las margaritas
mattAfter a mediocre experience last week at flashy corporate-owned Dan Marino’s, we were looking for more of an independent, neighborhood place this past weekend. A place where the focus was on good food and it didn’t matter what you were wearing. Everything I had read about Las Margarita’s, a little Cuban restaurant in West Tampa off Hillsborough near the airport, sounded like our kind of place.
When we pulled up to the little restaurant and saw its weather-beaten exterior, I still thought we were in for a treat. Our favorite Cuban sandwich shop in Ybor, La Tropicana, similarly looks like it has seen better days from the outside. I was still optimistic after sitting down, even with a TV blaring in Spanish right behind our table. Our favorite Cuban restaurant in the area, Habana Cafe in Gulfport (south Pinellas) also occasionally has a TV on in the main room. Fine with me if the food is great.
For a starter, we ordered chicharrones de pollo, which was described as marinated chicken with a garlic dipping sauce. What came out were mild little pieces of chicken that tasted fried. The dipping sauce was oil with a little parsley. Maybe the main courses were where this little restaurant would shine. I ordered ropa vieja with black beans and rice, and Traci ordered lemon buttered chicken with rice and beans too. I’m not an expert on ropa vieja, but my beef was stringy, dry and not very flavorful. I also didn’t really like the rice. The beans were excellent. As for Traci’s chicken, it reminded us of a typical rotisserie chicken without as much flavor. A tasty arroz con pollo at The Columbia this was not.
Our meals also came with side salads which were iceberg lettuce with a slice of tomato and dressing on top. We weren’t expecting anything fancy, and maybe we’ve been spoiled by the side salads at Habana Cafe or even La Tropicana, but this was a weak little salad. On the plus side, the prices were very reasonable (under $10) for a full meal - entree, two sides and a salad. Service was friendly and the place is obviously authentic. Las Margaritas has been around for over 25 years so clearly it is doing something right. Maybe we visited on an off night and/or just didn’t order the right dishes.
So what’s your favorite Cuban restaurant in the Bay area? Other Cuban places we’ve tried and weren’t particularly excited by include Habana Village on Dale Mabry and Kennedy, and Miramar (now called Bellamar I think; we haven’t been since the name changed) on West Shore. We’d like to hit Pipo’s, La Teresita and some of the other little Cuban places along Columbus one of these days.
Bottom-line: Las Margaritas had all of the makings of a good little spot for inexpensive Cuban, but unfortunately our experience was underwhelming. Midway through our meal I was wishing that we had driven over to Habana Cafe in Gulfport, a mid-priced Cuban restaurant which rarely disappoints.
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March 20th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I like La Teresita, Arco Iris and Blanco’s.
March 20th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
thanks for those three, another suggestion a reader posted on my blog was El Paraiso (http://www.elparaisocafe.com).
March 20th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Thanks for the Habana Cafe suggestion, if anything
March 20th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
ha, you’re welcome
gulfport is a cool little place- semi-run down, bohemian charm to the area by the water. In addition to Habana Cafe (http://www.habanacafe-usa.com), there’s Backfin Blue (http://www.backfinbluecafe.com/) and the Peninsula Inn (http://www.innspa.net).
March 20th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Arcos Iris on Columbus Ave
March 20th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I’ll echo the votes for La Teresita and Blancos. Also, if it’still open, try Latam, in the basement of an old Cigar Factory on Nebraska. It’s the real thing, and has been there for centuries. Hugos, on S. Howard, has its ups and downs.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
ive never gone wrong at la teresita, probably in my top 2-3 restaurants for regular eating in tampa. the cuban sandwich is not what purists like, but i like it and for less than $3 bucks? cmon. yes.
the main dishes are all pretty tasty and ive never even tried the more exotic stuff.
blancos is good too. the west tampa sandwich shop, while supposedly an institution, hasnt impressed my palette. the columbia, i like, too. there are a ton of cuban joints ive never tried and dont feel the need, with teresita around.
March 21st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
For lunch the Airport Variety Store just across from the entry to ST. Pete/Clw. International Airport. Great Cuban food at great price.
March 21st, 2007 at 6:14 pm
La Teresita? yuk, might as well go to Pollo Tropical, Arcos Iris? fake cuban food, they try but they just dont have it. i have never seen collard greens soup without collard greens. if you want to taste real cuban food try The Airport Variety Store, El Paraiso Cafe on e. 7th ave or El Nino at dale mabry and spruce.
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:34 am
For those of you who make it up to Dade City - the county seat here in Pasco - drop by Tropical Breeze Cafe. It’s usually packed at lunchtime, but the food is authentic and delicious. Save room for the flan - you’ll be glad you did.
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:00 am
Ok so that’s 3 votes for La Teresita, 2 votes for Arcos Iris, 2 for Blancos, 2 for El Paraiso, 2 for Airport Variety Store (food sounds like an after thought at this place based on the name, another reason you can’t judge a book by its cover I guess). 1 vote for Latam - anyone know if it’s open?
What about La Ideal? Sounds like I may have to try one of these this weekend
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:36 pm
La Teresita is always reliable for inexpensive and tasty cuban food. I have had killer lamb shank at Pipo’s. El Nino was not too impressive.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
I think La Teresita has the most authentic Cuban food in Tampa Bay. The puerco asada is always tasty and their black beans are the closest to my ex-mother-in-law’s of any place in the area. I’ve never had a bad meal there.
As for Habana Cafe, while the food is decent, it doesn’t have much of a Cuban flair, despite the names of the dishes. Their arroz con pollo is more like jambalaya. I always feel like the food tastes like New Orleans, with less fire and with Cuban names.