I met up with Atlanta Restaurant Blogger Malika in the not-so-distant past for lunch at recently opened Crazy Cuban on 14th St. As the name implies, Crazy Cuban serves Cuban sandwiches. And since sandwiches are easily my favorite food, I was looking forward to stopping in for a taste. The small shop consists of the food prep area and counter and a small bar for customers, so it’s really meant for take-out. There are also some picnic tables in the back parking lot which would benefit from a tent or something for shade.

To me, a Cuban sandwich should be a textural sensation – a mix of slightly crunchy bread, gooey cheese, crisp pickles, and juicy meats. The best one I’ve had in recent memory is from TINY Bistro, so theirs is my “gold standard” for now. A few bloggers (Eat Buford Highway, Foodie Buddha) have lamented the fact that Crazy Cuban’s signature sandwich contains veggies–lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos–which you don’t typically see on a Cuban. I don’t know whether it was due to the bloggers, direct customer complaints, or what, but Crazy Cuban now offers both a “Traditional” and a “Classic” Cuban. I think the Traditional is veggie-free, but don’t quote me on that. Whatever the name, that’s what I ordered (as did Malika), along with a bag of plantain chips and a drink:

I think we both liked our sandwiches. I didn’t have the “WOW” reaction I had after my first bite of TINY’s Cuban, but it was good. There was plenty of meat and cheese and some good quality bread, but it wasn’t pressed to my preferred level of crispness. I got the plantain chips out of curiosity; they were of the bagged variety and only so-so. But obviously this is the fault of the manufacturer and not the restaurant.

Crazy Cuban serves 7 varieties of sandwiches and offers chip/drink accompaniments. Though not my favorite Cuban, I can see myself returning for lunch, as it is a pretty short walk from the North end of campus. I’d suggest they start up some advertising around campus too, Tech students are a huge market!

www.crazycubansandwich.com