'New Clothes'
LIBORIO'S second location provides Uptown diners the opportunity to enjoy Cuban comfort food.
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At LIBORIO'S, owner Felipe Cortizas turns out authentic dishes worthy of a
family dinner in Havana.
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WHAT: Liborio's Cuban Restaurant
CUISNE: Cuban
WHEN: Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, dinner Monday
WHERE: 7724 Maple St., 865-9600
CARDS: Major
I only "discovered" Liborio's Cuban Restaurant a little over a year ago when I
still worked in the CBD and was on a never-ending quest for a decent lunch that
wasn't fast food, wasn't a greasy spoon, and didn't cost a fortune. I found it
at Liborio's, but then changed jobs and was relocated to the farthest reaches
of Uptown, making lunchtime trips for sweet plantains and black beans
impractical. Luckily, the Cortizas family, which has run the place since it
opened in 1969, thought now would be a good time for expansion.
About two months ago, another Liborio's opened its doors, this time
on Maple Street, making it convenient for me and the rest of the Uptown crowd
searching for good Cuban cooking. "I was just looking for more to do, and I
know we can serve a good product," says Felipe Cortizas, son of matriarch Nancy
and her husband, José. Well, I'm sure glad managing the busy downtown
location wasn't enough for Cortizas. It's nice to have comfort food like this
within easy reach. Hearty, steaming plates of lechon asado (Cuban roast pork),
caldereta (lemony oven-stewed lamb), ropa vieja (oh-so-tender beef brisket),
and succulent roast chicken are accompanied by creamy black beans and fluffy
rice.
This is the stuff you imagine coming from a Cuban grandmother's
well-seasoned iron pots. "Definitely," says Cortizas when I ask if this is the
kind of food we'd find on family tables during dinnertime in Havana. "The
steak, the chicken, the roast pork, the old clothes (`ropa vieja'), the
plantains, the black beans -- all of those things." Liborio's extensive menu is
brimming with such choices, including robust sandwiches, Mexican dishes, salads
and a nice selection of side items and appetizers.
On a recent trip to the Maple Street location for lunch, there was
a Saturday-afternoon languidness to things in the cheery, yellow space. In a
corner by the window, a friend and I watched Maple Street shoppers meander by
Cortizas sitting at a sidewalk table reading the paper. My eyes wandered across
the postcard-pretty photos of Cuba lining the walls until the waitress brought
our Latin-style soft drinks. My Materva tasted, as the menu promised, like a
cross between ginger ale and apple juice -- sweet, crisp and refreshing. The
other Latin drink, Jupiña, a pineapple soda, tasted just like a
pineapple Big Shot. Chicken croquettes arrived a little later, hot from the
fryer. These flavorful little mouthfuls are lightly breaded, crispy on the
outside and creamy on the inside. I was intrigued by the greenish tint to the
chicken filling until the waitress explained the color came from the mixture of
green onion and other seasonings. I thought the croquettes tasted best when
broken open and spread across slices of the soft, fresh French bread provided
for the table.
After enjoying my lechon asado, the excellent black beans and a
generous portion of golden, perfectly prepared sweet plantains, I could not
even think about dessert. I was able to manage a couple days later, though. I
came back for dinner and sampled one of several seafood dishes on Liborio's
menu, which includes seafood paella, grilled tuna and salmon. I chose the
gambas al ajillo, though, and was glad I did. The pan-sauteed shrimp were
tender and succulent, redolent of olive oil and garlic. I guiltily spooned some
of the red-tinged oil from the shrimp over my black beans and rice. That'll be
an extra lap around the park, thank you. After the waitress removed our bare
dinner plates, my dining companion and I dug into a piece of tres leches cake,
a simple but sinful dessert made with whole milk, condensed milk and evaporated
milk. Incredibly moist, it comes topped with a dollop of whipped cream and
chocolate sprinkles. It reminded me of the cakes my grandmother used to make
for Christmas, sweet and rich. The cream and sprinkles on top added a touch of
whimsy that made it feel like a special occasion and not just an ordinary
Monday night.
In Cuba, Cortizas tells me, Liborio is a "Davy Crockett-like
figure," a very rustic, backwoods type of guy who's also a symbol of struggle
and liberation. Sounds like a guy who'd want a plate of Cortizas' favorite dish
-- Cuban steak with black beans and rice and sweet plantains. Like a guy who'd
make a beeline for Liborio's Cuban Restaurant.
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