EAST COAST PALATE

Today for lunch I met my friend Jennifer for some Cuban cuisine in Burtonsville, MD.  Cuba de Ayer is a small restaurant with a simple, medium sized menu, but everything I have tasted here has been a treat.  Jennifer decided to try a quintessential Cuban plate: Ropa Vieja, a shredded beef entree served with maduros (fried ripe plantains), rice, and beans.  This time I chose the Picadillo, a dish consisting of ground beef, potatoes, raisins, onion and garlic.  It was spicy, but not picante spicy.  The seasoning was perfect, and later when I looked down at my clean plate I only wanted more.
The only other time I visited this restaurant I ate fricase de pollo,  which was a tender skinless  1/4 chicken with a succulent sauce.  Also I sampled some fried yucca served with a garlic dipping sauce that were amazing.
The list of cocktails on the menu was inviting, featuring Mojitos and a few variations on the Margarita, but it was noon and I still had some things to do later, so I sipped on water.  Later on though, I opened up one of the best $8.50 bottles of wine I've ever had: the 2007 Goats do Roam red blend. 
Visit Cuba de Ayer's website at www.cubadeayerrestaurant.com and if you're anywhere near Burtonsville, MD, stop in for a taste of true Cuban cuisine.