Silver Lake's Cafe Tropical is a tasty oasis in the rarely-Cuban desert that is Los Angeles. Their Cuban sandwich (sandwich cubano) and Cuban coffee (cafe cubano) do the trick. The sandwich -- where ham, roasted pork, cheese, pickles, mustard, and Cuban bread are dance partners -- is mixture that makes Communism seen tolerable. And the coffee... this espresso-based stimulant, layered with steamed milk, will light your fire and please your palate. Tropical's many oversized deserts are a topic for a future nosh. more ›