If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you might have seen my mouthwatering photos from my brunch at Cuba Libre in Philly. A while back a friend raved about her visit to Cuba Libre in another city. I’m glad I was able to convince my Type-A Philly roommates to head to Cuba Libre for Sunday brunch.
I didn’t realize that Sunday brunch would be tapas. I love tapas because my Libran-self gets to taste many different dishes. My roommates weren’t quite sold on the idea at first. They dived in for a culinary adventure. We all opted for the all-you-can-eat tapas option, which is a great deal at only $26. Plus, I’m not very familiar with Cuban food (except for the ubiquitous sandwich) so I wanted to try as many dishes as I could.
I wasn’t in the mood for breakfast dishes but my roommates ordered omelets and this pillowy guava paste and cream cheese stuffed French toast. Plus drunken strawberries and honey drizzle to finish it off. The brioche as moist and fluffy and I enjoyed the unique guava flavor. It was a hit. The gals also enjoyed their cheesy Cuban style omelet.
I started off with these Papas Rellenas, a potato croquette filled with beef picadillo. They don’t look like it in the photo, but it was a generous portion. Delicious and a great way to start off my brunch. I really wanted to try the crisp pork belly skewers, but sadly they were out. There’s plenty of pork belly in Vietnamese cuisine, but I always thought of it as a poor man’s cut. Now pork belly has been elevated in the culinary word.
This “Raise the Dead” seafood soup was my favorite dish from brunch. I love seafood, but the fishy smell of seafood soup always turns me off. (I have a sensitive nose.). This soup was A-MAZING. The broth was light and fresh, with a subtle coconut milk flavor. With exception of the overcooked bay scallops, the rest of the seafood in it was cooked perfectly. I should have ordered it sooner. That way I might have had room for two bowls!
This Guacamole Cubano should have been another dish to order in the first round. It was amazingly creamy and contained pineapple. The sweetness was very subtle and not overpowering at all. It’s served with plantain chips and my roommates barely waited for me to snap my photos. My only complaint is that we didn’t eat it all because we were so full. This is a guac I want to make at home.
That’s not even half of the dishes that we ordered! Here’s what our table for four looked like after our second round of tapas. The food was delicious and made my mouth so happy! I think everyone else was equally pleased.
Cuba Libre has a location in DC. I hope to take my husband there for brunch soon. The kids wouldn’t appreciate how good the food was!
What’s your favorite Cuban dish?