The facade on the outside of 130 Main Street in Woodruff reads “Post Office”, though the mail is no longer delivered here. Constructed in 1939, the building has long shown signs of wear, and the once-packed safe of safety deposit boxes now holds nothing valuable. The lobby, though, holds something I consider priceless: the best Cuban Sandwiches I’ve ever had.
Welcome to the Mad Cuban cafe.
For years, alchemy sought to turn base ingredients into gold, defying logic and reason to bring unfathomable value from base parts, and for years, it eluded them. Where the alchemists failed, Mimi, owner of the Mad Cuban, succeeded. Mimi has discovered the perfect combination of crispy cuban bread, pulled pork, sliced ham, mustard, and cheese, that exceeds the sum of its parts in a way no other sandwich does for me.
I’m a lover of sandwiches. Growing up in a household of limited means, they were a staple in my house for lunch and dinner. My father has eaten sandwiches for lunch almost every day for as long as I’ve been alive, and I find them to be a great source of comfort. When a friend recommended The Mad Cuban to me back in 2018, I was grabbing my keys before they even started describing the homemade sauce. From the first bite, I was in love.
The Mad Cuban may have changed locations, but the taste is still the same. The bread is always perfectly grilled, and gives way to a satisfying crack as your teeth penetrate the warm crust, almost akin to a creme brulee. The pulled pork adds great taste and texture, and the ham adds the balance necessary to the pulled pork’s richness. The cheese and mustard add depth of flavor, and keep the sandwich from being overly dry. When I’m in the mood for it, I ask for the “Cuban gone Bananas” complete with sweet plantains, which add even more flavor, texture, and richness (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!) All that, and we haven’t even covered the sauce yet!
The sauce. My goodness, the sauce.
Mimi tells me that her daughter created the sauce, and it’s what sends the Sandwich over the edge. It’s spicy, without being overly spicy, and it has kind of a pickle undercurrent that dances on your tongue. It’s fantastic, and they sell it by the bottle. After you try it, you’ll understand why, and inevitably, take some home with you.
Mimi, like me, loves Cuban Sandwiches. In my quest for the perfect Cuban, my quest obviously took me to Miami, and I have returned to that Mecca for years seeking the perfect version. From the famous Versailles Restaurant on 8th Street, to the new and exciting Sanguich de Miami, I’ve tried them all. For me, personally, Sanguich de Miami has the best Cuban in Miami, and deserves the accolades and ‘best in Miami’ title it’s received over the last couple of years, but truthfully, I can say after finishing it, Mimi’s is better.
In the end, I know now I was spoiled. The Mad Cuban was the first real cuban I ever had, and I spent years traveling and looking for a version to rival it, hopeful that I’d find something that could supersede Mimi’s take on it. Now, I understand that search was in vain.
I was lucky to find the best incarnation on the first go! Mimi’s mastery of the craft has given her the means to set her own schedule, and as a consumer I’m happy to oblige. Their hours are updated monthly on their website to account for her frequent (and earned!) vacations. I’ll work around Mimi’s schedule, and I’ll gladly drive the 30 minutes necessary to get to Woodruff and bring some sandwiches back with me. It’s not a drive I make often, but when I do, I buy several, store them in the freezer, and revive them in the air fryer. I can’t think of another restaurant I’d do that for, and that’s what makes Mimi and the Mad Cuban some of Greenville’s Greatest!