Adita's Cuban Bakery

Don't expect to hear the latest pop tune being pumped over the speakers at Adita's Cuban Bakery on University Boulevard. The music that fills the tiny space is pure, classic salsa, and the food is pure, classic Cuban.

Forget those pressed sandwiches with pork so finely shredded it resembles pate;. Adita's medianoche sandwich ($5.99) is overflowing with full-fledged hunks of marinated pork, pressed just enough that the cheese overflows the sides of the sweet bread. Don't be tempted by the croquetas ($2 for two), though. The finger-sized fried pork bits and cornmeal are gummy and end up fixed stubbornly to the roof of your mouth. If you must have a side, the papas rellenas ($1.50) are a go-to treat.

Along with that medianoche to die for and the transcendental empanadas – full of spicy chicken and peppers in a fluffy crust – lunch specials ($4.99), served in gargantuan portions, change daily. For a true taste of the Caribbean, try a Coco Loto ($1), subtly sweet green-coconut juice with coconut shreds suspended in the viscous liquid. It goes down a little awkwardly the first time, so if adventure isn’t on the menu, try a Coco Rico soda ($1) instead.

The pastries are exuberant concoctions screaming with flavor. Strawberry cake ($2) is moist and with a thin layer of tangy lemon icing, it’s perfect for summer. Each flaky morsel of the pastelitos ($1) is packed with cheese, guava or strawberry, and they pair perfectly with a café con leche straight from the old-school espresso machines that face the counter.

The bakery is tucked away in an unassuming back corner of the shopping plaza, so finding it may be as much of a chore as battling the engineers from Siemens that flood the place around noontime. But it will be worth it.