I have to admit that I was not a fan of the original Carlos’ Cuban Cafe here in Tallahassee – I was more of a Gordo’s girl, and grew to love Black Bean Cafe.

However, Carlos’ shut down and has reemerged as a small bistro, the Cuban Grill,  over on Capital Circle NE, to the far north end by Esposito’s. They have also added a cute outdoor seating area that will be nice when the weather is cooperative.

The menu is relatively small, but filled with great Cuban classics. I decided to get the Cuban, as it is one of my favorite iconic sandwiches.

I hate to say it, but their Cuban may be the best I have had in Tallahassee. The biggest difference was that the bread seemed lighter than most, and more delicate (in a good way). And it still had that great crunch necessary to a great Cuban sandwich. The meats were flavorful, and the cheese was perfectly melty and gooey. (One of my pet peeves is unmelted cheese on a pressed sandwich. Yuck!)

NOTE: Get the Half (6″), not the Full (12″) sandwiches (unless you want leftovers…)

My husband got the Pan con Pollo sandwich, featuring grilled mojo chicken breast, onions and mojo sauce. The chicken was cooked well but still juicy, and the onions gave a nice bite. In addition, the sides of beans and rice was rich and yummy, especially when topped with the obligatory doses of hot sauce.

Although we had sandwiches this time, I look forward to coming back and trying some of the dinner entrees. I am really glad to discover this Cuban phoenix, and hope to come back to this side of town for lunch (or dinner) soon.