Conflict Kitchen is a take-out restaurant that only serves cuisine from countries with which the United States government is in conflict. Each Conflict Kitchen iteration is augmented by events, performances and discussions about the culture, politics and issues within each country upon which we focus. The restaurant rotates identities in response to current geopolitical events. The current Iranian version of our restaurant serves traditional Persian dishes and beverages.
Latest
4th Iteration: Cocina Cubana
Menu Includes:
Black Beans and Rice – Congri or Cristianos y Moros
Roast Pork in Mojo Marinade – Lechon Asado
Boiled Yuca in Garlic Sauce – Yuca con Mojo
Vegetable Salad – Ensalada de Vegetales
As the granddaughter of a Cuban immigrant and an East Liberty/Highland Park resident, I have been waiting on the Conflict Kitchen to bring a Cuban menu to the public! And I knew that they would eventually because Cuba is probably the FIRST country that comes to mind when thinking about poor US/foreign diplomatic relations.
Although I have yet to sample the cuisine being offered, I do have a complaint about the menu; why no Cuban sandwiches? I had spent all this time waiting on the Cuban menu to appear only to find that the 1 item I had been yearning to see, smell, and taste was not there. And why not? For a “restaurant” that consists of just a small take-out window, I would have thought that they would have wanted to serve something simple and portable; just like a [Cuban] sandwich!
There are only like, 5 places in this whole city where you can even FIND a Cuban sandwich on the menu. And aside from Kaya and the oh-so-very-Cuban Cheesecake Factory, none of them are even CLOSE to being as good, tasty, or authentic as a REAL Cuban sandwich. In fact, the Black Bean (a “Cuban” restaurant in Oakland that recently opened) is the poorest excuse I have ever seen for “Cuban” food. Their sandwiches are soggy and taste nothing like a real Cuban; hell, the pork isn’t even flavored and tastes like biting into a boiled shoe. The piccadillo was horribly under-flavored, and suffice to say, I have been sorely disappointed the few times I have gone to visit that particular eatery. I probably won’t be going there anytime soon for anything else because, although it takes much more time and effort, it is MUCH more worth it to just cook those meals and sate those particular cravings at home.
Kaya definitely has the best Cuban sandwich in Pittsburgh; the only thing that detracts from the authenticity of it is the fact that the bread is NOT flat and I don’t believe the sandwiches get pressed. I may be wrong though. But their chipotle aioli and the spicy slaw sides are FANTASTIC and they are a perfect complement to the delicious (albeit expensive at $12 a piece) sandwich. Cheesecake Factory delivers a pretty decent Cuban sandwich at the same price, but theirs is a bit larger and that is the one that my grandfather (an indigenous native of Havana) himself prefers.
But yeah. I’m not here to advertise or admonish other places; those are just my personal opinions. I just wanted to express my dismay at the fact that when the Conflict Kitchen finally did go Cuban, they didn’t decide to go with the Cuban sandwich on the menu.
All my bitching aside, however, I will say that they did at least try to go for an authentic Cuban meal as it would be served in a Cuban home. And I can certainly attest to the authenticity of Mojo marinated pork with black beans & rice. And the YUCCA! Delicious! If anyone from the kitchen happens to be reading, might I suggest a few other options?:
* Boliche
* Piccadillo con arroz
* Ropa vieja (*this is something of a specialty in my family)
* Churros
* Fried plantains
* Chorizo
* Pollo amarillo con arroz
And really, those are just the ones that come to the top of my mind. There are definitely many, many, many more tasty and delicious Cuban treats with which to test your cooking skills. Cuban LOVE their pork, Mojo marinade, black beans, and azafran seasoning. Don’t skimp on the Adobo seasoning either! And be very sparing with the cumin!
But to me, the epitome of delicious, street side Cuban food is the Cuban sandwich. And to finish out my long post, I will leave you all with a simple recipe for how to make one
I am going to assume that those reading and attempting this will be doing so in Pittsburgh and from their home kitchen, so the instructions will reflect as much:
Ingredients:
Shredded pork (slow roasted or boiled with Mojo marinade so that is absorbs and takes on that awesome Mojo flavoring)
Pickles
Sliced ham
Mustard
Swiss cheese
Cuban bread (*probably going to be hard to find here, so I would suggest trying to find a wider, flat French baguette to use as a substitute or if you can’t find something like that, go for an Italian bread with a crunchy crust that will flatten well when pressed…see what Wikipedia has to say about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_bread)
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut and portion your bread out. Apply the mustard to the bread, then layer on the meats, cheese, and pickles. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place it on the center rack in the oven. Before closing the door, place a large, heavy cast iron skillet on top so that it will flatten and press the sandwich as it cooks (* this can also be done with a panini press as well). Let cook for about 15-20 minutes (just long enough for everything to heat up and the cheese to get melted) then take it out, unwrap it, and enjoy!
It’s quite simple and you can add in other seasonings and flavors to suit your tastes. BUT…do NOT add lettuce, tomatoes, or any other kind of veggies to the sandwich! That is one of the biggest no-no’s according to REAL Cubans.