New York Cuban-Chinese cuisine comes from the Cuban-Chinese culture that arose out of the 1850s immigration of Chinese into Cuba, and from there to New York following the 1959 Cuba Revolution.
For a basic Cuban-Chinese dinner menu I go to Dinastia, around the corner at 145 West 72nd. I like their food better than the food at La Caridad (SW corner Broadway and 78th) even though the NY Times says Caridad has “The best Cuban-Chinese in the city, and best egg foo yung in the world.” I disagree, but I don’t go for the Chinese section of the menu, I go for the Cuban.
Dinastia must have a serious deep fat fryer, and what they do is a sort of crossover of Cuban, Chinese and American soul food. I write that because they turn out a deep fried chicken plate and a pork chop plate that is scrumptious. It’s definitely soul food, but it comes with yellow rice and plantains instead of greens, okra, grits, whatever. And it’s definitely fattening. Big time.
The Chinese food is fully westernized, sometimes radically, and at Dinastia it’s not bad except maybe the won ton soup. But I’m a won ton maven with high standards.
Consider the squid and rice; it’s always good and makes for a great leftover take home because it’s even more delicious the next day when I add caramelized onions, peas, garlic and splash it with ‘Bronx’ hot sauce.
Dinastia’s café con leche is amongst the best in the neighbourhood.
