The House of Cuban Flavor — Restaurant in Chula Vista

For every San Diegan that ever drove to Glendale, Burbank or Downey for Portos, those days are over. I’m not gonna lie, I would buy a box for the drive home and whatever people asked me for, my record is 7 dozen pastries. As I’ve mentioned in my Porto’s reviews I like them more than Filipino cheese rolls and ensaymada that I grew up on, but that drive just isn’t worth it. Last year I began my hunt for Cuban cheese rolls closer to home and I found them. I debated about writing this, but Angelo posted his check in effectively letting the cat out of the bag. It’s all good though, I aint mad athca. I kept this in my back pocket for a while now already.

Having made that drive a dozen times I’ve got my Porto’s game down to a system and I’ve tried most everything, so I know what I’m looking for here. I have to say that the main difference between these cheese rolls and portos is the flakiness. Porto’s is layers of light crusts with hints of butter, while Los Pollos is heavier on the buttery feel. The sugary crust is more prominent on Pollos with the crystals being larger and they are a slightly bigger roll that doesn’t skimp on the filling as much. They also don’t have quite the color of portos. Their guava filled pastries are not as light of a flavor of the filling. Fried potato balls are another staple to get, but I’d suggest some other meaty options aside from the sandwich like the spicy chicken potato balls or beef potato balls. Pan con lechon is good, but the plate is better. Cuban is mediocre. Though I’m more of a media noche guy myself I think the pork needs more seasoning, the play between the pickle and other ingredients was unbalanced. Mustard was lacking bite. I prefer the Hawaiian mac salad style, but found their’s lacking any brightness in flavor. Chicken bowl has rice, beans, onions, rotisserie chicken and a white sauce, can we say halal guys? Jk not quite like theirs, it’s also very minimal as the chicken is the main star. White sauce wasted anyone? Lacks the tang.

Porto’s is a crazy anomaly of fame and they are probably averaging a few hundred an hour during the week and thousands a day on weekends at each location. This is a small mom & pop bakery with 1/100th the size and supply capacity. Ropa vieja and flan are next on my list. They rotisserie more savory baked items as well as traditional plates which also cuts into their bakery resources. It’s in a strip mall in Chula Vista so it’s not some stand alone mecca. The décor is pretty basic and traditional. The prices are not as good as Porto’s, but gas and time more than make up for any difference, no bulk pricing. Not even a few bucks por la izquirda. They don’t carry near the variety of Porto’s, but compete on the key items.

To my Filipino brethren from which so much of this famous Porto’s lore spawned from I have to say that the Cuban style empanada is different from the Filipino style and though I find it less appealing I guess I’m in the minority as some come here for that versus the pastelitos. They have been known to run out of some items on some days, so I suggest coming right when they open (quite late for a bakery).

In the end this has been my saving grace for my fixes, but recent fanfare and secret whispers will most certainly end it’s mystery....

My favorite thing I've eaten from Los Pollos? Easily their rotisserie chicken. The preparation leads to a very juicy chicken with a pleasing (but not sweet) citrus flavor, and a fragrant blend of aromatics and spices, featuring a heavy hand of garlic. This is not completely unlike the very good rotisserie-style chickens you've no doubt picked up at local higher-end Latino markets, yet it possesses bolder flavors than I recall those chickens having. When I ordered this, I had just eaten several pastries here and had lunch at another restaurant down the street, causing my stomach to want to burst open, but this chicken was so juicy and well-seasoned and delicious I couldn't stop eating it, pulling off pieces with my fork and rolling them into small steamed flour tortillas with the congrí, hitting it with the spicy hot sauce provided.

A close second favorite bite from here would be the Oxtail, braised in a spicy, peppery stew until parts of it transform into gelatinously rich bits of meat, and the parts that don't are soft and tender enough that you can separate from the bone with a plastic spoon. I enjoyed this hearty dish this past weekend, devouring it in full, even though I was convinced it was a large enough portion that I'd need to take some of it home.

Savory pastries I've had at Los Pollos have included the Spicy Chicken Potato Balls (yay!), the Meat Pastries featuring ground beef (yay!), the Spinach and Cheese Empanada (yay!), and the Ham Croquettes (meh -- too tangy, the ham is overwhelmed). Sweet pastries have included pistachio macarons, coconut macaroons, cheese rolls, and cheese-guava pastries (essentially what Porto's calls a 'Refugiado'). All of the sweet pastries have been superb, and I've taken them home to my family only to see them disappear from my kitchen counter far too quickly.

Regarding the service here -- Guillermo (the owner) is a welcoming host who is always working and takes a great deal of pride in the restaurant and its food, as well he should. He provides excellent above-and-beyond service, even though this is not a...

Comfort food and comforting people.

My family and I have been visiting this restaurant for many many years. It is my personal top pick when eating out. Sandwiches, pastries, plates, bowls, combos you name it – I will happily eat whatever comes from this restaurant. This is the ultimate comfort food for my entire family. My personal favorite is the Ropa Vieja bowl, the Cuban sandwich, and the flan cheesecake with caramel. My husband’s go to is the Jibaro plate, the Cuban sandwich, and guava pastry.

I have stopped spending my money on fast food and corporate food chains. I am tired of not only overpaying but also eating empty, bland, mediocre food. I will either make it myself or spend my money helping to support small businesses like this one. Especially this one.

This last visit warmed my heart through and through. We had originally ordered to go but asked if we could stay and eat for a bit. He said to us “Of course of course! If there is anything else you need, just ask. Eat and be happy.” That was his only request of us - be happy. This was after a wonderful conversation about different cultures around the world and how nice it is to see people be kind to each other and work together no matter what’s around them.

The owner is such a wonderful human. Every time I leave his restaurant I am filled with peace and happiness. Speaking to him is beyond refreshing. He clearly loves what he does and I was fortunate enough to hear some of his stories about traveling the world and how it concreted his perspective on happiness, kindness, humanity, and choosing gratefulness in life. I feel like I am with family when I am there.

Come for the food, stay for peace...