CRESTVIEW — A new Main Street eatery plans a late September or early October opening, bringing the savory kick of authentic Cuban cuisine to downtown.
Tony and Manolo’s owners Lindsey and Jesus Blanco have been polishing the vintage Airstream trailer in the Main Street Eats outdoor food court as they await approval of their plans for the unit’s renovation.
Lindsey Blanco said she and her husband, the son of Cuban immigrants, are eager to see their dream of an establishment offering her mother-in-law’s family recipes finally opened.
“We’re excited,” she said. “I was upset we weren’t able to open before now, but by the end of the month it’ll be starting to cool off and people will want to stay and eat at the tables and hang out downtown.”
MADRE’S RECIPES
The couple, who named their food trailer for their twin sons, plan to offer “curbside Cuban concoctions.”
“It’s going to be a small menu with specials every now and then,” Lindsey said. “It’s all Jesus’ mother’s original recipes that he fell in love with.”
Some of the menu selections will reflect Jesus’ native Key West.
“We’re going to offer conch fritters, which is huge in Key West, and I don’t think anyone here offers them,” Lindsey said.
Selections will also include plantain crisps — shredded plantain fried into a cake — served with a secret sauce, four or five different sandwiches, grilled cheese for kids, Cuban mix, and media noche — a “midnight sandwich” served on sweet bread.
“Our main dishes, as far as a meal, will be slow-roasted mojo pork with black beans and white or yellow rice,” Lindsey said. “Our other main entree will be picadillo,” a kicky ground beef that The New York Times once called “one of the great dishes of the Cuban diaspora.”
‘HOW MUCH LONGER?’
Tony and Manolo’s will also offer a light traditional island breakfast.
“My husband is going to do Cuban coffee in the morning,” Lindsey said. “A Key West traditional breakfast is pressed Cuban bread with butter and homemade guava jam.”
And the jam is authentic. Her mother-in-law makes it from scratch and sends it to her son and his family, Lindsey said.
“We hope we can sell the jam at some point,” she said. “It’s the real deal.”
Add homemade desserts like Key lime pie and rice pudding and it’s no wonder passersby who see the couple polishing the Airstream repeatedly ask, “‘How much longer? How much longer?’” Lindsey said.
“People want to see a new place to eat in town,” she said.
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EATING ON MAIN STREET
Downtown’s the place to dine for casual family outings and date nights. Tony and Manolo’s, a Cuban food trailer going into the Main Street Eats outdoor food court at 147 Main St. N., joins several other downtown eateries.
From north to south, these include:
●Casbah Coffee Company, 196 Pine St. W.
●Hideaway Pizza, 326 Main St. N.
●The Tropical Palm Restaurant, 286 Main St. N.
●Uncle Bill’s Family Restaurant, 252 Ferdon Blvd. S.
●Arirang Korean BBQ and Sushi, 172 Woodruff Ave. E.
●Desi’s Downtown Restaurant, 197 Main St. N.
●Megan’s Sunshine Cafe, 147 Main St. N.
●Coney Island Hotdogs, 107 Main St. N.
●Hub City Smokehouse and BBQ, 168 Main St. S.
●Good Things Donuts, 615 Williams Ave.
Downtown’s the place to dine for casual family outings and date nights. Tony and Manolo’s, a Cuban food trailer going into the Main Street Eats outdoor food court at 147 Main St. N., joins several other downtown eateries.
From north to south, these include:
●Casbah Coffee Company, 196 Pine St. W.
●Hideaway Pizza, 326 Main St. N.
●The Tropical Palm Restaurant, 286 Main St. N.
●Uncle Bill’s Family Restaurant, 252 Ferdon Blvd. S.
●Arirang Korean BBQ and Sushi, 172 Woodruff Ave. E.
●Desi’s Downtown Restaurant, 197 Main St. N.
●Megan’s Sunshine Cafe, 147 Main St. N.
●Coney Island Hotdogs, 107 Main St. N.
●Hub City Smokehouse and BBQ, 168 Main St. S.
●Good Things Donuts, 615 Williams Ave.
EATING ON MAIN STREET
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cuban cuisine coming to Main Street Crestview