La Carreta

La Carreta Restaurant Review:

Here on Calle Ocho (Little Havana), La Carreta, unlike its many younger and more generic sibling Carretas, is a landmark with finer fare, a more extensive menu, charming servers, and a late-night clientele that ranges from club kids to cops---all kept lively by Cuban coffee; coraditos, coladas and café con leche are always full-bodied and fresh. This original Carreta is a solid choice for those seeking consistently tasty Cuban classics at bargain prices. For those craving casual food, the sandwich list is comprehensive; the La Carreta special, a more savory Tampa-style upgrade of the traditional Cuban (with Spanish chorizo added to the traditional filling of ham, Swiss cheese, roast pork, dill pickles and mustard on buttered and press-heated Cuban bread), is a good choice, but if you'd prefer a traditional galeta preparada (a mini-Cuban, on saltines instead of bread), they're here, too. There's also a full range of hot dishes, some elaborate and a bit creative (seafood casseroles with Creole or cream sauces; plantain meat pie), most homey classics (roast pork with rice, beans or yuca; vaca frita; ropa vieja and more). With whatever you order, don't miss the yuca fries with cilantro garlic aïoli.