Article By: Althea Tyrell

Today I had the honor of speaking with Ramon Hernandez, a member of the original Pipo’s Café family. He shared with me his favorite thing about the Cuban Sandwich Festival, and a little about Pipo too!

How long has Pipos been around?

Pipo’s Café has been around since 1979 when my parents opened up. Since then my brother and I have expended to have multiple locations here in the Tampa Bay area.

Who was Pipo?

Pipo was my Dad, and Pipo is like a Spanish nick name for father. Everyone used to call my dad Pipo. 


Which Pipo’s is still owned by your family?

The only Pipo’s owned by the original family is the one I own and in 3 or 4 weeks I’ll be opening another in down town St. Pete 9531 Bay Pines Blvd. 

What is your favorite thing to eat on your menu?

Roast Pork goes the quickest. We basically through 600-700 pounds a day but my favorite is Ropa Vieja. Ropa vieja is translated in Spanish to old clothes and it’s a stew of tender shredded flank steak in a tomato and wine sauce simmered with onions & peppers till tender.

What’s your favorite thing about the festival?

Wide variety of local businesses that get together once a year to put out their best Cuban sandwich and the best options they have at their restaurants. It’s a good opportunity for everybody to get exposure to thousands of people. And customers can go and try all these restaurants at one time; it’s a win-win situation.  

Press It/ Don’t Press It

It’s got to be pressed. We don’t sell Cuban sandwiches not pressed at the restaurant.


If you’re team #PressIt I think Pipo’s is definitely the right place for you. Look out for them at the festival!

Stephena and Webster Pierre, self owners of the Carrollwood Café and Deli, took some time out of their busy schedules, and allowed me to ask them a couple questions about their Deli and Cuban sandwiches!  

1)      How long have you been at Carrollwood Café and Deli?

We have been here 18 years running and owning the deli.

2)      What is the “Patch Readers’ Choice” award?

That’s one of the awards that they gave within the neighborhood, but I think it’s discontinued now. We got it for best deli.

3)      What is your favorite item on your menu?

One of our signature items, our hot New York pastrami served with fresh baked Jewish rye.

4)      What is your favorite thing about the Cuban Sandwich Festival?

It’s an opportunity to provide to this variety of food. Everyone has their own flare to their Cuban sandwich. For example, ours is the Deli Cuban which has pork beef, pastrami, pickles, and cheese and so on. That’s our staple.

5)      What is one ingredient you can’t go without on a Cuban sandwich?

For us is our homemade bread. Our bread is baked in-house; and the bread makes or breaks any sandwich.

6)      Press It/Don’t Press It

It’s a toss-up. Webster prefers it pressed, I prefer it traditional and not pressed.

Come on out to the festival in March to experience the different varieties of delicious Cuban sandwiches! 

 

Despite being around for such a short time So Nuts Donuts has had people talking about their Cuban sandwich, specifically the sweet Cuban. I called in to speak with the people responsible for replacing the buns with donuts (YUM). I spoke with Stephanie Burke, who works at the deli/bakery with her husband and in-laws. 

1)    What came first the donuts, or the deli?

They both came together and we started them at the same time, but our initial idea and creation was the donuts. Then we realized we wanted to bring in the deli side as well and were able to spin off our sandwiches like the “Sweet Cuban” and the “Donut Burger”

2)    What gave you the idea to combine donuts and sandwiches?

My husband came from Panera as a manager so he was really familiar with the combination of a kind of deli and pastry shop. Then my brother-in-law had experience on the deli side. From there we wanted to create something fun and new, but something still familiar, fast and casual but also out of the box and different.

3)    Is So Nut! Donuts & Deli family owned?

Yes this is family owned by me, my husband Peter, my brother-in-law David, and my father-in-law Michael.

4)    How long have you been here in Tampa?

We have been open since June of 2014, we’ll be approaching our year anniversary this coming June. We look to open in about 2-3 months two more locations. One in South Tampa and one in Westchase

5)    What made you want to try out for the festival?

We did a small twist on our Cuban. We do a traditional and a nontraditional way. On the nontraditional we use a spicy jack cheese, and on our traditional we use the traditional Swiss cheese. We have had so many good responses to our Cuban, and some of the folks involved with the festival stopped in for lunch one day, and wanted us to try for the Cuban Sandwich Festival.

6)    Press it? Don’t press it?

For our sweet Cuban on a donut we press it and we press out our traditional as well, but I actually prefer the traditional Cuban not pressed, and on our nontraditional sweet Cuban is pressed.

Come check out So Nuts Donuts and satisfy both your hunger and sweet tooth!

 

Yesterday I spoke with Chef Darlene Herrick, former Cuban Sandwich Festival winner for Non-Traditional Cuban when she was with Gaspar’s Grotto.  She is currently the Executive Chef at La Septima Café in Brandon.  In the ten minutes I spent talking with Chef Darlene, I discovered that it is not every day that you find someone with such pride and love for what they do.


ME:  La Septima Café is a family owned business, right?

CHEF:  Yes

ME:  What made them want start the Café?

CHEF:  The owner, Dahlia Fernandez, along with her husband, Ron, have been in the restaurant business for years.  They are from Tampa, like me. They have had two very successful restaurants.  Their families are from Ybor City and West Tampa.  Dahlia’s paternal grandfather owned a casino in Ybor when her father was growing up.   Ron and Dahlia moved to Brandon where they raised their children, Jennifer and RJ.   A very dear family friend, Gert Laxer, gave them the advice to open a restaurant in their own back yard serving what they know best…and that’s how they decided to open La Septima twenty years ago!

ME:  Where did the name La Septima come from?

CHEF:  La Septima means “seventh” for Seventh Avenue in Ybor City.

ME:  What is your secret to continually winning “Best of Brandon” for Spanish/Cuban Restaurant and Cuban Sandwich?

CHEF:  Our recipes are handed down from their grandparents, who were born in Cuba, Italy and Spain.  These recipes have been in the owners’ families for years.  Our food is made with love and care.  I’ve been a chef for a long time and have never worked with anyone who takes such pride and love in their food.  Being an executive chef, I feel the very same way!

ME:  What dish are you most proud of on your menu?

CHEF:  Well, the Cuban Sandwich of course!

ME:  What is your favorite thing about the Cuban Sandwich Festival?

CHEF:  The spirit of the competition.  I know some people say, “oh, it’s just a Cuban Sandwich”, but it is a part of our Tampa history.  I’ve been making Cuban sandwiches since I was six years old!

ME:  Press or Not pressed?

CHEF:  I prefer not pressed, when the bread is fresh and the sandwich is made just before you eat it.

IF YOU WANT A TASTE OF CHEF DARLENE HERRICK’S FOOD STOP BY LA SEPTIMA, OR SEE THEM AT THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL!

How much do you know about first year contestant, “Cigar City Brew Pub”? Last week we stopped in to take a look around, and see some of their best dishes. Later, I spoke with Chef Ryan, so we could find out what makes this pub really stand out.

1) How did the "Cigar City Brew Pub" start?

Cigar City opened April 1st 2013 with the simple goal of giving Tampa great food to go with great beer. Our menu is a little Cuban, a little Southern, a little Italian and all Tampa. We aim to provide a welcome and casual environment for our guest to enjoy a good time with their friends and family.

                                                                                                 
2) What makes your Cuban sandwich stand out from others?

What makes ours stand out from others would be everything we put into our Cuban. We have sourced the highest quality ingredients, like are high marble fat ham, La Segunda Cuban bread and Fiorucci Salami. Most important, we use our house fermented pickles and house mojo marinated pork loin. That's right Pork Loin, not pork butt or shoulder like many others might. But, most of all would be the love we put into our Cuban sandwich as well as all our other dishes.


3) Your menu consists of different genres of food, but it all 
encompasses Tampa. Is one chef responsible for all of these?

Our menu is definitely a 50/50 partnership between Chef Michel Cavanaugh and me Chef Ryan Brooks, which I think makes our menu so diverse.


4) What is a "must-have" when going to the "Cigar City Brew Pub"

Our "must-have" would obviously be the Cuban! But it has also been rumored that we have one of the best burgers in town, being our Local Providence Cattle beef Grass Fed Burger.


5) What made you want to try out for the Cuban Sandwich Festival?

What made use want to try out for the Festival is that is sounded like a fun time with the best of the Bay.


6) Press it? Don't press it?

PRESS IT!

We are definitely excited to have the "Cigar City Brew Pub" joining us this year, and so are they. Check out what Chef Ryan and Michael have to say to the other competitors in this video . See you at the festival!

When it comes to Cuban culture Ybor is anything but lacking. Since the 1800s when Don Vicente Martínez-Ybor decided to move his Cigar factories here, Ybor was made known as the “Cigar Capitol of the World”. These factories employed many Cubans, and were a staple to the community. Now the factories still stand, being occupied with different shops and businesses, but also standing with them is the history of what once was. 

Cuban culture has been growing and spreading, not only with the preservation of these buildings, but with events like the Cuban Sandwich Festival. The Cuban sandwich started with the managers of these cigar factories’ wanting something better for their employees, something that reminded them of home. Now these sandwiches have spread all over, and once a year Ybor takes the opportunity to find the best one, and celebrate it with the community through the Cuban Sandwich Festival. At the festival, sandwich makers come from all over to present their best sandwiches, and attendees get to eat all their hearts desire. 

Ybor is a great place to go and get a feel of Cuban culture. If you find yourself here in March, don’t miss the opportunity to stop by the Cuban Sandwich Festival, or one of these other great historical sites mentioned here. 

F.A.Q. for the 3rd Annual National Cuban Sandwich Festival


Are you ready? Really ready? We hope you are because the team has worked really hard to provide you with an awesome experience this year.

If this is your first time joining us, don't worry. You will have fun and there will be plenty of Cubans to taste. But just in case you are wondering what to expect or have any questions, we have compiled a list of things you may want to know.

What time is the festival?
Day 1- Saturday, March 22nd 2014 from 10:30AM-6:30 PM at the Ybor City Saturday Market, Centennial Park in Historic Ybor City located at 1800 E. 8th Street, Tampa, FL.
 
Day 2- Sunday, March 23rd 2014 from 11AM–5PM at HCC Ybor Campus, 2112 N 15th St, Tampa, FL.

Is the event free?
Yes, the event is free and open to the public. Come and dance, laugh and share great memories with your friends and family. There will be many vendors including our Cuban sandwich competitors there for you to patronize. You will be able to purchase as many sandwiches, drinks, art work, and other items being sold as you can carry.

Can I bring my kids?
The even is purposely created to be family friendly. We welcome your youngest and oldest members of your family to attend.
 
Which restaurants will be participating in the contest?
We currently have 20 restaurants with the possibility of having additional ones added or ones that may need to drop out for unexpected reasons. For a complete current list, please click here.

Why isn't my favorite restaurant listed?
Our event and the competition is completely open to restaurants who want the additional exposure and a chance to share their best with the public. The contest is made known to many restaurants throughout the state and beyond. The competition is voluntary and some restaurants do not participate for various reasons.  If your favorite restaurant is not on the list, contact them to let them know you believe they should enter the next competition.

Where do I park?
Ybor is a great location to have the festival. It is the epitome of urban life and history mixed together. You can use one of the many parking garages, metered lots or on-street site in Ybor or you can hop on the trolley which runs between Channelside and Ybor. Be sure to pay attention to posted signs and remit payment for any fees listed. For more specific information on parking in Ybor, please click here.

Is the festival also a fundraiser as well?
 Yes. This event serves as a fundraiser for Emberlynn  Padilla, a 2 ½ year old baby miracle baby born with Congenital  diaphragmatic hernia.  To Donate or learn more about Emberlynn, please click here.

We hope this answers some of your many questions. For updates, please connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Also, please be sure to tag us on our social media pages to your pictures from the event.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The 3rd Annual National Cuban Sandwich Festival will be held at the historic Centennial Park located in Ybor City, Tampa from March 22-23, 2014. 

Ybor City is one of only two National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida and is also considered the “Cigar Capital of the world” because of the Cigar factories and history of the city. 

Founded in the 1880’s, Ybor was originally populated by immigrant workers and cigar manufacturers that came from Cuba, Italy and Spain. You can still see the history of the place in its old buildings, Spanish style architecture and brick paved streets that give the city a Latin culture feel. 

 The Centennial Park in Ybor is centrally located; it is close to downtown Tampa and the Channelside district making it very accessible to the Cuban Sandwich Festival goers. 

Ybor is also home to the Ybor City Museum where you can learn more about the history of the place. This means that not only are you going to be able to enjoy a nice Cuban Sandwich at the festival but you can also enjoy a nice stroll through one of our more historic cities and learn more about Tampa’s cultural heritage.

 See you at the Festival!!

Are you Team Mayo or Team No Mayo? 

Vote in ‘The Cuban Sandwich Bowl’ until February 2nd at 11 pm EST for The National Cuban Sandwich Festival which will be held on March 22-23, 2014.

We are having a contest “The Cuban Sandwich Bowl” where we are asking people to vote whether or not they prefer Mayo or No Mayo on their Cuban Sandwiches. 

As you may know in their quest for the best Cuban sandwich in the world ingredients are debatable. Some people prefer Mayonnaise on their Cuban sandwich and some don’t. Are you Team Mayo or Team No Mayo? 

The winning team will be entered into a sweepstakes where one person will be chosen as the winner of a VIP Access Prize pack for 2 to the event. 

Vote Team Mayo or Team No Mayo today by clicking here:http://woobox.com/jbw9j7. 

 Good Luck everyone!! 

 For more information visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CubanSandwichFestival and Twitter @Cubansandfest.

Article written by the 2014 National Cuban Sandwich Festival Official Blogger, Farrah Estrella.