Miami Lunch/Wishlist: Pollo Tropical & A Media Noche

Spent the weekend in my hometown of Miami, and had two lunches which are now going to be added to the Midtown Lunch wishlist.  First up, Pollo Tropical:

This Florida fast food institution is not as great as it once was, but if given the choice between a whopper combo and a quarter chicken combo with rice, beans, and plantains, I think it’s pretty obvious what I’m going to choose.  It can’t hold a candle to most of the latin food here in Midtown, so we don’t really *need* a Pollo Tropical, but it still holds a special place in my heart… (I’ve seen the sign for one off of the freeway in Jersey when you come out of the Lincoln Tunnel.  Anybody ever been?)

And yesterday, we had the lesser known, sweet bastard son of the Cuban Sandwich.  Check it out after the jump…

A Media Noche.  We could definitely use one of these in Midtown.  Pretty much the same ingredients as a regular Cuban sandwich (ham, pork, cheese, pickles, mayo & mustard), but with a sweet egg bread instead of the typical french style cuban bread.  For some reason, this place didn’t press the sandwich- but it was still good.  (Los Dos Palmas, 12992 SW 89th Ave.)  A fried of my mom’s said this place was the best in South Miami, and super authentic.  Next time I’m going to Calle Ocho.

Click here to see the rest of the photos from my trip (including a fry-tastic dinner at the newly nominated “James Beard American Classic” Jumbo’s in Liberty City).

14 Comments

  • While I’ve still got love for Pollo Tropical…no Chicken Kitchen? Flannigans? I’m going back home to Miami in 2 months and I’ve already got my eating itinerary planned out.

    And you’ve got to have a cortadito with your medianoche.

  • I think there’s one reasonably on your way to shea.

  • I fell in love with the cortadito (with condensed milk) when I was in Miami last month. Anyone know what kind of coffee they typically use in those (like is it just regular espresso or something special)?

  • Angie’s Matt, Chicken Kitchen has Pollo Tropical beat by a mile. However, it would be considered HEALTH FOOD by Zach.

  • hey zach, i get media noches frequently at havana central (north side of 46th b/w 6th and 7th) when my coworkers are company carding it… it’s kinda themey in there, but they show soccer games at the bar so i’m down. on the lunch menu, a media noche is around $8. pretty tasty, and it comes with these bangin sweet potato fries! holla!

  • I’ve been to the Polo Tropical in Jersey, but you’re right that it doesn’t hold a candle to the midtown cuban fare.

  • There’re bunches of Cuban places in Union city NJ. You should google for them. The block is call Bergenline ave. There should be buses that goes there from NY.

  • I don’t know if you were a fan of the rascal house down in Miami, as I was, but it looks like it’s been closed for good:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/us/01miami.html

    sadness.

  • Pollo Tropical in Central Jersey is good – and just around the corner from moi :)

  • I’ve been to the Pollo Tropical in NJ..I hated it. It was slow- they took over 30 minutes and lost my order. It was boring food. I will never return. There is much better, more authentic latin food right here in midtown and definitely in Queens.

  • go queens!

  • What—no Versailles when you went to Miami?! Have you ever been to Ceviche House in Kendall? Muy Bueno—it is Peruvian. Just skip the desserts.

    And you didn’t hit Joe’s Stone Crab? I’m with Angie’s Matt on Flannigans—they have the greatest garlic wings ever! What kind of Floridian are you?

  • haha… i would have loved to hit up joe’s, but it was Winter Music Conference the weekend I was there, and there is no way I was going anywhere near the beach!

  • Chosue, what are you talking about?? The drive thru service at the Pollo Tropical in NJ is the fastest in the industry. I only have a few minutes for lunch and choose the drive thru because it is fast. I love Pollo Tropical.

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