The Underground Gourmet/Jivan Tabibian
New West Magazine / April 24, 1978
Perhaps more than any other Latin American cuisine, Cuban cooking reflects its Spanish heritage: Valencia is a good example...
When the Union Restaurant (10319 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles 836-9209) first emerged on the Cuban scene eight months ago, I was delighted. A truly underground establishment, it has some of the appearance of a converted dinner, but it's clearly here to stay.
Customers enter a wide room to face a full-length counter on the opposite wall covered in fake-wood Formica. The stainless-steel fountains, refrigerator, and display units remind me of those place where you stop at 2 am for pie and coffee. Te lighting is bright on square tables draped in red oilcloth, some hanging plant provide the only evidence of cosmetic intent. But the staffs, and often the entire clientele, are Cuban: and they exude pride as well as casual, gradual friendliness.
The Menu is impressive, not only in range and variety, but in the quality of several dishes, Portions are generous, prices extremely reasonable.
Perhaps more than any other Latin American cuisine, Cuban cooking reflects its Spanish heritage. Take the seafood, for instance. Here, as it is traditionally. The Paella Valenciana, $6.00 is served for a minimum of two orders. Although the bright yellow saffron rice is a bit overcooked, the rest of the dish is fine, Pimiento mixes with chunks of lobster, crab legs in the shell. Fish, chicken and sausage, in a dish so ample it is impossible to finish.
The Zarzuela de Mariscos, $6.50 is a Spanish-Latin American version of bouillabaisse, Thicker than its European ancestor, and made with a tomato-sauce base. it still isn't very far from the authentic Catalonian standard in its variety of seafood, including clams and shrimp, stewed with green peas, onions and green peppers, It come with a plate of rice on the side, on which you can heap the seafood.
Several other seafood dishes are also served with rice on the side. Cangrejo enchilado,$ 4.50. May sound like the familiar Mexican dish, but it isn't really an enchilada at all, it's bowl of shredded crab meat, with that ubiquitous tomato-onions-pimiento sauce flavored with a hint of olive oil: interesting and tasty, it verges on the delicate. You can order it with shrimp, $4.50 or with lobster (langosta enchilada). $6.00. The bacalao a la vizcaina is similar, but with big chunks of codfish $ 4.00. though I found the tomato base rather pedestrian and reminiscent of ketchup.
On the other hand, there was no trace of tomato in the Arroz con calamares, $1.95. Thin strips of quid mixed with dark rice for a good taste. But more quid would have been an improvement. Nevertheless it's a good, filling meal.
Other typical items include yellow rice and shrimp, $4.00 The broiled Kingfish, serrucho grille,$2.20. And the less common pickled kingfish, serrucho en escabeche, $ 2.40.
If you are looking for meat and poultry, there's a wide assortment of familiar beef items as well as typical Cuban pork dishes. Steaks are exceptionally low priced and taste rather unusual. Perhaps due to thick cuts and the addition of bacon or onions. The filleted steak with lobster, $ 6.00, the bistec palomilla, or sirloin $ 3.85, and the bistec empanizado or breaded steak, $ 2.75, are all served with fried green bananas. My favorite version of beef is the ropa vieja $2.60. Shredded beef is cooked to absolute tenderness, distinctly seasoned, and accompanied by a large side dish of black beans combined with brown rice.
For something different I recommend the masas de Puerco, $3.50, big, square pieces of fried pork that are tender and juicy inside-again with rice and black beans. The roast leg of pork. $3.50 is also good but somewhat dryer because of the very thin cut. The famous Cuban roast beef, boliche asado, $ 2.75 is unique. Beef tonque in tomato sauce. $ 2.40 is also available. I was much less impressed with the Arroz con Pollo, chicken with yellow rice, $250, the overcooked rice overwhelmed on otherwise adequately prepared chicken dish. The soup most worthy of mention is the tartara, $2.00 a full meal in itself, served piping hot. Chunks of chicken swim in chicken broth, along with bread and two eggs dropped in raw. Two other successful items include the avocado salad, $.70 cents, deliciously simple with sweet onions; and flan, or custard, $.40 cents, probably one of the best available in Los Angeles.
The Unions served no wine but it does offer a variety of beers including Mexican Bohemia, $1.00 a bottle, and Dos Equis and Superior, both $.90 cents, there’s also a wide choice of tropical fruit soft drink, $.50 cents and $.60 cents and excellent, very strong Cuban coffee, $.30 cents
Open daily, except Tuesday, for lunch and dinner, 11am to 9pm, Sunday’s noon to 9pm, Seat 50, No Credit cards accepted.
Food-Good to Excellent
Service- Very Good
Hygiene- Good
Ambience- Fair
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