Clandestina Cocina

The most delicious Cuban food. I enjoyed some ropa vieja sliders and pork Tostones at their pop up at First Friday in Gilman. They both melted in my mouth. Fresh, colorful and savory food. It was a bit of a wait to get the food because of the crowds but well worth the wait. Had a chance to also talk to the owner about how there is minimal Cuban food in the area. Can't wait to eat more of their food at the next pop up. Yum!

Clandestina Cocina is an alumus of La Cocina, a incubator program that mentors women chefs of color to prepare them to operate their own businesses. alumus also appear in the La Cocina's yearly Festivals in the mission, occupy space in the Municipal Marketplace in SF's tenderloin, and a program at UC Berkeley's food court. Clandestina Cocina's niche is Cuban soul food. they currently have gigs at farmers market and popups at various eateries and breweries. their instagram account is @clandestinacocinaberkeley.offerings: cuban bowls (ropa vieja, lechon, picadillo (vegan), pollo aljibe), cuban sandwich, turnovers, cuban sodaseats: cuban sandwich (20)-has roasted mojo pork, smoked ham, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard with side of plantain chips and green salsa.-plantain chips were crunchylicious, fried perfectly, -sammie had a nice toasted bun. the thinness of it allowed the flavor and texture of the meats and condiments to shine*sammie so unlike other cuban sandwiches with commercial rendered meats.takeouts:-there are some tables nearby to eat at.-their signature dish is ropa vieja which i didn't know of when i went.

I was so excited to see these Cuban pastelitos at the Ferry Building Farmers Market on Saturday. Kinda reminds me of all those great bakeries in Miami. And it's not just the traditional stuff, there's some creative new items here too.Guava: A classic. The buttery pastry shell against the sweet and sticky guava is just perfect. It's kinda like having jam on a croissant, without any extra effort. And the guava paste is way more exotic and exciting than orange marmalade.Cubanito: This is very innovative and very tasty. Essentially it's like a Cuban sandwich, but encased by a large pastry shell. The ham slices are thin and in several layers. Loads of finely threaded pulled pork. Cheese, of course. No pickles, but a little pickle relish. And just the right amount of mustard. You might be tempted to heat this up in the microwave, but don't. The moisture released from warming it will cause the pastry to get a little soggy. So just eat it at room temperature; it's yummy that way.Picadillo: Kinda feels like a typical empanada, albeit in a very flaky shell. I like the meat filling taste, but the portion felt kinda skimpy. Especially after seeing how meaty the Cubanito was. It's ok to pass on this one.Tres Leches: Was lucky enough to snag one of the few made, since I got there around opening time. Loved how it was swimming in a large pool of cream! The cake was thoroughly soaked with that yummy sweet leche, yet still had grainy spongy texture. Really liked all the cinnamon and whipped cream on top for every flavor. Though $12 feels a bit steep for a slice of cake.

Another La Cocina discovery for me. I first noticed this stand in early April but my schedule didn't allow me the time to browse for food to try. I finally stopped in a week later and decided to try a couple of items since my knowledge of Cuban cuisine is limited. After glancing at their displayed food and reading their menu boards, I ordered two items to take home. I first tried the guava and cheese empanada (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=mHswK0Vvf3ydQKilHF23IA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) later that same afternoon; I enjoyed the guava jelly filling that had bits of cheese mixed with the jelly. It was not overly sweet and paired very well with the flaky pastry shell. I put my 2nd purchase in a Ziploc bag and reheated it in the toaster oven a couple days later. After reheating it and letting it cool, I took my 1st bite and said, "This doesn't look like ham." Apparently, there was some confusion as I discovered that it was a chicken empanada (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=UnBzwwVXT7BbKQIQ1sx63w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). Pivoting, I foung the filling (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=zN8kfns7AfRVt5w_IqgHNQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a bit dry but it may be my fault for waiting a few days before reheating and eating it. The flavors inside were good though.I was going to stop here the following week but, again, didn't have time to get anything. I will take a week again this Saturday as it might be their final Saturday here since it's the last one in April.

We stopped at their Berkeley First Friday stand last night and got two Cuban sandwiches. There was a crowd but it was well worth the wait. As a bonus we put the leftover halves of each sandwich in the air fryer for a quick and tasty lunch today. I'll definitely be back.

I went to the Sazon Latin Food Fest which is held annually in San Francisco and decided to order some food from Clandestina Cocina there. I got the pastelito de guayaba which is a guava and cream cheese turnover/pastry though I was also intrigued by the ropa vieja (translates to "old clothes" literally but is referring to the texture of the shredded beef). My partner got the cuban sandwich, so I got to try some of that and the plantain chips that came with it. I thought the cuban sandwich was delicious, the meat was juicy, the pickles and mustard added a nice kick to the flavor, and it was huge so that made it more worth since it was $20 before tax/tip. The plantain chips are crunchy, dry, and not that sweet if you find fried plantains to be too sugary. I also really liked the guava and cream cheese pastry, the cream cheese made it both savory and sweet. Overall, would definitely recommend!