Pilar

Living in Brooklyn is great, and one of the most wonderful things about the neighborhood are the small businesses that have opened. They are part of the fabric of the neighborhood that makes it interesting, friendly and in the case of restaurants and food shops, delicious. One of the restaurants is Pilar, a Cuban restaurant at 393 Classon Ave in Clinton Hill. The Chef/owner is Ricardo Barreras and his wife Lizbeth Moreno, he moved here from Miami and opened this wonderful little bistro. I am a big fan of Cuban food and a real sucker for a good Cuban sandwich and I was not disappointed, it’s really everything a Cuban sandwich should be, thin Cuban bread encasing tender perfectly spiced pork, ham, swiss cheese and pickles pressed and grilled to perfection.While waiting for my food I watched the parade of great dishes going past me and I wanted to order everything. Rice, black beans, plantains and egg (YUM), hand made empandadas, stewed vegetables and rice. Everything cooked to order, homemade and utterly delicious.

Posted outside

i hope to feature local small business from time to time here, in my opinion it’s a great opportunity to spread the word and hopefully send business their way. I have great respect for these entrepreneurs. Ricardo and his wife take great pride in their work, they love what they do and thats evident from the moment you walk into their restaurant. I ordered a Cuban sandwich and 2 Empanadas, spinach and picadillo (ground meat, sofrito, cheese,potato) Ricardo told me he makes his own chorizo and gave me a sample (Delicious!!) I found a great NYT review of Pilar

NYT photo of Cuban Sandwich

Empanadas Spinach and Picadillo

If you live in Brooklyn or are just visiting drop by Pilar and enjoy some truly delicious and authentic Cuban food. You will love it as much as I did, and they deliver!!