Archive for Frita
Cuban Guys in Hialeah brings on the Frita
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been keeping tabs on Cuban Guys for what seems like almost a year now. I loved the concept, a fast food Cuban restaurant that doesn’t cut corners on quality. It seemed like they might never open but just last week when I took a gander at their Facebook page I saw that the opening was less than a week away. So I wrote them through Twitter for specifics and was invited for their friends and family soft opening to try the food. In case I forget to mention it, they will be open for business as of Wednesday January 11th aka today.
Storefront
El Rey De Las Fritas in Hialeah, Florida
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When speaking about Frita history this El Rey De Las Fritas location is historically significant. This was 2nd location opened after the flagship store on 8th Street. If you take a close look at the picture above you can actually see the original “Rey” character to the left of the sign. Inside the location is also the original banner used at the 1st location that burned down some years ago.
I’ve had a Frita at El Rey so many times I can’t keep count but I had never tried their Frita a Caballo.So what’s a growing boy to do but order it? If you’re not familiar with the “a Caballo” phenomenon then you don’t know what you’re missing. Whenever you’re at a Cuban joint in Miami, ask to have your sandwich or steak etc… a Caballo. You’ll be treated to a delicious fried egg cooked to your liking on top of your meal. So getting back to my Frita…
You will always hear me talking about how a Frita should not have cheese on it but this is one of those cases where the cheese is necessary. Imagine having the most delicious egg and cheese sandwich on a Cuban roll and sneaking in a perfectly seasoned patty that compliments the sandwich. Well, that’s what you have here and if you haven’t had this then you haven’t really lived.
El Rey De Las Fritas
421 West 29 Street, Hialeah, FL
305-863-0880
Grill Master Cafe – Miami Food Truck
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Grill Master Cafe has a giant menu, I mean, it’s the Big Pink of food truck menus. While trying to figure out what to order I decide, why rack my brain? I make the critical decision to order the 5 that interest me the most. The Grill Master Burger and the Frita Cubana are a given, but the Grill Master Hot Dog, Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich and Homemade “Idaho” Fries with Cheese & Bacon round out my five choices. I was still looking over the menu while everything was being prepared thinking I still could have gone with a Pincho or a Croqueta Preparada.
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| Homemade “Idaho” Fries w/Cheese & Bacon |
The first thing ready was the fries which are fresh cut. The fries are not blanched (fried twice, the first time to get the outside crispy) which is the popular method to make fresh cut fries at places like Five Guys and Outback Steakhouse. My mom used to make me fries like this and I of course liked them (unless I want my mom to read this and kill me).
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| Grill Master Hot Dog: Take 1 |
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| Grill Master Hot Dog: Take 2 |
The Grill Master Dog (which I believe is the brand National Deli) is topped with Julienne potatoes, sauteed onions and a special sauce. It’s not a small hot dog by any stretch but I think that when I have it again I’d add some more of the sauce or mustard. I loved the julienne potatoes and the choice of hot dog was a good one. The Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich is Philly via Miami.
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| Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich |
The steak itself has some very Cuban flavors and are thicker pieces of meat than the run of the mill cheese steaks you’ll eat everywhere. It’s topped with the usual suspects of grilled onions and cheese, definitely worth a try. What’s left? The Grill Master Burger and Frita Cubana.
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| Grill Master Burger |
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| Frita Cubana |
These are both freshly prepared and not the frozen stuff. Both are great and if you needed to choose between them I’d give a slight advantage to the Burger for an underlying sweetness that really adds to its taste. The corn dusted buns on both were good also. Frita purists might have an issue with the bun and the fact that there’s cheese on it, but the meat is right on target. It might take me a few more trips to work my way through the menu so I’ll keep you posted. I’ll hope you’ll keep me posted too.
Follow Grill Master Cafe:
Twitter: @grillmastercafe
Facebook: Grill Master Cafe
Morro Castle – Hialeah, Florida
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To clear up any confusion for those of you that are Frita-informed, the Morro Castle in Little Havana and this Morro Castle have nothing to do with one another. This Morro Castle is important to me because it’s where I tried my first Frita as a kid. My father brought me here to have a “Cuban Hamburger”. In other words, he was using terminology that was sure to trick me into having one. It worked and even though a Frita seemed so foreign to me back then I find it odd when someone has never tried one. Morro Castle is cash only but there is an ATM machine. There are tables but I sat at the counter just like I did many years go.
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| Morro Castle’s Croqueta Preparada |
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| Morro Castle’s Croqueta Preparada halves |
I ordered a Frita and a Croqueta Preparada. The Croqueta Preparada was served on Cuban bread and it was nicely toasted on a press. It’s topped with the same julienne potatoes and onion slivers their Frita has. It seemed to be missing something, possibly cheese to level it up to being awesome.
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| Morro Castle’s Frita – a look inside |
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| Morro Castle’s Frita |
The Frita , well I closed my eyes and I remembered my dad looking down intently at me as I was about to try it. He was so happy that I liked it. And looking back, it’s where I started my life-long obsession with Fritas. When I opened my eyes the Frita was gone. It was great so I took a few to go. I called my pops up on my way out and he mentioned to me that I had my first Frita there. Who could forget something like that?
Morro Castle
1201 W 44th Pl, Hialeah, FL
305-556-4252
Josh Ozersky.Tv – Lourdes Castro makes a Frita
Posted by: | CommentsGreat new episode of Ozersky.Tv about Fritas. I totally disagree with the recipe, ingredients and cooking technique but I’m glad the Frita is getting some exposure! Josh wrote an amazing book entitled ” The Hamburger” and you’re in luck because we’re giving one away to a lucky Burger Beast reader.
It’s also autographed so it’s a Win-Win! Watch the episode below. Answer the question below correctly and you’ll be entered in a raffle for it. Good Luck.
What is Josh’s response to Lourdes’ comment “Really? You’ve had a pork burger?” Send the correct answer to burgerbeast@burgerbeast.com You have until 8pm Monday, May 31st to send in your response.
The Burger Beast’s Cuban Frita aka Cuban Hamburger Recipe
Posted by: | Comments The Burger Beast’s Cuban Frita Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. of ground beef (I’d go with an 80/20 mix)
- 1/4 cup milk (don’t even think about skim milk, if you are, go eat a veggie burger)
- 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 small onion to be minced, and one to be diced for topping the fritas
- 2 potatoes or canned potato sticks if you’re feeling lazy
- 6 Cuban rolls (they might not be readily available where you live but this adds.)
Directions:
Step 1: Dump the breadcrumbs into the milk and let them sit while you prepare the ground beef.
We’re looking for the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk.
Step 2: This step can be skipped over if you’re going to used canned potato sticks. For authenticity you need to get the potatoes and julienne cut them but really tiny. A mandolin slicer might be your best bet for achieving this unless you’re a master with your blade. Once chopped up, fry them up like you would french fries. You don’t need to salt them but you might want to make extra to serve as a side dish.
Step 3: You’re gonna need a large bowl for this. You want to start by beating the egg. Toss in the ground beef, minced onions, salt, pepper, paprika and the breadcrumb/milk mixture. Mix this puppy up, using your hands would probably be best.
Step 4: Once combined, you should make 6 meatballs, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. We need the flavors to gel.
Step 5: Heat up your pan to right between medium and high (really depends on your stove so you should know best). You’re going to want to use very little oil but they may stick so keep a watchful eye. Once you get the meatballs on there, you’ll need to pound them down into patty form. Ridiculous but true. They have to be cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Step 6: While they’re being cooked slice your Cuban rolls in half and prepare for the arrival of the Frita.
Step 7: Some people like going with the diced onions under the Frita and some over, it’s your choice. I like to have the diced onions right on the Frita followed by ketchup and then the julienne potatoes, in that order. I didn’t mention ketchup in the ingredients portion but I figure everyone has some.
Step 8: Don’t be a poseur and add cheese. OK, add cheese, it tastes pretty good but appreciate the original.
Fritas Domino La Original – West Miami, Florida
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Fritas Domino La Original has been around since 1961, but not at this particular location. It used be somewhere in Little Havana. The decor and seating feel very 1970s skating rink. The oddest thing also, after I placed my order and went to fill my cup with Coke, (it tasted absolutely horrendous) was a group of older people who were seated having a very Que Pasa USA? ( a Miami TV show which was in Spanglish) conversation.
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| Miami Herald article from 1989 about Fritas Domino (click to enlarge) |
This one guy was speaking in perfect English, the little old lady was responding in cliche ridden Spanish and the other fellow was just silent. They were discussing Cuba. I know, what a shock, discussing Cuba in a Frita joint. Anyway, so I order a Frita (generally a mixture of some ground meat and/or pork with chorizo and paprika), a Perro Enrollado (hot dog wrapped in bacon) and an order of Fries and the previously mentioned horrible Coke which I dumped in its entirety.
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| Fries |
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| Perro Enrollado |
The fries were bad and tasted like oil. The Perro Enrollado while a great idea, was flawed in execution. The hot dog was some cheapy dog split in half, with American cheese in the middle and then wrapped in bacon. It was served on cuban bread and top with the julienne potatoes and there was some ketchup on the bottom. The center was cold and somehow the cheese was not even melted.
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| Fritas Domino Frita |
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| a Fritas Domino Frita…almost gone |
The Frita (with shredded potatoes, ketchup and diced onions) was pretty good. I was disappointed that a regular hamburger roll was used instead of a Cuban bread roll. It did have a Chorizo flavor and there was a slight sweetness to it. If you check out Fritas Domino, I’d stick to a Frita with a glass bottle of Coke & you’re good.
Fritas Domino La Original
936 SW 67th Avenue
Miami, Fl 305-266-8477
Sergio’s – Coral Gables, Florida
Posted by: | CommentsI remember the first time I heard of Sergio’s. It was the early ’90s and my sister & her friends would go there late at night on the weekend to get Cafe con Leche (Cuban coffee with steamed milk). I had already made it out in my head to be this place where all these hipster kids would hang late and talk about how bad they had it but I had it wrong. I ate there with her one time and I was hooked.
Sergio’s is a restaurant that serves Cuban comfort food and in rather generous portions. There are 2 reasons I eat here: the Croquetas and the Pan con Tortilla (omelette sandwich with onions, ham and cheese).
Croquetas
Pan con Tortilla
If you’re into Croquetas, these are one of my favorites in Miami. The Pan con Tortilla is massive and enough to share. This is as good of an omelette sandwich as you’re ever gonna have.
There is a Frita on Sergio’s menu and it’s a bit of a let down. It pains me to say that because I love this place. All the right toppings were there: Onions, Ketchup and wait a second….canned Potato Sticks. Yeah, that’s a big no-no, either you go the fresh julienne potatoes route or go home. It just did not add up to a good Frita. I just didn’t like the seasoning of the meat. It could be a good thing though, that means I’ll always get the Pan con Tortilla whenever I go.
Cafecito
And don’t forget to get a shot of Cuban coffee while you’re there.
Sergio’s
3252 Coral Way Coral Gables, Fl
305-529-0047
