La Isla Bonita

Saturday evening, I headed over to La Cubana on Roncesvalles. The owner had previously opened French-Cuban bistro Delux on Ossington. But she wanted an authentic Cuban diner to honor her family history. The long diner bar beckoned with its retro appeal, but the day was too hot to sit near open flames. Like most restos in Toronto, this one had a patio; in this case, a small one in the backyard.

With the heat, I decided that a minty mojito ($10) was in order. The combination of bitterness and acidity was refreshing. For the entree, I got the Molasse Roasted Pork Shoulder ($15). The first bite or two was a tad salty, but that must have been some random seasoning accident. The rest of the tender pork was not so aggressive and complemented the rice and beans. The soft slaw made a nice contrast to the crunchy tostones (fried plaintain). It was a tasty meal, not quite as generously portioned as other Latin-American joints, but had subtler, more sophisticated flavour.