Although New Orleans is a food town, the city isn’t as well-known for Cuban food as other cities with large Cuban populations, like Miami. While spots like Norma’s Sweets Bakery and Churros Café serve up Cuban food, and other restaurants like Cochon Butcher and Brown Butter Depot offer their own version of a Cuban sandwich, the options are limited when it comes to authentic Cuban fare. A new spot, Café Conmigo, is offering an array of Cuban coffee, sandwiches, and cocktails at 2511 Jena St.
Owned by Fredo Noguiera and Ryan Iriarte, who also own High Hat Café, Café Conmigo opened for breakfast and lunch in January.
“Ryan and I have been working together at High Hat for three years,” Noguiera says. “Our families are Cuban, and we’ve been talking about doing something like this for a long time. I found a space across the street, and we went from there.”
While developing Café Conmigo, Noguiera saw an opportunity to fill the void in the city’s Cuban options. At first, he worried that there would be a lack of demand, but since the restaurant opened, he has received a boost of support from the neighborhood, especially from the Latin American community.
When it comes to the menu, Noguiera explains that he wanted it to be as authentic as possible, reflecting the Cuban favorites on which he and Iriarte were raised. The menu is concise and features food and drinks that you would find on Cuban menus in Miami.
Filled Cuban pastries called pasteles are featured here. Selections include pasteles de guayaba, pasteles de queso, pasteles de guayaba con queso, pasteles de carne, and pasteles de jamón con queso.
Sandwiches, including a classic Cuban sandwich, Medianoche, Frita Cubana, and Black Bean Frita, round out the main part of the menu. The bread is made in collaboration with chef Drew Pope of Ralph Brennan Bakery.
Noguiera explains, “I gave Drew a recipe and he improved upon it. The bread is made fresh locally every day and we use it on our Cuban and our Medianoche.”
When Noguiera was developing Café Conmigo’s Cuban sandwich, he had a very specific vision for it. The sandwich started with conversations with his father, who he says is very particular about how a Cuban sandwich should be constructed. One factor, he says, is that a traditional Cuban sandwich typically features sliced pork rather than pulled pork.
“We take a high-quality whole pork shoulder and marinate it and roast and let it sit before we spice it,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed making pickles, so we make our own pickles to put on it.”
Café Conmigo’s cocktail menu features familiar and tasty Cuban drinks that complement the food. Iriarte, a mixologist by trade, created a cocktail program featuring a Classic Daiquiri, a Classic Mojito, a Cuba Libre, a Carajillo, and a Frozen Floridita Daiquiri. In addition, Café Conmigo has partnered with French Truck Coffee to produce a coffee roast exclusively for the restaurant, and Noguiera says that the coffee is quickly becoming the star of the restaurant’s menu.
Café Conmigo is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
