Living Cheaply in Havana - Real Havana: Explore Cuba Like a Local and Save Money - page 124

Street Food Stands
You will see street food vendors everywhere in Havana and I've mentioned them a
lot in this guide. These small, independently run stands sell quick snacks and food
at very affordable prices. The easiest way to tell which ones are selling the best
food at the best price is to just look for a long lineup in front. The locals always
know which vendors are better than the rest.
The sheer quantity of these food stands throughout the city and the fact that indi-
vidual locations tend to change operators and menu selections so often, makes it
impossible to rate these places or to recommend any particular one. Throughout
this guide, I have mentioned some streets and areas which are notable for their
concentration of good food stands, but I urge you to be adventurous and try eating
from any place that looks enticing to you. You will surely find your own favorites.
The following is a short, non exhaustive list of some of the types of foods you will
see offered at these street stands.
Sandwiches
These are probably the most popular items. Small sandwiches will have the word
pan (small bread loaf) in front of their names. For example, a pan con tortilla
means a small omelet sandwich. A pan con bistec refers to a fried pork filet sand-
wich. The name sandwich is usually reserved for a large, triangular wedge of
crusty bread, filled with sliced ham, cheese and sometimes cucumber. The smaller
version of this would simply be called a pan con jamon y queso . In Havana, most
food stands will sell large sandwiches for about 10 pesos (MN) or less. Smaller
pan sandwiches cost about 5 to 6 pesos (MN). Pan con tortillas are usually cheap-
er and can be had for as little as 2 pesos (MN) at some low-cost state cafeterias.
Pan Con Lechon
Perhaps one of the tastiest, cheapest and most authentic Cuban street foods. Al-
though popular with locals, it is generally overlooked by tourists. This will surely
change as awareness grows. Pan con lechon is a small sandwich filled with thin
slices of roasted pork. A tangy garlic sauce, called mojo , is drizzled over the meat.
Some vendors will even add a slice of tomato, lettuce or cucumber. These sand-
wiches are not large, but at only 5 pesos (MN) a pop, they are very inexpensive.
The best thing about this meal is that the pork is always fresh and the sandwiches
are prepared before your eyes. You can see the quality of the ingredients before
you purchase.
Hamburgers
While not authentically Cuban, the popularity of hamburgers is universal. In Cuba,
most hamburguesas are made, fittingly enough, with ground pork meat. Some of
the finer street side establishments will even mix in a bit of chorizo sausage, grill