and Lounge

4 out of 5 stars

I have been missing Cuban food since we moved here from Florida so Glen and I headed over to try out Carmen’s. We got a reservation on Friday night and experienced very good service – food came out very quickly and drinks were attentively refilled. The short story is that this was delicious but I’ve had better Cuban food in Florida.

I ordered my usual, palomilla steak, which is a flattened steak served with onions, and a side of black beans and yellow rice and plantains. My steak was very thin and a bit tough, and also a bit greasy compared to what I am used to. The plantains were excellently crispy on the outside and smooshy on the inside but a bit lukewarm. I loved the beans, they were definitely homemade with delicate herb and meat flavorings. I wolfed down my meal, despite initial disappointment with the steak.

Glen had Bistec Empanizado which is a breaded sirloin. He absolutely loved his steak and he ate everything on his plate. He was also thrilled that Carmen’s had Cuban coffee. He had that and I had a cafe con leche as we enjoyed our desserts, coconut flan and tres leches cake. It was a great conclusion and we were totally stuffed. It was also nice that we used a restaurant.com gift certificate so we saved some money.

Carmen’s Cuban Cafe
108-D Factory Shop Rd
Morrisville, NC 27560
(919) 467-8080