500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late | Book

Media Noche – Florida

Media noche means “midnight”, which traditionally is when this unique variant of the Cuban sandwich (page 150) is the snack of choice. It is suitable for late-late night because it is somewhat lighter than dinner-sized Cuban…but only somewhat. The ingredients are the same – roast pork, ham, and Swiss cheese – but instead of the hearty Cuban loaf, sweet eggy bread serves as the base. When steamed and grilled so the ingredients meld, the sweet bread develops a light crunch that is completely different from the chewier nature of the traditional baguette. Havana serves it from a round-the-clock walk-up window but also in its full-service, sit-down restaurant, which boasts a vast traditional Cuban menu, from white bean soup on Sunday to guanabana milk shakes and A-I cafe conleche. The media noche and classic Cuban are supplemented by an “Especial de West Palm Beach;’ a similar Dagwood but with a full deck of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Note: Pickles are almost everywhere a standard Cuban sandwich ingredient, but they must be requested at Havana.

Havana:
6801 S. Dixie Highway,
West Palm Beach, FL
561-547-9799
www.havanacubanfood.com