08/24/09

Grat place to hang out in Providence

by GingerBell

What a find in little old Providence. As a RISD student, this restaurant is an absolute must in my book. There's a lot of average ware in what is called downcity in the old Providence downtown and arts and theater district... but Cuban Revolution is the real thing. Funky, hip with great works by local artists (check out the murals and the stainless steel bartop) and the best sandwiches and wraps in town. Also a cool place to bring the parents when they come to town with the credit cards (they will like the retro references on the menu) and the music.

• Pros: food, decor, atmosphere
• Cons: none

06/23/09

Does NOT Live Up to the Hype!

by BeachBum770

I ordered “The Fidel” off their menu which is essentially a Cuban sandwich served with a side of black beans and rice. This is the absolute basics of Cuban food in my book. It is a simple pressed sandwich which contains roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread. The first “sin” in incorrectly making a Cuban sandwich is to include deli meat. When my Cuban friend first introduced me to the sandwich, he told me that if I ever went somewhere that used deli/lunch meat, I wasn’t getting the real thing. This proved to quickly be strike one for the restaurant. Although their menu advertises “roast pork, I could see as soon as it was brought to me that they had used deli-style meat. I then noticed that they had used cheddar cheese on the sandwich instead of the swiss cheese shown on the menu. I could live with this as I have had good quality sandwiches made with deli meats. So, I dipped the sandwich in the side of mojo and took the first bite. The sandwich tasted as if it had been bathed in mustard rather than lightly coated. It tasted more like a mustard sandwich than a sandwich with mustard. In addition, the cheese had that taste of cheddar cheese that had been left to sit on the counter and gotten that gritty taste to it. I did finish the sandwich, but more out of hunger than enjoyment. The black beans and rice were good, but how hard is it to mess that up?

I ended the meal with a Cuban coffee. I noticed the waitress put something in the cup before pouring the coffee (which wasn’t freshly brewed). I didn’t ask what she put in, but the coffee was decent. The only problem was that it wasn’t a traditional Café Cubano.

• Pros: Eclectic Atmosphere
• Cons: Food quality

05/29/09

Good food right downtown

by SojaRinn

After an afternoon at the RISD Museum, we found our way to The Cuba Revolution. It was a slow Sunday afternoon with only 4 other customers, but what a treat to find good Cuban food all the way in New England! We stuck with the basics, an order of croquettas, guacamole, split a Cuban, a couple of Cuba Libres, and some Cuban Coffee to end with. Very good Cuban sandwiches and guacamole. Very smooth and creamy and neither one of us could put a finger on the mystery herb/spice.

However, the Cuban Coffee was unlike any other I've had. It was espresso with hazelnut syrup, not traditional whatsoever, which is either plain or with simple sugar. Too much flavor in it to really taste the coffee bean.

The service was quick--as it should have been with only 2 other tables. The croquettas were good, but nothing special. Cuban restaurants are few and far between, so its hard to compare...there's Gordo's in Tallahassee, The Columbia, and a tiny local favorite in Key West....but I would have to say this one is my 4th favorite, but with 2nd place Cuban Sandwich and #1 restaurant guacamole.