The Cuban Kitchen & Coffee

The Cuban Kitchen & Coffee – Capistrano Beach
By Krissy V.

As we embark on a new era of U.S. – Cuba relations, it seems fitting that South Orange County has an opportunity to enjoy a cuisine that may still be unfamiliar to many of us on the West Coast. You may not expect that journey to lead you to a restaurant in the heart of Capistrano Beach, but that’s precisely where you’ll find The Cuban Kitchen & Coffee.

Located on Doheny Park Road inside The Surfin Cowboy (known by locals for its d-lish burgers), the unlikely pairing may feel more like like an Oscar and Felix mismatch than a match made in heaven. To the contrary, the combination has worked well and The Cuban Kitchen has been dishing out fare to rave reviews for the past few months.

I popped in for a weekday lunch and was greeted by my welcoming and knowledgeable server Sarah. She explained that The Cuban Kitchen’s menu, created by award-winning Executive Chef Seth King, emphasizes premium-quality meats and simple, fresh ingredients.

I started with the house-made Empanadas de Cuba — delectably flaky dough pockets stuffed with a combination of beef, pork, and charred corn — accompanied by a side of chimichurri sauce for dipping. I wouldn’t have done the restaurant justice without having a few bites of the World Famous Cuban Sandwich. This grilled and pressed classic consists of thinly sliced pork tenderloin, ham, provolone, dill pickle, peppered mayo and whole grain mustard — creating a simple, yet tasty sandwich that has understandably become the most popular menu item. Sarah shared that it recently outsold The Surfin Cowboy’s renowned OG Burger, which is a testament to its fantastic reception!

To get a sense of The Cuban Kitchen’s range, Sarah brought out a selection of entrées for me to sample. My two fast favorites were the Lomo Cubano and the Ropa Vieja, both traditional Cuban dishes with deep and layered flavors. The Lomo Cubano is a citrus marinated grilled skirt steak that was deliciously tender and had me wanting more. The Ropa Vieja is braised beef or pork in a tomato, red pepper and garlic-based mojo sauce that is a fusion of both Mexican and Cuban-inspired styles. Both dishes are chock-full-of-flavor and are served with rice and beans (which can be eaten separately or mixed together in Cuban fashion) and plantains. Of course, I had to cap off lunch with a kickin’ Cuban Coffee in the comfortable lounge area (with complimentary Wi-Fi) to jumpstart the rest of my day.

Visit The Cuban Kitchen on Friday nights for dinner and stay for the free Salsa dance class at 9 p.m. so that you can work off dinner while learning some spicy moves. Also make a point to stop by for Sunday breakfast, served from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Cuban Kitchen & Coffee
34235 Doheny Park Rd., Suite A
Capistrano Beach • 949.272.5957
TheCubanKitchenAndCoffee.com