half true or closer, but half-ass for sure
tommyThis is written here so that those of you looking for a good cuban sandwich know you don’t REALLY have to drive to Homosassa.
Tuesday, Jeff Klinkenberg wrote about Andy Huse’s search for a good cuban sandwich, and on Wednesday, some of the article was reprinted in the tbt*.
From the St. Pete Times version:
“The Silver Ring was the benchmark,” [Huse] says fondly. The original Silver Ring closed in 1996… [and] recently reopened on Seventh Avenue.
From the tbt* version:
“The Silver Ring was the benchmark,” he says fondly of the original, which closed in 1996.
If your gonna cut your stories in half, you oughtta at least try to keep the facts intact. Oh, but the facts are not quite, uh, whole are they?
The real story:
The Riverview sandwich shop has been open and in the same location since 1987. The Silver Ring Cafe in Ybor City moved in 1996 to downtown Tampa on Morgan St. Just this past October, the downtown location moved back to Ybor City, in the old Las Novedades building at the corner of 7th Av. & 15th St.
Not a big deal, really. Moved and “reopened” could be seen as the same. But Tim Booth and his family have been serving great cuban sandwiches (and a bunch of other goodies) for a long time now. They haven’t closed, and have no intentions of doing so.
It just so happens that the Tampa’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band will be playing at the Blue Shark this weekend. The Blue Shark recently moved to the corner of 7th Av. & 15th St. in Ybor City. Hey - that’s right across the street from the Silver Ring Cafe! Maybe Jeff & Andy will join me there for a good, original cuban sandwich - my treat! Why don’t you swing by too?
Loading ...
December 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am
i have always enjoyed la teresita cubans, though they do come w lettuce and tomato if you ask. also pressed. for 2.85, show me a better combo of price and value….
December 7th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Media criticism AND a band plug?
Very ambidextrous, Tommy.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:02 am
I know where we are eating dinner Saturday night! Wifey will be out, stop by and say hi, I need the company since the hubby is on stage all night!
December 7th, 2006 at 10:16 am
Dang! Got the Big Mouse Party Saturday but what a great excuse to leave early: cubans and JGLB. It takes a lot to drag my old ass out anymore. This just might be the ticket.
December 7th, 2006 at 10:20 am
Hey wifey, Tommy Stephens and I will be at Blue Shark Friday and Saturday nite!! Friday nite Ben’s Janice is coming out!!! Yea!! Saturday we will be there–after hitting 2 Christmas parties– Carmine’s then Don Vincente’, we’ll wind at Blue Shark and see ya there!! Hope to gather an entourage’ at both events and send ‘em JGLB way!!!! Here’s to good food, good friends and great music!!!! Oh yeah..I’ll drink to that!!
December 7th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
St. Pete Times snobbery at its finest! Klinkenberg telling us we have to go all the way to Homasassa to get a real Tampa Cuban. When’s the last time he or his story subject have been to West Tampa?
December 7th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
Will have to check out Silver Ring, thanks.
The guy could have stayed right in Ybor and also gone to La Tropicana for a good Cuban. I’m sure the Columbia down the street also serves a respectable Cuban. Homosassa, huh
January 31st, 2007 at 7:57 am
[...] may just want to stick with the Cuban [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I find so interesting that now we have to travel out of Tampa for a “real” cuban sandwich. Where, pray tell, do these cafes, restaurants, etc. get their “Cuban” bread? Do they ship it? Is there a Cuban bakery in athese little towns? I don’t think so! Admittedly,it is difficult to find an authentic Cuban sandwich with cafes, etc. cutting down on costs, and in some instances, the Health Departments ringing in with their regulations. However, there are one or two places in Tampa, the home of the Cuban Sandwich, where they can be found. And where might they be, you ask? They are… Hasta La Vista!
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I find so interesting that now we have to travel out of Tampa for a “real” cuban sandwich. Where, pray tell, do these cafes, restaurants, etc. get their “Cuban” bread? Do they ship it? Is there a Cuban bakery in athese little towns? I don’t think so! Admittedly,it is difficult to find an authentic Cuban sandwich with cafes, etc. cutting down on costs, and in some instances, the Health Departments ringing in with their regulations. However, there are one or two places in Tampa, the home of the Cuban Sandwich, where they can be found. And where might they be, you ask? They are… Hasta La Vista!
March 6th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
[...] Ybor restaurants that we like, which includes the original location of The Columbia, sandwich shop La Tropicana and the at-times-maligned Big City Tavern. I’ve previously panned for the most part my [...]