4 out of 5 stars

Tropical Picken Chicken really buoyed my spirits on yet another dramatic Monday at the office. Nothing really satisfies tension-filled hunger like some carby rice and beans, some fried plantains, and some amazingly flavorful grilled chicken. And that’s what I had, folks. Normally the combos come with choice of two sides but I had a killer craving for all three so I ordered a side of plantains to accompany my rice and beans. They also came with a cute little roll.

Aside from chicken, the options include roast pork, ribs, steak, and even shrimp or tilapia. Counter service is offered with some eating space inside, but I took mine to go. I also had to stop at Daylight Donuts next door to bring back dessert. Not that I even remotely had room for all this mind you. But it’s good to have lots of options to give yourself a carb-induced coma on a Monday afternoon.

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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

5 out of 5 stars

Havana – Best Cuban in town?

I can't say this definitively because I haven't been to Don Ramon's, but Havana is awesome cuban food, the best! Havana always has consistently good food, whether you order at the window, or have a full seated meal. The lemonade is amazing, all the fruit juices are freshly squeezed. The palomilla steak is my favorite, a beaten steak with onions, all marinated with lime. I try to bring out of town guests here to get a taste of Cuban food before they go back home. And I can't go for long without that garlic cuban bread they give you before each meal, buttery toasted and pressed…

I've also been here once at some crazy hour of night due to a flan craving. The window is open 24/7. It wasn't as fun, it's a dangerous corner in the middle of the night. But the flan and tres leches are delicious. Be careful, the parking lot is always full, and it's a tight squeeze!

Havana Restaurant Inc

6803 S Dixie Hwy

West Palm Beach, FL 33405

(561) 547-9799

4 out of 5 stars

Authentic Cuban in a tidy little place

Cuban Cafe is a very popular place with the Boca locals. It's nicely decorated and has a classy tropical feel. My associates and I enjoy coming here for lunch sometimes to take advantage of the good lunch specials (about 3 choices each day that rotate) or some of our traditional favorites. We also love the garlic toasted cuban bread we get before the meal comes out, but we try not to fill up on that! I can only vouch for the palomilla steak because it is my Cuban addiction. It is done deliciously here. My associates always also find their food delicious and the service is normally pretty good. Sometimes you have to take some extra effort to get the attention of the waitstaff to get your check in a reasonable amount of time. But while you wait for your check you can listen in on some of the dramatic tales of the Boca-ites near you, and then slowly, very slowly, slug back to the car with a very full tummy.

Cuban Cafe

3350 NW Boca Raton Blvd

Boca Raton, FL 33431

(561) 750-8860

3 out of 5 stars 

Cuban American fusion, spotty service

Phyllis G's has some truly creative fare. They specialize in a number of flank steak incarnations, which are wonderful, but they also have some pasta and seafood dishes, as well as at least 6 or so specials every night. The prices are very reasonable for a filling dinner, and this place is popular with the local senior citizens. Another specialty of Phyllis's is the sangria, but I have not tried it yet. When I went, I had the garlic flank steak, which was deliciously garlicy and was served with some tasty garlic toast. I have also tried the honey garlic wings which were very flavorful. My hubby had the ribs and said that they were okay. I've been back with some other guests and they enjoyed the food but they had a problem with the way we were seated.

Phyllis G's is in a orange colored building that doesn't look too nice on the outside, but it is cute on the inside, although a little cramped. The service has been a bit slow both times we were there. Normally the older crowd doesn't mind this, but I hate waiting for my check. Phyllis herself seems to usually be here as well, checking on everything, but that hasn't affected the speed of service either time.

Phyllis G's Enigma

2717 N Federal Hwy

Delray Beach, FL 33483

(561) 243-6377