Cubaton is becoming a fast favorite on South Beach.
“ Alexa , bet Pitbull , ” David Reidenberg order as he flips on the toilet lights atCubaton , his new Cuban sandwich store in Miami Beach . Slowly , the familiar harmonica intro to “ Timber ” slice in as the Inner Light blink on , exposing what can well be described as Pitbull shrine with a toilet .
Graeco-Roman images of Mr. 305 — his James Bond suit , theEl Marielalbum cover — are interspersed with classic vinyl group of “ 305 Anthem ” and “ Bojangles . ” The space could be the welcome foyer to a Pitbull museum , if that museum cue employees to wash their hands .
“ It ’s contrive so both men and women have to lock eyes with him while they ’re using the privy , ” Reidenberg say proudly . Say what you will , his blueprint is impeccable .
Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
The Pitbull - theme chamberpot is undeniably a star of the show at Cubaton , but its sandwich are as genuine to Miami as the world who grace the bathroom wall . And with a small space and even smaller menu , Reidenberg has brought the beach what it ’s been painfully drop for years : Somewhere to grab a Cuban sandwich and cafecito for a decent terms .
Reidenberg is n’t Cuban — not even close . He ’s a 29 - yr - old French - American who was raised Judaic in New Jersey and attended culinary schooltime in New York , then came to Miami and became enamour with Cuban culture .
“ When I got down here I wanted to learn everything there was about the food , ” he says . “ The first thing was just to try out every place braggy and small , from flatulence stations to every ventanita I could find . ”
His lookup led him to the iconicPalacio de Los Jugos , which has colorful decor and a helter-skelter atmosphere that convinced Reidenberg Miami would become home . “ I love that it look like a circus , because it really is a circus in there , ” he say . “ That was the moment I realized I ’m not here for a short stay — I’m living here . ”
He settled in Miami Beach and was frustrated that he could n’t find the gun station- and ventanita - way Cuban menu he could across the causeway . So when commercial space in a 400 - square - foot former cookie workshop open up , he jumped at the chance to bring affordable Cuban sandwich back to the beach .
“ South Beach has a mickle of [ Cuban restaurants ] with Cheesecake Factory - flair computer menu , but everyone was ordering the same affair : The Cuban sandwich , ” he says . “ So I say , ‘ why not do a workshop that just has five sandwiches and specializes in one thing ? ’ ”
Inside the Pitbull-themed bathroom at Cubaton.|Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
The space feel every bit like a Hialeah sandwich counter with the aroma of preparation pork fill up the airwave as soon as you abuse inside . It ’s missing a small bit of grime , but what it miss in sticky floor it makes up for in playful contact . The walls that are n’t embellish with Pitbull appurtenance boast customs duty rendition of Jupina soda from Michelle Gutierrez , the creative person behind the nostalgic local prowess seriesWest of Chester . She also did a Pitbull bit in the bathroom , which Reidenberg had custom made .
Of of course , a French guy cable from New Jersey is n’t inevitably a natural to create a Cuban sandwich menu , so Reidenberg consulted with his proficient booster from culinary shoal , Caroline Ferra , who is Cuban - American .
“ When we first start marinade the pork barrel , I call back telling her , ‘ I want this to savour like your Christmas pork barrel , ’ ” he read . “ So that was the inspiration behind a flock of the recipes . ”
David Reidenberg, owner of Cubaton|Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
The result is a Cuban sandwich that ’s immediately cement itself on any self - respectinglist of the city ’s best . The pork is slow - roasted for eight 60 minutes in a proprietary mojo sauce of cumin , garlic , black black pepper , and orange juice . It ’s served on Cuban pelf made with manteca , as it should be , from a kinfolk - run bakeshop in Allapattah . The Cubano is then pressed at a high-pitched temperature , which gives the sandwich a distinctive crunch with every bite .
The Cuban - dash sandwiches do n’t turn back with the mill worker classic , though . The carte also boasts a goat god con lechon served with mojo onion plant and garlic - Chinese parsley aioli on Cuban bread . you’re able to also try the Medianoche , basically the same as a Cuban sandwich but served on a brioche - alike hallah bread . The lard - free Medianoche moolah is also the foundation for Cubaton ’s lone vegetarian pick , filled with a savory mix of avocado , roasted reddish peppers , tomato , mojo onions , and a hot mojo verde sauce .
“ I always ask people who order that sandwich on Cuban bread if they ’re vegetarian , because most people do n’t know Cuban bread is made with manteca , ” Reidenberg suppose . “ It ’s surprising how many vegetarians do n’t manage about Cuban bread . They just search the other way with it . ”
Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
Cubaton also wait on juices , batidos ( fruit - infused milk shake ) , and Cuban coffee . The Palacio - inspired jugos flow through colorful dispenser just correctly of the ordering counter in flavors like impertinent mango tree , passionfruit , tamarindo , and guanabana .
The batidos are thick , creamy yield shakes that call to heed the fruit standRobert is Here , minus the chunks . Much like he did with the pork , Reidenberg wanted to create batidos like the poppycock abuelas would make .
“ A draw of space will just employ mammee , water , and milk . But a lot of Cuban grandmothers will also cast off in fresh and condensed milk , or evaporated milk , if you want to give it that lilliputian bit of homestyle flavor , ” Reidenberg says . “ So that ’s exactly what we did . ”
Pan con Timba|Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
He adds that same evaporated milk to Cafe Bustelo espresso , to give them a richer , more nostalgic taste than most Cuban coffee . While you ’re welcome to grade a cafecito , colada , or cafe con leche , the summertime best seller is the iced coffee bar bombon , a drizzle of condense milk clear with a dual shot of espresso over ice , then finished with a planetary house blend of evaporated and sweetened condensed Milk River .
The Gallic man ’s maraud into Cuban cuisine seems to be working , as Cubaton has already gained a patriotic local following . As Reidenberg and I sat outside sip coladas and discuss the finer points of rice and beans , a man in a Penn State hat walk out of the shop class with a to - go purse in hand and deal that he was back for the third time this week — he was only visiting for a calendar week - long vacation .
With sandwich that can check their own and price topping out at $ 12 , it ’s no surprise Cubaton is already attain popularity . Much like the strain from the man inside its bathroom , Cubaton ’s sandwich are an instant smash .
Iced cafe bombon|Photo by James Jackman for Thrillist
