Amigo's Deli - Danbury, CT

Posted By Michael Stern on November 4, 2004 4:48 AM

Amigo's deli is a short-order Cuban restaurant, butcher shop, and grocery store. The butcher case is fasacinating -- chickens, sausages, cuts of meat rarely found in an ordinary supermarket -- and the grocery shelves hold items that range from 50-pound bags of rice to root vegetables I could not identify. To the right as you enter is the restaurant area. Here you can come for a simple breakfast sandwich or a BLT or a wide variety of Cuban and South American specialties that lace the air with savory perfume.

Available hot meals include gorgeous rotisserie chicken, spare ribs, roast pork in gravy, oxtail, and goat ... all of which I am eager to try ASAP. The lunch I had was a Cuban sandwich, and it was a good one! I sat at the counter, which afforded a terrific view of its assembly, which is a complicated process combining hunks of roasted pork, grill-heated ham and melted cheese, lettuce shreds, tomato slices, pickle chips, mustard, and mayo. Once these are piled into a long roll, the roll is buttered on the outside and placed on the hot grill under a bacon press. The press weighs enough to compress the sandwich so that by the time it is cooked through, all the ingredients are nearly melded together. Once the sandwich man cuts it in two and presents it, this sandwich is a tidy package. And a most delicious one!

Overall Rating

Cuban Sandwich

Roast Pork Dinner

Tutti Fruitti Soda

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Posted By Whitney F. Walker on July 15, 2011 10:12 PM

Excellent food. I live within walking distance, and every time my friends come they make me take them.

The fried plantains are great; make sure you get there early because they run out. That is why I have never had the oxtail! I recommend the chicken and gravy or beef in gravy with a side of yellow rice or mixed rice.

There are little Formica tables to sit at, and a counter in the back, but it seems the majority of people take out. Hispanic supplies are sold here too, like Arroz spices. You can get a small or large tin of food to go, and they sell soda and beer on site. A picnic table is on the side of the plaza if you want to eat outside.

Don't be intimidated if you are not Hispanic, the staff is very friendly and will explain every dish. You can even tell them what you like, and they will recommend. Large portions for a modest price attracts a lot of people. Just stand in line and point (and say in English) if you don't know the name of what is in the serving platters. Be sure to use their hot sauce (and plantain) for your rice, delicious. And now they deliver!

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Posted By Rick Finkelstein on March 19, 2007 5:15 PM

My girlfriend and I eat here almost once a week because the portions are large and it only costs $6. The hot food station has wonderful stewed meats such as beef and short ribs (our favorites!) but they also serve chicken legs, pigs feet, tripe, and a few other items. Each meal comes with rice and beans.

The meat is stewed in a sauce and falls apart as you eat it. The sauces are never greasy or fatty; they have a lot of flavor. There are also two types of beans offered, brown and black, each cooked in a sauce to perfection. Three types of rice are offered: white, yellow and one with beans. I always choose the yellow rice; it's mixed with carrots and peas for some nice color. The rice tends to absorb the sauce from the meat and the beans, so the whole meal is wonderful.

For those who like it a bit hotter, Amigo's serves hot sauce to kick it up a bit.

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