Cuban vs Mexican

[Rosie]

A man sold a Mexican restaurant and in the contract to the buyer he said he would not open another Mexican restaurant in the area. When his plans to leave the area fell through he decided he would like to open a Cuban restaurant.

Will this be a violation of his contract? What is the difference between Cuban and Mexican food?

[Margo]

Someone more informed will answer this better, but in short, no, it should not violate the contract because the cuisines are distinct. Both have a Spanish-colonial component which has been elaborated in different ways. I hope this is not so schematic as to be misleading... Mexican food integrates indigenous culinary traditions to a greater degree, and uses a variety of chiles in a variety of sauces. Cuban food relies less on chiles, and incorporates other traditions (African, Chinese) besides Spanish.

With that, my knowledge is exhausted, and more so.

[Toliver]

I concur with Margo. They are two very distinct cuisines though they do share some common ingredients.

Here are some Cuban recipes.

One thing you will notice right away is the minor role given to chile (hot) peppers.

I believe the contract hasn't been violated.

[jhlurie]

Egad. Where to start with this? Okay, one thing which makes this tougher, Rosie, is that I don't think Mexican cuisine can really accurately be portrayed as a single cuisine. It's a pretty big, pretty food-diverse country.

[KatieLoeb]

Cuban food is pretty bland compared to Mexican food IMO. I grew up eating the stuff and it's far more savory than spicy. Widespread use of cumin and cliantro would be the only things in common I could think of off the top of my head. Mexican food relies much more on corn as a staple carbohydrate. Cuban food uses beans and rice as their staple carbs, in addition to root vegetables like Yucca, Malanga and Boniato. It's more of a peasant cuisine that was influenced by the various colonists. Mexican cuisine has much more indigenous influence from Aztec and Mayan peoples.

[Jason Perlow]

Oh man. Cuban food and Mexican food are totally, totally different. In fact I would say that Mexican food, at least in concept and in native implementation, is totally unique and different from virtually any other Latin American or Caribbean cuisine. The ingredients used in a lot of Mexican dishes do not exist in other Latin counterparts. While there is some Spanish (i.e. Spain) influence in Mexican food, as well as from other immigrant groups such as Germany, there is a lot coming from the native Indian population as well. The heavy use of fresh and dried Chile peppers in the cuisine is also completely unique as opposed to other Latino cuisines as well.

Cuban food, on the other hand, while it has a distinct identity, can probably be grouped best with other Caribbean cusines since it shares a number of common dishes and basic ingredients -- Puerto Rican and Dominican and even the cuisines of the various Central American countries can probably also be grouped in the same "family". The cuisine of these countries is an amalgam of Spanish influence and the African slaves/creoles that settled there area in the 1500/1600s.

[Pan]

To my mind and in my experience, Cuban and Mexican food are roughly as different as the cuisines of northern France and Campagna, Italy, if not more different. I realize that's an imprecise analogy, but I think it's generally pretty difficult to confuse one with the other.

[Jason Perlow]

To my mind and in my experience, Cuban and Mexican food are roughly as different as the cuisines of northern France and Campagna, Italy, if not more different. I realize that's an imprecise analogy, but I think it's generally pretty difficult to confuse one with the other.

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Yeah, just about the only thing the two countries have in common food wise is the use of rice. In addition, Mexico heavily uses corn while Cuba for the most part does not -- even the tamales ("tamal") in Cuba are completely different, and I have even seen them done with mashed plantains instead of Masa.

[JerzyMade]

The cuisines are quite different, as everyone so far said, but the real question is the menu of the new "cuban" restaurant. Call me a sceptic.

[rjwong]

Here's a link to one of the best & popular Cuban restaurants in Southern California: Versailles (I'm sure there'll be posts coming from Florida, I suppose).

[auntdot]

I have to agree with JerzyMade, afraid I am just cynical enough to have had the same idea.

The question will be what is the food actually being sold as Cuban.

If it is undeniably Cuban, then I agree there should be no problem.

But if it has a striking resemblance to Mexican cuisine, no matter what the dish is named, am afraid there could be grounds for litigation.

[Franky2Times]

What's the difference between a chicken and a horse??? What are we talking about here, pleeeeaaaase?

Nothing personal here Rosie but this post unfortunately shows american ignorance towards foreign cultures. Mexico is a huge country with vast regional differences. The French influence, e.g. in the southeast is so prevalent that you'll find better pastries and bread than anywhere in the US. Truffles? You got them. Herb and spice varieties? More than anywhere in the world except maybe India or China. Remember this is the country where chocolate, chilies, tomatoes and chilies were "discovered". Nothing against Cuban food but I can't even think of anything resembling Mexican gastronomy.

[scott123]

Cuban food, on the other hand, while it has a distinct identity, can probably be grouped best with other Caribbean cusines  since it shares a number of common dishes and basic ingredients -- Puerto Rican and Dominican and even the cuisines of the various Central American countries can probably also be grouped in the same "family". The cuisine of these countries is an amalgam of Spanish influence and the African slaves/creoles that settled there area in the 1500/1600s.

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I can see similarities between Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban cuisine, but grouping these under the term "Caribbean" is a little too broad for me. Jamaican cuisine is as unique and different from Cuban as Mexican is.

[Jason Perlow]

Cuban food, on the other hand, while it has a distinct identity, can probably be grouped best with other Caribbean cusines  since it shares a number of common dishes and basic ingredients -- Puerto Rican and Dominican and even the cuisines of the various Central American countries can probably also be grouped in the same "family". The cuisine of these countries is an amalgam of Spanish influence and the African slaves/creoles that settled there area in the 1500/1600s.

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I can see similarities between Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban cuisine, but grouping these under the term "Caribbean" is a little too broad for me. Jamaican cuisine is as unique and different from Cuban as Mexican is.

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I should have said Western Caribbean or Caribbean Latino. Yes, Jamaican, Barbadian, Antillean, Virgin Islander, East Indies, all that stuff is quite a bit different.

[robyn]

Although there are huge differences between Cuban and Mexican food - any legal case might not be easy to resolve. In a lot of smaller cities - people open "Mexican" or "Cuban" or "Columbian" etc. restaurants and wind up serving all kinds of foods. Ropa vieja (Cuban) and tacos. So I suspect it doesn't matter what he calls the restaurant - it's the food that he'll be serving. Robyn

[mrbigjas]

Although there are huge differences between Cuban and Mexican food - any legal case might not be easy to resolve.  In a lot of smaller cities - people open "Mexican" or "Cuban" or "Columbian" etc. restaurants and wind up serving all kinds of foods.  Ropa vieja (Cuban) and tacos.  So I suspect it doesn't matter what he calls the restaurant - it's the food that he'll be serving.  Robyn

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i was kind of picturing a situation like this myself. the guy saying 'no, i'm not opening a mexican restaurant, i'm opening a cuban restaurant--we're serving cuban tacos, cuban quesadillas, cuban nachos, cuban maragaritas... what, too close? did i say cuban? i meant french. we're having les tacos, las quesadillas, le marguerite...'

[Sam Salmon]

did i say cuban?  i meant french.  we're having les tacos, las quesadillas, le marguerite...'

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Don't be silly!

That makes as much sense as a Cuban restaurant called something like 'Versailles'!

Oops-there already is one-in California of course

[rjwong]

did i say cuban?  i meant french.  we're having les tacos, las quesadillas, le marguerite...'

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Don't be silly!

That makes as much sense as a Cuban restaurant called something like 'Versailles'!

Oops-there already is one-in California of course

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Sam,

Historically, Cuba gained much freedom as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which was signed at the palace of Versailles. So, a Cuban restaurant named Versailles does make sense, since it reminds Cubans of happier times.

[robyn]

did i say cuban?  i meant french.  we're having les tacos, las quesadillas, le marguerite...'

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Don't be silly!

That makes as much sense as a Cuban restaurant called something like 'Versailles'!

Oops-there already is one-in California of course

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The most famous Cuban restaurant in Miami is named "Versailles" too. Robyn

[phaelon56]

I can only add that I've typically found average run-of-the-mill Cuban restaurants to be better than the ubiquitous generic Mexican places. But on the rare occasion that I find a really good Mexican place I'll settle for that over Cuban any time. Here in the Northeast good Cuban is much easier to find than stellar Mexican.

[Sam Salmon]

Sam,

Historically, Cuba gained much freedom as a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which was signed at the palace of Versailles. So, a Cuban restaurant named Versailles does make sense, since it reminds Cubans of happier times.

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Thanks for that but I did study History in High School and remember some of what the Treaty of Versailles was about-it was a humourous/ironic remark- note that I'm a Canadian.

As to 'happier times' that's debatable.

Today's modern Cubans have little use for the colonial past-some sad exiles in North America and Spain still cling to the past true-what else do they have?

[rjwong]

Thanks for that but I did study History in High School and remember some of what the Treaty of Versailles was about-it was a humourous/ironic remark- note that I'm a Canadian.

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So, you're Canadian, ehh?? I didn't realize it. You write with such an American accent! (Ooo, how cheek!)

[Pan]

I can only add that I've typically found average run-of-the-mill Cuban restaurants to be better than the ubiquitous generic Mexican places.[...]

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Go West, young man! You'll be changing your tune if you try a bunch of cheap, good taquerias in California!

[chefzadi]

How small is this town that it can't support two Mexican restaurants? Or a Cuban (thinly disguised Mexican) and a Mexican restaurant? Or a real Cuban and a real Mexican restaurant? Isn't some competition good for business and the customer?

Also I agree with Pan. The Mexican food in Los Angeles is terrific. (I'm not a huge fan, but the wife is). Not just taquerias, there's tremendous variety here.

[ghostrider]

Had Venezuelan food last night, which seems to be an interesting hybrid of / variation on some of the cuisines discussed here -- more savory than spicy, lots of corn & corn products, plantains, rice, black beans.... A resonably fiery green chile relish appears as an accompaniment to the meal if you need some heat.

Sorry, not strictly OT.