4.5 out of 5.0 stars
One thing that’s not hard to find in Tampa and the surrounding communities, is Latin American food. I’ve been expanding my knowledge and love for this type of food. There are so many different menu items to draw you in, but one that is sure to catch my attention is the almighty burger, albeit with some Latin flair.
Mario, Tom & Charles are the three friends and owners responsible for bringing us some amazing Latin American food, with, what they say, has a little Tampa/Miami twist. There are a lot of menu items I’m just not familiar with, but when I look them up or ask about them, I’m totally going to try them.
I thought I’d ease my way in with the Frita Cubana. It’s simply a Cuban Hamburger, and it’s simply delicious. The two 2.5 ounce patties are an 80/20 beef grind, blended with chorizo at a 2 to 1 beef/chorizo ratio. They are flavorful, juicy and have a nice soft, tender feel to them. The cheese is American, which I thought was a great choice. It’s beautifully melted and plentiful. Diced onions below the patties are a hit for me. Most Cuban hamburgers have potato sticks on top. El Magico calls them crispy potatoes, but they weren’t what you typically think of potato sticks, these were more like whips of crispiness. They gave it a nice little crunch. Most of the burgers I come across have some kind of an aioli or burger sauce, but not here. Ketchup is the hit here and it hits hard. After a couple bites, you’ll wonder what that unique flavor is. It’s smokey ketchup. It’s ketchup with a bunch of different spices mixed in. I loved it. The bun? I thought it was a Martin’s potato roll and it is. The perfect bun for this slightly smaller burger that you don’t want to share. Keep the whole thing for yourself. If you share, you might be back in line for another.
I enjoyed this burger very much.
Maduros – Amazing!
