El Criollo Cuban Bar & Grill on W Burbank Blvd operates exactly as its review record describes: 382 reviews at 4.4 stars, excellent Cuban food in an unassuming spot. The exterior and location make no promises. The food makes good on them.
Cuban cuisine is a cuisine of technique and time. Ropa vieja -- the shredded braised flank steak cooked in sofrito -- requires hours of low heat to develop correctly. Lechon asado requires an overnight mojo marinade followed by slow roasting. These are not dishes that reward shortcuts, and a restaurant that does them properly is doing more work than the price point typically suggests.
The cubano sandwich is the test most visitors apply first: proper Cuban bread, mojo roasted pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, hot-pressed until the bread crisps and the cheese melts. At El Criollo the sandwich passes the test. The tostones -- twice-fried green plantains with garlic mojo -- are the side dish that comes with everything and should.
For Burbank's Cuban food seekers, El Criollo on W Burbank Blvd is the local answer to the question of where to find honest Cuban cooking.
