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El Oriental De Cuba
Categories: Restaurants Cuban Restaurants Caribbean Cuban, Caribbean [Edit]
416 Centre St(between Barbara St & Paul Gore St)
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
(617) 524-6464
- Nearest Transit:
-
Centre St @ Barbara St (41)
Centre St @ Paul Gore St (41)
Centre St @ Sheridan St (41)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 8 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 8 am - 10 pm
Sun 8 am - 8 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
213 reviews for El Oriental De Cuba
Review Highlights
"Cafe con leche is strong, creamy, and sweet."
(in 12 reviews)
"The black benas ropa vieja is amazing and so is the flan."
(in 26 reviews)
"Great sweet plantains and yellow rice."
(in 18 reviews)
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212 reviews in English
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Review from Oliver D.
Concord, NH
1/1/2012
For a while my family and I have been hesitant about exploring the Jamaica Plains neighborhood when visiting Boston. Yesterday when we spent the day in Boston we finally bucked up and got the courage to explore the neighborhood. When in Jamaica Plains, we saw several cute looking restaurants that looked good. Before going to Jamaica Plains, my family and I read about El Oriental de Cuba and saw that it sounded good and got a decent rating. When we walked by the restaurant it looked cute and charming so we tried it.
When you walk in, the restaurant has the old feeling and does not look like anything special. However, it is clean and does not look run-down. The restaurant has a nice charm. Old photographs of Cuba and Cuban postcards are hung all over the wall around the tables. It is filled with local families eating and having a good time. The waiter we had was a friendly and pleasant young man who was very attentive and did not mess up our orders. The service was generally fast, but was slow at times not because the kitchen was backed up but because the staff in the kitchen really care about and take pride in the food they serve. The menu has plenty to choose from and is written in both Spanish and English. The menu consists of classic Cuban specialties such as a vegetarian special plate consisting of rice and beans and your choice of tostones or sweet plantains, which were fabulous, some of the best I have ever had, to a classic Cuban sandwich consisting of melted swiss cheese, ham, and roast pork on a roll with some marinade pressed on a pan. My parents and sister went for the vegetarian plate and loved it and I was adventurous and went for the Cuban sandwich. I never tried a Cuban sandwich and I have to say if you have never tried one before El Oriental de Cuba is the place. It was delicious and tasted so homemade. Also, if you are a finicky eater, you get to add whatever condiments you want on the sandwich such as lettuce, tomato, mustard, or mayo unlike most restaurants that automatically put mayo and mustard on sandwiches. As someone who does not like mayo or mustard, it was perfect for me. Also, try one of their famous tropical fruit shakes, I got the banana one and it was fabulous. It tasted like the one I loved from Cafe Con Leche in New York City. Then, there coffee rocks as well. Try the classic cafe con leche or the espresso. They are bursting with that strong tasty coffee flavor where you feel like your are in heaven. More importantly, the food is affordable and you get a huge portion that will fill you up.
Overall, a great experience. If you are craving basic Cuban/Latin American food this is the place to go. It reminded my family and I of places like this we ate at in New York City. Now, I have a reason to go to Jamaica Plains, to go to this restaurant. Definitely try. You will not regret it. -
Review from Alex G.
Boston, MA
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am happy to write this review for Oriental de Cuba because I think that they deserve a high rating for the quality of the food and also for the uniqueness of the food in the Boston area.
I was born and raised in Miami, so I know Cuban food - good and bad - like the back of my hand. I'm not going to say that El Oriental de Cuba is the best Cuban food that I've had because it's not, but for being in Boston, this food was authentic and good. It's hard to fake Cuban cuisine. Every restaurant in Boston seemingly has a "Cubano Sandwich," but no place gets it right. The second that I opened the menu at El Oriental de Cuba, I knew that I could order the stuff that I really like.
For my meal, I started with a croqueta. It was nice and cripsy and had little chunks of ham, just the way that I like it!
My entree was a Palomilla steak with white rice, black beans, tostones, and maduros. The palomilla was a little bit dry and served with cooked instead of raw onions, but it was still very flavorful. The black beans had just the right amount of seasoning and the rice was salted perfectly. The tostones were cripsy and the maduros had that sugary coating that they get when they are perfectly ripe and perfectly fried.
The service was very good. Immediately after I finished ordering, the waitress suggested that I have a Materva with my meal because I sounded like I knew my way around Cuban cuisine. She suggested it right before I ordered it on my own, so I appreciated the attention to detail. Everyone in the restaurant was smiling and attentive.
To reference another review, I have experienced "the majesty of truly good Cuban food," and while this isn't as good as the "greats" in Miami, El Oriental de Cuba will give you a tasty introduction (or reintroduction) to Cuban food. -
Review from Sen M.
Jamaica Plain, MA
11/13/2011 3 Check-ins Here
One of my favorite places to go to. Staff are friendly and if they're not too busy they give you extra plates of goodies. They also remember your name especially if your a regular.
Food is almost filipino, ample and not expensive. I especially love the Braised Oxtail. I could eat it every time till my arteries clog and I wither and die of stroke. Its that good. The Red Snapper is heavenly and the Tilapia, hmmm zoo good. Their sweet and green plantains make me reminisce home.
I do not like their ceviche though. Their corn kernels are too tough to eat and the goat dish is not very good to me. Maybe I just have a different way for cooking goats and i take no other.
Hence I give them a four. -
Review from Patrice P.
Jamaica Plain, MA
2/7/2012
So where do I begin! On Friday my co-worker and I ordered the roast pork shoulder dinner 2 orders for lunch please! I took one bite from what appeared to be very dark, dry and chewy pork, needless to say it was gross. the meal came with yellow rice which was sticky and flavorless the only thing edible were the plantains the meal came with. So for me this is rare because I loved this place I have been eating at this family's restaurant since they owned Miami's back in the 70's and early 80's the best Cubano in town. so what happened to my beloved Oriental? I called the restaurant to suggest they take a look at the pork which was probably day old an nuked. the nice manager (Marlene) gave us a credit! no no no not our money back for the disgusting food but a credit. So I thanked her and thought I'd give it another go, today I decided to order again from Oriental and I got something totally different just to be safe so I ordered the Bistec empanado which is breaded steak another of my favorite Cuban dishes...GROSS!!! what the heck is going on with this place? the steak was so greasy it was oozing oil! I mean I know this is fried but it was way too greasy. I grew up on Cuban food and this is not the Cuban food it used to be. It is with deep regret that I give this restaurant a one star rating. Long lost are the days of the old Miami and La Spaniola restaurants of JP. this place is dead to me.
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Review from Mike M.
Boston, MA
1/28/2012
I haven't much to try from here, but what I have eaten was excellent. The sandwich itself is true to the original Cuban sandwich, but it is done extremely well. The Cuban bread was baked fresh as far as I could tell, and was slightly thinner than most Cuban sandwiches I've had. The level of mayo and mustard were appropriate for this type of sandwich; I personally prefer as little as possible. The ham and cheese were nothing spectacular, here the star of the show was the pork. The roast pork had a mojo seasoning, with ample oregano if I may add, and was cooked well enough to ensure a charred skin while maintaining a cool center. It was the single ingredient that stood apart from the rest. I rarely eat the same sandwich at the same restaurant twice, but this is certainly the exception to that rule.
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Review from David R.
Boston, MA
1/16/2012
Overall: Huge menu, great, classic Cuban dishes, nice interior, friendly service
This is a really great place in JP to check out with a bunch of friends. If you like Cuban food or haven't tried it yet this is the best place in town.
The sign out front says: "La Esquina del Sabor" which translates to the flavor corner.
GO!
I recommend this place. -
Review from Kelsey M.
Boston, MA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good food at a reasonable rate. It's not the best Cuban food, but I'm learning not to expect the best of much in Boston as far as most of the restaurants go. The service is a little sluggish (our waitress was too busy flirting with some dude in the back and on her cell phone). Their fried plantains are really good - the ripe ones, not the green ones. Parking is a little crummy near this place.
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Review from Alexander P.
Quincy, MA
12/28/2011
Let me start out by saying that I am Cuban American, raised in Northern NJ by my family which was born and raised in Havana. I've had true Cuban food my whole life from Miami to Union City. Since moving to MA I've really missed the smells and tastes!
Just walking in you can see it's not a big spot but completely reminds me of those small spots from where I grew up. The smells alone bring back those savory memories!
The guy who posted about a wait and unfriendly service must have had a bad day or was delusional. They greeted me with a smile and spoke Spanish to me from the start.
I was a total of 17 minutes from when I walked in, to when I had food in front of me. The black beans and white rice are spot on! As are the maduros! the bistec empanizado was delicious and I made sure to clear my plate! The Cuban Espresso hit the spot at the end!
The ONLY gripe I have is the parking situation, but otherwise you MUST try it out here!
Take it from a Cuban Man that has been transplanted to Boston! This place is delicious and spot on! -
Review from John Paul G.
Miami Beach, FL
One star is too many for this insulting place and the fact that it is rated anything higher than one star here on Yelp confirms that people in Boston have yet to experience the majesty of truly good Cuban food.
Was up in Boston for a while and having been away from Miami for some time was craving a bit of Cuban food. Found this place through Yelp and, after navigating my way to Jamaica Plain, and then finding parking, made my way in.
First, I was barely greeted. A server finally made her way over to me and then silently showed me to a table. Handed me a menu and walked away. Then, nothing. No Cuban bread made its way to the table, no water, no utensils, nothing. She finally decided to stop back by my table and, when I asked her, in Spanish, what dish they are known for or what is their most ordered item, the server sighed, rolled her eyes and then said not a word.
Ok, so it's going to be one of those. Ordered both the ropa vieja and the bistec empanizado to see how they were. As I waited for the food to arrive, I stopped another, different server to ask, if it would not be too much trouble, to please provide some utensils and some water. She did. My "main" server was MIA.
The food finally arrived and it was an affront to all things remotely Cuban. The ropa vieja was tasteless, dry, boiled meat of some manner which was then placed in an oily, greasy, tomato-based water. No taste whatsoever.
The bistec empanizado was fried to the point of looking like the sole of a boot and, when cut into, the beef was streaked with a mysterious red/burgundy substance that was NOT a product of the meat being undercooked/rare. The meat was well done yet streaked, on its surface, with this foreign substance which had a foul, extremely off-putting taste.
Both dishes were inedible. The black beans were not much better and, frankly, far too watery for my tastes. Had they called the cup "black bean soup" it might have been acceptable. As black beans, they failed miserably.
Their "red" beans were only slightly better.
The rice was, surprisingly, cooked ok. I came to the conclusion that if there was a way to muck up a Cuban coffee, these guys would discover it, so I didn't order anything else.
The check had to be asked for twice and took forever to arrive. I could not wait to get out of this place. My "main" server didn't even bring me the check - the "secondary" server I stopped did.
This place stinks, bottom line. They serve inedible food, resembling Cuban food in name only, have horrendous attitudes and charge fairly high prices. Avoid at all costs unless you enjoy such things.
Oh yes, and one more thing...guys at El Oriental de Cuba?...mofongo is NOT a Cuban dish. Just FYI. -
Review from Zoe P.
Arlington, MA
8/14/2011
I've been to a handful of Cuban restaurants in recent memory and this one is at least as good as that really famous one in LA. And it seems like slightly more refined version of the cuisine than I've had elsewhere. I had the rich, brothy and buttery red snapper. My dining companions had the ropa vieja and, I think, a stewed chicken dish. But the very best thing on the table were the red beans, which had been stewed with cloves. Phenomenal.
I might not get the tres leches if I went back, and I'd like to go back.
The placemat is . . . of historical interest.Listed in: Boston Underwhelms Me.
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Review from Tony C.
Boston, MA
1/14/2012
I have been going to El Oriental de Cuba for many years. I was so happy when they were able to rebuild after their Restaurant was set on fire. The owner Nobel and his family have treated my family and myself like family. Everytime he sees me, he greats me with a smile and a firm handshake. The place, the food and the environment makes it one of the best places if not the best place to go in J.P. to sit down and eat or to call it in and take it to go. Who knows, you might bump into El Tiante while you are there. To Nobel and his family, thank you for being a part of my family and thank you for the excellent food.
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Review from J J.
Boston, MA
7/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
All I can say is, WOW!
Best cuban food this side of, well in Boston, period!!!
Authenticity at it's finest where you can see the little ladies putting the spices in the rice and red snapper of which I had and it was yummy.
The wait is long unfortunately for a table but it's worth the wait. Despite popular knowledge (well among some Bostonians) Cuban food is NOT based solely on pork so vegetarians can happily eat here too. I guarantee it's the best rice you've eaten since you've left home. A Caribbean home, that is. :) -
Review from Lynda M.
9/29/2011
This place is dah bomb. Near my office, and they deliver. Try the plantains, the veggie rice and beans, or the Cuban sammich. So much food, so little time.
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Review from Rosa S.
Boston, MA
10/13/2011
I used to love you ten years ago-what happened? You do not serve authentic Cuban food. You serve bland Americanized latin food and I am angry with you. Would it kill you to add some salt to your mofongo? Just a smidget? I wont lie your Cuban is good and so are the beans but the steak is way too thin and it needs hot sauce. A well seasoned steak doesnt need anything.
Also, most of your waiters suck, except for the thin woman who actually smiles and has been there forever. Look, i been in the game forever, I know good help is hard to find but seriously, you are way too busy and make too much money to be rude. Stop it.
I have no problem getting a Cuban to go but your sit down restaurant will not see my dollars until you make changes. please and thank you. -
Review from Megan S.
6/13/2011
I lived in Miami for almost 3 years and dreaded going out for Cuban food. Let me explain - I'm vegetarian.
But this place must not be so strict Cuban, because they make the most darn-awesome vegetarian Cuban sandwich. Never saw that in Miami! They make a great cafe con leche too. If you get bored with your dining mates, you can also stare at this giant flat screen tv they have that just shows photos of Cuba and what looks to be the owner's personal photo album. (It's pretty weird.) -
Review from Clifford B.
Nashua, NH
5/15/2011
Wow, El Oriental De Cuba is great. A friend introduced me to the restaurant this weekend. A very extensive menu... i had the Cuban sandwich, yellow rice and beans, and sweet fried plantains. Delicious. Took my Cuban coffee to go - so good.
Plenty of windows for natural light, lots of seating, though the place does good business, so most tables in use. Very friendly and capable waitstaff. -
Review from Sasha B.
5/18/2011
Super yummy cuban food! It was more expensive than I thought it would be for a hole in the wall-esk ambiance, but the food is good and plentiful.
We started off with a tamale, I love that it was topped with onions! I suggest eating it with the hot sauce on the table.
I split the cuban sandwich and halibut in spicy sauce entrees. The cuban was very good- the pork just melts in your mouth and I loved the pickles in there! It wasn't as greasy as other cubans that I've had. Again, a little expensive at $10 for the sandwich (I thought expensive sandwiches was Stuff White People Like, not ethnic eateries), but it was worth it. The halibut was a little tough, but with the sauce it was fine. Definitely go with the yellow rice and sweet plantains, they are both very well made at El Oriental! -
Review from simon l.
3/18/2011
Having heard so much about this food, I had high expectations. If the food wasn't so good, I'd give it three stars since it's an half hour drive from Somerville and the wait was 20-25 minutes on a Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm. But it was that good. Given, we didn't wait the 20 minutes for a table, we ordered to go and sat on the bench in front of the dry cleaners next door. First spring weather of March this year, gorgeous. The Cubans were unf-cking awesome - I know that doesn't make sense, but they were that good.
The menu lists the following for the Cuban Sandwich ($7.95):
"Cuban sandwiches contain roast pork, Swiss cheese, ham, special marinade sauce and your favorite toppings (lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mayo or mustard)."
We didn't specify one way or the other, just two Cubans to go and an order of Mofongo ($7.95). Ridconculous. Plain and simple. Crispy baguette, obviously home made roast pork, ham, cheese, shredded lettuce, a good helping of pickles, tomatoes, cheese, mayo and mustard dripping out of the sandwich and down onto my hands. On the ground. Everywhere. That's a Cuban. In fact, other than the wait, my only complaint is that there wasn't quite enough meat. I am a carnivore to the fullest definition of the term.
I compare all Cuban's to the one I had on Vieques, Puerto Rico. These two dudes, from Boston if I remember correctly, set up a shop in one of the border towns and served up Cuban's the size of my head. Literally, think of a Styrofoam to-go container, one that is the size of an entire meal with three compartments, maybe 9x9? Put two enormous slices of bread loaded with at least two pounds of meat and slather in mayo and mustard with melted cheese and pickles and you have what I call a Cuban. No I've never had one in Miami or Cuba. This thing was actually preposterous. Call me spoiled but that's the image and taste I have in my mind when I order a Cuban - I have yet to find a match stateside.
The mofongo, crispy, delicious, red fatty garlic sauce. Also delicious. Pretty worth the drive, I can't wait to go try the rest of the menu. -
Review from Mike M.
Boston, MA
3/3/2011
Food:
Yelp had me thinking I had found a great Cuban place in Boston.
The mango shake had no mango in it. Mango syrup, no mango.
The pasteles pollo had no chicken in it. Masa dough, no chicken.
The cubano did have all the requisite ingredients however it was nothing special. It's like going to a restaurant, ordering a burger, which restaurants always personalize.. and you get a Big Mac.
It was good but I could have made that at home.
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Service:
We got there about 8:15p when they close at 9p. After asking to be seated, we we're told they were about to close. After asking nicely, explaining that you know.. we're not looking for a three hour dinner, she said 'fine.'
Fine?
(For the record, there were people seated but not yet served so we weren't having them stay open just for us.)
Then we were given the menus with the caveat that we can only order pre-made entrees (since it was close to close.) Wait. Why are any of them pre-made?
Anyway, she told me the sandwiches were available and pointed to a couple of entrees that were still available. Weird but ok, I planned on getting the sandwich.
She went back to texting relentlessly. No drink refills, no 'how is it?' She really just carried our food from the kitchen to our table.
Matta fact, thinkin about the ghetto ass limited menu line, I'm dropping this to one star. I wonder why my experience was so different from the majority's. -
Review from Jordan M.
Brookline, MA
6/1/2011
Awesome sandwiches. Always. Habichuelas are bombastic, and the chicharonnes are juicy WITH crispness, but not greasy, if that's possible to imagine. It's totally casual inside, with a view into the kitchen right by the door. Easy to get to, and really low key place to chill in flip flops and pretend Castro is on his way... Plus you can do take-out and bring it to Brendan Behans down the road to enjoy with a pint.
Make sure to pick up some special sauce - pique or other heat to complete your Cubano & tostones (my favorite). -
Review from Anastasia R.
Cambridge, MA
12/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
My favorite oddities in no particular order:
*The mostly naked walking Jesus statue adorned in a cape (maybe a flag but I can't remember) and matching crown/hat.
*The not so subliminal messaging on the 2 large wall mounted TV's flashing pictures of the food served
*The old guy who comes in and makes inappropriate jokes with the several pregnant waitresses
I think I should have stuck with the vegetarian options here. Rice and Beans were great, as were the fired plantains, but the fish was really fishy, just not so fresh, and the beef dish we got was tough and over cooked.
What a quirky little restaurant, and how nicely they have recovered from that nasty fire bombing. -
Review from jenn K.
Milton, MA
11/22/2011
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! It is amazing food! Red beans and rice are delicious and the plantains are amazing. I always get the Chicken Fricassee and it never lets me down. The smoothies are delicious and the staff is always friendly enough to explain to me what half of the odd fruits are on the list. The prices are pretty cheap for the amount of food you get. The only problem is I always feel like I want to die when I leave because the food is so good that I always keep eating it even when I'm full. Then I think about the food for a straight week after, Its seriously like a crack addiction!
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Review from Seth B.
Boston, MA
6/14/2011
This is solely based off their Cuban sandwiches to go. n.
I heard they had some of the best a while back. I've called in the sandwich a couple times on my way home and it's always been good. Nice looking small place. Often a little busy. Friendly staff.
Will have to sit and eat here sometime soon. -
Review from Michael A.
Boston, MA
6/3/2011
The food here is soooooo gooooood!!!! Cheap and Cheerful!!
Been going here for 10 years! -
Review from Tiffany L.
Chestnut Hill, MA
9/14/2011
This place makes me crave Cuban food. The black paella is all I think about from time to time.
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Review from K C.
Northampton, MA
9/9/2011
Cuban in Boston?? Awesome spot in JP. Have never really noticed this place, and was tipped off by a fellow chef....am glad we decided to try it! It was pretty busy, and service was alright. Food came out awesome, full of flavor, and truly the best Cuban north of Miami!
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Review from Damien S.
9/23/2010 4 Check-ins Here
And the clouds parted, and the light burned away the fog and the darkness and in its brilliant wake, the supreme traditional Cubano stands alone.
El Oriental offers a beautiful array of Cuban dishes. Authentic? Don't know -- haven't been to Cuba. But I grew up near Ybor City and know what a real Cuban sandwich looks, feels and tastes like. And this, dear sir/madam, is a real Cuban sandwich.
The bread, while balanced in texture and density, is an appropriate non-factor, serving as a mere envelope to delicious marinated pork (chipped, in a haphazard mound), sliced ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard. The press is timed and tempered perfectly, thoroughly melting the cheese and pocketing the proteins within a slightly flattened loaf.
The traditional flavors cannot be topped, a trait that offers a pass for the menu option to overload mi favorito con toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo. Please, PLEASE, for yourself, your family and the future of traditional appreciation - just get the mustard and pickles.
No fifth star, though. The tostones (fried green plaintains) need a heavy dash of salt, and the puffed wheat in the horchata trigo gave an overwhelmingly grainy consistency, shadowing the otherwise adept blend of cinnamon, almond milk and vanilla.
Twelve to fifteen tables for dining in, nightly specials that will keep you coming back (Saturday = drunken goat stew. Wantopotamus) and prime location off Centre Street make the EODC a surefire spot for Yelp Dukedom.Listed in: Say Hello to My Little…
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Review from Carlos M.
Long Beach, CA
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wish I could go right now, the rice cooked in squid ink is just out of this world... love this place.
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Review from Najet K.
Brookline, MA
9/25/2011
I have yet to dine here but the smells and selection is just alluring , BUT the mamey ( zapote) tropical smoothies is sooo yummy! You leave with one and wonder why you didn't buy another
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Review from Tara B.
Jamaica Plain, MA
12/14/2010
I love pork. There, I said it.
You know what screams porky heaven? The Cuban sandwich at El Oriental de Cuba. It's got the juicy roast pork, and then the salty sweetness of the ham, the creaminess of the cheese, mix that with mustard, mayo and extra pickles (I love pickles) and press it so that it's warm and crispy but still has some chewiness? Oh man, I'm in love. I try to order other things when I go, I really do... but all I want is this amazing sandwich.
I love carbs almost as much as I love pork, and the tostones and fried yucca don't disappoint. Okay, they're a little dry, but that's what condiments are for, son! -
Review from EY S.
Boston, MA
9/13/2011
It's not that close to the T. But it was worth the walk. It was an amazing experience. The portions were huge, and the food was just so tasty that I would go back anytime. I had cuban food before, but this by far is the best that I have had. I went for the breaded steak, and yes, everything breaded and fried is good, but this was just... divine.
I am tempted to go back soon. and I think I will! -
Review from Tom M.
Jamaica Plain, MA
11/28/2010
Cuban food has never struck me as very interesting, but I'd say that El Oriental de Cuba is just as decent as any other I've had. I branched out and had the special -- garlic shrimp with peppers and onions with mofongo. It tasted exactly like I would expect Cuban food to taste, starch and stewed protein with minimal complexity. Cool.
My wife had the shredded beef, which was not really hot enough when it came out, and had a funky vinegariness which wasn't becoming. Also it's a bit pricey for low-brow food, but maybe I should just get a Cubano sandwich next time.
3 stars for being no worse than any other Cuban place, having a nice server, and being impeccably clean. -
Review from Snuffles B.
Boston, MA
10/22/2010
My friend is going to cane me for just giving three stars, I wanna say 3.5, but no halvsies allowed on Yelp =( Mind you, this is for takeout only, and thank goodness, bc on Fri night at 9PM the place was teeming like a clown car.
- Cuban - I enjoyed it, a solid cuban, but not drool-all-over-myself-enjoyment
- Ropa vieja (shredded beef) - My friend LOVES this, perhaps its a matter of taste, while I liked the homey-ness of the dish, the meat seemed a bit tough to me, wished it were more falling apart. Rice was good.
- Mofongo - (mashed plantains w/ pork rinds and garlic sauce) Dry, no garlic flavor, no sauce - what happened???
- Plantains - Not greasy or heavy, really good
My friend says the empanadas are excellent - I'm definitely down to try it again and with difft options, but until then, I think I'm going to be taking some sh*t from her about this review for a while. -
Review from Angel M.
8/31/2010
Okay, so, everyone talks about how great this place is...its just whatever really. I mean, they close early enough, and they tell you rudely to order quickly if youre there later. Friendly staff? Only half the times I have been.
My ropa vieja was sub par by far, it had such a small flavor to it, was so disappointing. My arroz con gadules had way too much salt, and I did not expect shards of carrot. My plaintains were decent. My horchata shake was too sweet, not enough of a balance. And, I mean, it was a decent price, and there was enough food for lunch the next day. -
Review from Lila S.
Updated - 9/8/2010
Still amazing as ever! Since writing the last review, Ive had the chicken stew seen in the photos and a grilled chicken plate which I can highly recommend you try both for their stupendous flavor! But thats not why I am updating this review... no yelpies, its because I kindly asked this morning for a passionfruit/banana/mango shake and It made love to my mouth. GO AND ASK for it, maybe the drink will get a funny name and become a menu item if enough people order it !
go love it up!Listed in: 5 Star Beotch's 5 Star Reviews
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/21/2009
Consistantly good food. Friendly service, so much selection and great location. I usually get the… Read more »
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Review from Rosie D.
Cambridge, MA
3/14/2011
I have come to the conclusion that there are too many people in Boston who eat at 'ethnic' restaurants and think the food is great because it arrives hot and doesn't taste like stuff they are used to. The fact that people here think Anna's Taqueria is 'great Mexican food' makes the Baby Jesus cry. With that out of the way, I will add El Oriental De Cuba to the list of restaurants that have inexplicably high Yelper ratings.
I went here and ordered what should be standards for any Cuban restaurant: ropa vieja, beans and rice, ripe plantains, and a cortadito after my meal. The ropa vieja was tender, but had no flavor whatsoever - it just tasted like meat. The beans and yellow rice were ok, but again weren't super-flavorful. The plantains were dry and a bit undercooked - ripe plantains should be slightly carmelized for a bit of crispiness, but soft. This healthy serving of meh cost $12.
But the biggest travesty was the cortadito (little Cuban coffee). Look, I know that Jamaica Plain is full of a bunch of health nuts, and anything that wasn't produced organically by a women's collective in a war-torn backwater is evil, but come on people PROPER CUBAN COFFEE SHOULD BE MIXED AND SERVED WITH TERRIFYING AMOUNTS OF SUGAR ALREADY DUMPED IN. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SUGAR-FREE CUBAN COFFEE!!!! And I don't want to hear any crying about allergies or diabetes: if you want healthy food and sugar-free, soy-based coffee, don't go to a Cuban restaurant!
Perhaps I am spoiled after living in Miami for a few years, but honestly this is not complicated cuisine: it should be salty, garlicky, never dry and always CHEAP. Despite Boston's tragic lack of great Mexican food, and shitty, Yankee-fied BBQ, it IS possible to get good Caribbean food here; I had some of the best fried pork chops with beans and rice I've ever had in my life at a sketchy carry-out in the middle of a public housing complex, so I know it's possible. But should you really have to brave packs of feral 10 year olds in order to get some good, cheap Caribbean food? Jamaica Plain, you can do better. -
Review from Paul W.
Newton, MA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was hoping that this could be my goto place for all things cuban, ordered a couple Cubanos and they are alright. Still prefer Sam LaGrassa's cuban sandwiches over them. Working on the other items on the menu and see how it goes, hoping its more up to par.
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Review from Sophia K.
Quincy, MA
8/1/2010
One of my favorite places for Latino food in Boston! Nice homey place, friendly waitstaff, and tasty food.
This time around I ordered the red snapper plate. Great sweet plantains and yellow rice. The snapper was tender. It was supposed to be spicy, but definitely wasn't spicy at all.
My friend ordered the squid and rice dish. Her squid was really tender and yummy.
Only downside is it's a pain getting to Jamaica Plain!!! But parking is usually OK. We got to the restaurant around 7pm on a Friday night and there was barely a wait. But after about a half hour, it got really crowded. -
Review from Meena M.
Jamaica Plain, MA
1/12/2011
Wonderful Cuban restaurant. Have been there many many times and love it every time. Consistently good food.
My favorites are shredded beef, fried yuca, tostones, maduros, their fruit shakes and their coffee. Amazing stuff. And the wait staff are friendly and nice too.
Price is cheap and big portions, so one order will give you two meals! -
Review from diana y.
8/19/2007
This place has an excellent Cuban Sandwiche-- the best I've had. I don't know how theirs stack up to the sandwiches in Cuba because I've never been there. I've never been there because going to Cuba means you are a commie, a spy for Fidel Castro, and then Homeland Security will come get you. Why am I mentioning Homeland Security on Yelp? Because they're watching. They're watching us. If you eat Cuban food, they're watching you, too, you commie.
Nah, really, you should eat at El Oriental De Cuba because they've got good food at a reasonable price. Also, they have a great dish called Mofongo, which is fried mashed plaintains molded with pork and garlic. Their beef tripe soup was also very good. It had olives and tendons and an assortment of other unusual ingredients that gave it a unique flavor (not so good once it's cold, though). Their flan was thick and had great caramelization on the bottom. The check came out to $45 for 4 people, we didn't have to wait for a table on a Saturday night, and the food came fast. A decent place to stop in if you're hanging out in JP.Listed in: Prepare To Be Impressed
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