The Cuban sandwich at the creatively named Belle’s School of Cake Decorating is everything you could want in a meal. While there’s nothing necessarily innovative about Belle’s sandwich, it’s everything an ideal American lunch should be: hot, filling and cheap. Cuban cuisine is more subtle and soft than outspoken, which isn’t to say that it’s bland. Ideally, a good Cuban dish will strike up a feeling of contentment, comfort and warmth that no taco, BLT or pizza would ever be capable of. And that’s what Belle’s Cuban sandwich does: fresh baked Cuban bread enveloping hot pork, ham, Swiss, mustard and pickles. Most importantly, though, by ordering the Cuban sandwich, you’re getting a fresh-made, home-cooked meal for only $6.50. Were this sandwich half the size and offered at any number of gourmet grocers, it would probably near a double-digit price tag. Moreover, you’d be ostracized for getting something so veggie-unfriendly—which is another reason Belle’s makes the ideal American lunch: Service is friendly, professional and non-judgmental. While a Cuban sandwich certainly isn’t too tough to find elsewhere, Belle’s is in your own backyard waiting; fresh bread in the oven and a free smile any time of the day.

BELLE’S SCHOOL OF CAKE DECORATING 651 ATLANTIC AVE | LONG BEACH 90802 562.436.7007

Tags: belle's school of cake decorating, cuban sandwich, Long Beach, SIDES