The Order:
About 8 months ago, AnnMarie and I made a decision to order from Tina’s over Sophie’s because it was closer. Today, we decided to give Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine its own shot at SeamlessWeb blog glory. The truest comparison would have involved us ordering exactly the same dishes as last time, but times have changed and we felt like ordering something different. AnnMarie’s choice? Shredded Beef Stew (aka Ropa Vieja) with Moro Rice and Fried Sweet Plantains. And for me? Fried Pork Chops with Yellow Rice and Fried Green Plantains. Both dishes are among the most popular on the menu, so we felt fairly confident in our choices.
The Meal:
About 2 minutes after placing the order, I got a call from an unknown 212 number. It was Sophie’s and they were out of Moro Rice! Sad, but not too sad, AnnMarie opted for just beans and we both appreciated the call at least. And with the so-called “Snowpocalypse” a seemingly distant memory, I went out to pick up our order. The food was ready and waiting, so I brought it back and we dug in. Now I eat a lot of pork, but it’s usually pulled or roasted or from the belly. Fried pork chops not so much, but I wanted to experiment a little (and yes, I know this is a very common dish for a lot of other people). Well, as it turns out, it’s probably not gonna be that common a dish for me. I had two large chops and enjoyed parts of each (mostly the fatty parts), but on the whole I just thought that meat was too dry and not flavorful enough. What about the sides? The fried green plantains were also different from what I was used to as they were very flat and again a little dry compared to sweet plantains. I did enjoy the flavor still though and maybe I would order them again if I could get a little sauce on them. The yellow rice, on the other hand, was wonderful and I was really happy with it. Make sure to ask for it in the Special Instructions box when you’re choosing your own sides on an order!
A Colorful Meal: Fried Pork Chops with Green Plantains and Yellow Rice
AnnMarie’s Ropa Vieja was not exactly an inspiration either unfortunately. The stew wasn’t totally stewing (needed more sauce), but again the sides were a step above the main course as the sweet plantains and beans both provided a filling and enjoyable eating experience.
Shredded Beef Stew, aka Ropa Vieja, with Sweet Plantains
So what to say about Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine? At this point we’d have to give Tina’s the neighborhood edge, but if Sophie’s can work on adding more sauce and keeping its meat moister, we think the taste will be there. Then again, Sophie’s has a 5-star rating on the site and everyone else loves it, so we suggest you reserve full judgment until you try it out for yourself first!
Check out Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine’s menu and feel free to give us recommendations for future orders in the comments.