Margon Makes Aziz Ansari’s Favorite Cuban Sandwich
The Village Voice doesn’t branch out into Midtown too often (and quite frankly, do you blame them?), but I still love their blog Eat For Victory, and -of course- Robert Sietsema’s “Counter Culture” column. They always have great recs, especially for inexpensive and authentic eats, and we’re clearly not the only ones who think so. Last week, in response to a challenge from the owner of Casa Havana, Eat for Victory launched a best Cuban sandwich contest- and Comedian Aziz Ansari from Human Giant, posted this nominee in the comments:
My favorite cubano in the city hands down is at Margon on 46th btw 6th and 7th ave. They throw in a slice of salami that takes the whole thing to another level. I’m not sure that raw garlic can compete with that as far as genius.
Midtown represent! That piece of salami actually makes it more of a Dominican style “Cuban” sandwich- but why bother getting technical? It’s freakin’ Aziz Ansari! (Sorry, I’m a huge Human Giant fan. That dude is freakin’ hilarious.) You may remember Human Giant from such informative films as this K.C. Rib Ticklers video I posted a link to a few months ago.
To nominate your favorite Cuban Sandwich, go to Eat For Victory. You have until tomorrow.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 3:14 pm, February 13th, 2008 under Latin, Village Voice.
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Cuban sandwiches became famous in the United States. The sandwiches became popular during the bloom of the cigar capital of the world, in Tampa, Florida. The sandwich has had many a critic proclaim the true way to eat and or how the sandwich is made. The fact is, that the sandwich is made with cuban bread, ham, pork, salami, and swiss cheese. People argue about what condiments should be put on the sandwiches: mayo, must, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions and who knows what else. Traditionally, the mayo, must, pickles where used. Nowadays, lettuce and tomatos has come into favor. The bottom line is the person eating the sandwich should decide. If the main ingredients are of quality, the condiments will not ruin your sandwich.
Salami on a Cuban sandwich is actually fairly common and accepted practice in the Tampa area, which is the likely origin of the Cuban sandwich as we know it. It’s thought to be the result of Tampa’s Cuban and Italian immigrants influencing one another.
Mustard is also more common in Tampa than it is in Miami, the other major city in the Axis of Cuban Sandwiches.
Margon’s fairly chewy, Italian-ish-interiored Cuban bread and their use of mayo — especially the rather generous amount of it — are to my reckoning much more pronounced deviations from what you’d find in Florida.