The Place for a Cuban Sandwich
2900 West Sunset Blvd. (@ Parkman)
Phone: 323-661-8391 | map

Cafe Tropical is the absurdly-visible purple building on the corner of Sunset and Parkman, next to the quietly cool Silverlake Lounge. Inside the decor is like a battered corner market somewhere beneath the United States, replete with the (obligatory, perhaps unnecessary) photos of Che Guevara and newspapers in Spanish.

Behind the counter, they make fantastic Cuban sandwiches and a large number of tempting pastries, breads and cakes. Thinking of places that are more bakeries than Cuban restaurants, I'd say the sandwiches are easily as good as Porto's in Glendale, and more likely to be the subject of a sudden craving.

Do this: go with a friend, get a classic Cuban, get a Medianoche, and each of you give a half to the other. The Midnight is the same sandwich - pork, pickle and cheese - but on a dark sweet bread. Couple that with a cafe con leche or one of the painfully hot Cuban coffees that will still have you twitching hours later. End by looking longingly at the pastries in the counter, but it's okay to give in to a desire for a guava pie.

I'm unsure if it's still cash only, but there is a battered little ATM behind whatever two people are sitting at the end of the counter arguing about politics and art movements. Go here, be satisfied.