The tostada is a portion of Cuban bread which is buttered then toasted on an electric grill. The cafe con leche is a combination of strong, espresso coffee with warm milk. Cubans break the tostada into pieces, then dunk them into the cafe con leche , as Americans would dunk their doughnuts into their coffee. Additionally, some may eat ham croquetas , smoky creamed ham shaped in finger rolls, lightly breaded, and then fried. For those on the run, with no time or desire to eat, a shot of cafe cubano , Cuban coffee, will revive the dead.
Lunch consists of empanadas , chicken or meat turnovers, or cuban sandwiches.
The pan con bistec is a thin slice of palomilla steak on Cuban bread garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and fried potato sticks. One may also order a side of mariquitas , thinly sliced plantain chips, to accompany their hearty sandwich. For snack time, Cuban bakeries are famous for their finger foods, such as pastelitos , croquetas , bocaditos , and empanadas . Pastelitos are small flaky turnovers in various shapes filled with either meat, cheese, guava, or a combination of guava and cream cheese. Bocaditos are small bite size sandwiches layered with a ham spread.