D'Cuba - In the Old Opperetta Space

I s'pose the mourning period for Operetta has lapsed. One of my daughters has been clamoring for Cuban food, so I figured we could now enter the space at 5653 W. Fullerton for Cuban food. We will not wait long to return. To my palate, the range between good Cuban food and OK Cuban food is not vast. Nearly all of it is satisfying, how much is really satisfying? This.

One daughter said a few times how the space looked a lot like Operetta, but asides from a bar/service counter in front and the same rectangular layout, I found little resemblance to the old smoke filled space. Everything got lightened up, new tiles on the floor, fresh paint on the wall. You would not mistake this for its old tenant. Of course, both Cuban food and Czech food share a band of flavors, not the same band but the same size band. That is, neither food is known for its boldness, and both foods are know for filling you with satisfying carbs. Still, cliches be damned, I walked away from my meal with my mouth a-tinglin'.

I was breathing garlic. The Cuban style fried chicken we had came accessorized with about 15 cloves of garlic. The roast pork (lechon asado) contained nearly as much garlic, just not as visible. I'd be hard pressed not to order either again, although there is much to sample on the long menu. My wife had the arroz con calamari, which I think--it may have also been the fried chicken--that contributed to a very long wait for food, but she pretty much found the wait worth it. There was also a sandwich of ropa vieja on the table, which allowed us to find that dish executed very well as well as to note that the sandwich bread was not anything like Gonella. JeffB please come verify the status of this Cuban bread.

Prices are a bit on the high side, but on one meal, I found some of the best Cuban food I've ever had.

D'Cuba
5653 W. Fullerton, Chicago
http://www.dcubarestaurant.com/index.html

V.I., I have a long backlog of Cuban spots to try (and retry), what with the many corner sandwich shops and cafes having opened up the past few years. (I have my theories -- I think the economy has led many to open the cafe of their dreams.) But this is the place I'll probably get to first. The menu -- and Spanish idioms used -- make D'Cuba look like the spot with the broadest and most typically Cuban offerings in town. There are a few minor nods to Mexican and Puerto Rican (fajitas and Jibaritos), but the traditionally lengthy menu is chock full of stuff that you'd see in an old-fashioned sit down Cuban place in Miami or Tampa -- e.g., boliche and picadillo in addition to the more common (in Chicago) ropa vieja, plus all the seafood dishes that are rare here. Shrimp and crab enchilado, eg. Plus they have the hallmark dish of any serious "Spanish/criollo" place -- paella. As is required, the paella price blows away anything else on the menu and requires a ton of lead time. Good sign.

I don't get out that way much but I do have some Cuban in-laws in Oak Park these days, so I'll have to check it out. On the subject, let me digress and say that these days I have to agree with the crowds and common sentiment in the press: Philip at Cafecito probably had the best Cuban place going. He has a terrific understanding and appreciation for the food and pretty much nails the core sandwich shop staples (down to his cafe' being sourced from a Tampa roaster) while adding a lot of creativity that works (chimichuri sandwich yes, "Cuban nachos" no). And the place has the proper bustling, welcoming Cuban cafe vibe, even if there are few or no Cubans in there. Great place.

I just returned home from a very satisfying dinner here with my wife and a friend of ours. This was our first - and it definitely will not be our last visit here.

My wife and I started off with soup. She had sopa chica de frijol (black bean) and I had caldo chico gallego (Spanish style). We both selected the small portion which was quite ample.

My wife chose carne asada. I selected the Tamal, pork chunks and fried plantains and our friend had lechón asado. All were quite good. The only drawback to the meal was my wife's carne asada which was not prepared well done as she ordered.

I'm a charter member of the Clean Plate Club. Rarely do I request a doggie bag. Tonight I did. I'll be damned if my dog gets the leftovers.