What do you do if you miss Cuban food, but find yourself in a part of the country where Cuban food is unknown?

For Irvin and Nadia Rey, who grew up eating great Cuban cuisine, the answer was simple: open a restaurant. What the duo lacked in experience, they made up for with a passion for authentic Cuban food. The result is Cubanacan, a great little restaurant that serves down home Cuban.

The Cuban sandwiches are very good here because Irvin knows how to make them with real lechón asado and NO mayonnaise. The Reys also get real Cuban bread from Chicago and this puts them light years ahead of many far flung places that try to make Cubans with everything from baquettes to ciabatta bread.

There might be snow outside, but inside the restaurant you’ll find a little taste of Cuba. If you find yourself in Colorado Springs and you want to eat some picadillo or arroz con pollo that tastes just like your abuela used to make, give Cubanacan a try!

We Show You How in Two Great Cuban cookbooks: