<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> The cuisine - which Milwaukeeans can now enjoy at the city's first solely Cuban restaurant - is a melting pot of the cultures that make up Cuba. It reflects the Spanish who colonized the island, the Africans taken there as slaves and the Chinese who later came as laborers. While other island cuisines are spicy, Cuban food is not.

Until last month, the nearest authentic Cuban restaurant was in Chicago. Two weeks ago, a restaurant specializing in Cuban cuisine opened at 728 N. Milwaukee St., (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), called Cubanitas, Spanish for "little Cuban girls."

to sample the traditional Cuban sandwich - roasted pork, Virginia ham, Swiss cheese and thinly sliced dill pickle on hot pressed Cuban bread with a mustard-aioli spread.
Marta Bianchini has the flat bread flown in daily from a bakery a couple of blocks from her childhood home in New Jersey. She tried six different local bakeries, but none of them could duplicate the bread she remembered.

Valdes said he also was looking forward to trying Cubanitas' ropa vieja, a shredded flank steak dish with tomato (creole) sauce and peppers. Ropa vieja translates to "old clothes" because of the raglike texture of the meat.

Several older Cuban customers already have asked her to add foods to her menu - such as rice pudding - that they remember from their own childhoods. The dessert menu already features flan, coconut or mango ice cream, coconut pie and Key lime pie. Those who like coffee may want to try a cup of strong Cuban-style coffee.</font>