El Cochinito
3508 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Keen readers of this blog know of my love for Cuban food. Unfortunately, being based in Orange County, there are only a few options for Cuban cuisine there. There's the solid Bella Cuba in Santa Ana, the good, which includes Habana, Porto's, and Moros, and then there's the highly overrated Felix in Orange. You won't find much more than the occasional Cuban sandwich on a menu in OC.
So, since I was on vacation, we made a little weekend getaway trip to LA. We had a family event the next day, and I have had a Cuban place on my list for a long time. So we brought one of my favorites among Katie's cousins, Steve, and his somewhat average wife, Yvette, who just happens to be Cuban. She claims to be quite the Cuban food expert and is always ready to voice her opinion, whether right or wrong, as she is wrong almost 90 percent of the time. We headed to El Cochinito on Sunset Boulevard with their remarkable daughter, Gabbi.
El Cochinito got my attention when it was mentioned in this well-written article as one of the top 7 places for Cuban food in LA and also when it won the award for best Cuban sandwich in the world. Since Cuban sandwiches are the most balanced of all sandwiches, I quickly added this restaurant to my list, and the perfect time to visit finally came about six months later.
Situated in a small strip of stores anchored by a Baskin Robbins and a Subway, El Cochinito blends into the scenery almost perfectly, so it's easy to spot if you know it's there. Gladys Gutierrez opened this little restaurant in 1988, but unfortunately, she passed away almost five years ago. It's now run by her grandchildren and has not missed a beat.
We arrived here on a Saturday at 7pm and waited about five minutes. The restaurant is long and narrow and not conducive to big parties, but they managed to squeeze our party of five near the back of the restaurant. There are ten to fifteen tables here, all ideal for two to four guests. El Cochinito was doing a booming take-out business this evening, as there was a steady stream of people picking up their orders throughout our stay.
El Cochinito means the little pig in Spanish, so pork is well represented on the menu. Plenty of traditional sandwiches and entrees, desserts, Cuban coffee, Cuban soft drinks, and tropical milkshakes are listed on their menu. Prices for entrees range between $13 to $18, and a sandwich will set you back at most $11. Excellent for the wallet, but how would everything taste? Let's check it out.
We attacked this Bread Plate when it was placed on the table before we ordered. It was nicely toasted and made even better with plenty of softened butter. The bread had a pleasing crunch as well. They were not shy about bringing us more and did not even charge us the 85 cents the menu listed.
After our short drive from Glendale, we were hungry, so we ordered some Tostones ($5). These smashed and fried plantains were fine but made even better with the mojo de ajo (garlic sauce). They were fried nicely, with an absence of grease. Well done, but I was more eager for the following item that came out for us.
The world's best Cuban sandwich? This Cubano ($11) is the best I have had in California and rivals the few I've had in Florida. I'm a big supporter of the Cuban sandwich, calling it one of the most balanced sandwiches. It's a sandwich that has everything. This traditional version included some well-flavored and savory ham and pork, Swiss cheese for a bit of creaminess, mustard added for tang, garlic sauce for a flavor booster, and pickles to round everything out. The bread is nice and crunchy due to toasting, which compresses the insides of the sandwich together to form a flavor bomb when you bite into it. The only thing I did not like about this was that I had to share it with Katie. I should have gotten another one for just myself. No wonder El Cochinito won that huge trophy you see when you walk through the door. They definitely earned it with this sandwich.
Steve and Gabi split this Bistec Empanizado ($17) this evening. Gabbi split this with her dad because she was heartsick over an impending breakup with her boyfriend, Blaine. Oh, to be 16 again. This breaded steak reminded me of a country-fried steak with a little more heft. Even though the breading was a little more puffed up than a regular breaded steak, the beef under it was still present. I had one bite and liked it, but I might have become bored if I had the whole thing. This came with Black Beans and Rice. The beans were rich and flavorful, which may have had a hint of garlic. No complaints from either Steve or Gabi about this, so I assume they were happy campers.
Even though El Cochinito is known for its pork dishes, it's even in their name that Yvette wanted to try their Palomilla ($16). This is a thin steak, sirloin, covered with sauteed onions on top. Hard to please, Yvette said this was not as good as her mom's, but she did admit it was one of the better ones she's had in a restaurant. Of course, she was selfish and did not share with anyone, so I'll take her word for it. The Madures were delicious here, and I'm not usually a big fan of plantains, but these struck just the right balance of sweetness for my palate.
The Lechon Asado ($18) is listed as a house specialty, and after I tasted this, I can see why. This is the best pork dish I've had in a while, and I often order pork often. I've heard they roast their pork for ten hours, which shows in the finished product. The shredded pork is nice and tender, very flavorful, and has just the right amount of little pieces of fat running through it. Not a bad bite on the plate. This came with some Congri, a mixture of black beans and rice, which is the way to go here. Also sharing the plate was some Yuca, which I have never liked, but this version was excellent. It was not dry and starchy like others I have had. A very impressive plate.
Flan ($6) is not something I've ever been too fond of. I only usually order it if there's nothing else on a dessert menu I like. This is one that I would get again and again. This was the best flan I've ever had. It had the perfect texture, a very good caramel sauce, and just the right amount of sweetness. We all agreed that this was a special flan and we never agreed on anything.
Special is definitely the way I'd describe this visit to El Cochinito. This was the best Cuban meal I have had in California, and they definitely rival the Cuban restaurants I've been to in Florida. They even recently opened a spot in West Palm Beach, so they are confidentto go toe to toe with the heavyweights of Cuban cuisine. No complaints with the food or service this evening. They took great care of us, even though we had Yvette at our table. The only drawback I can see about this place is that their parking lot is tiny, and I'm sure it's frustrating at peak times. It will be challenging to come back up this way again and not stop by for one of the world's best Cuban sandwiches.
Out of five reservoirs (because this restaurant is located in the Silver Lake section of Los Angeles,,, named after a local politician who helped build the reservoir that surrounds this area), five being best to zero being worst, El Cochinito gets 4 solid reservoirs.
For more information about El Cochinito, head to their website here: http://www.cochinitola.com/
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