Guava Delight

New Cuban restaurant Latin Pig peddles pork and plantains in Plano

The Latin Pig menu includes Cubano sandwiches.
Photo courtesy of Latin Pig
The Latin Pig does all the Cuban classics in a fast-casual atmosphere in Plano.
Photo courtesy of Latin Pig

Among the many ethnic cuisines found in Dallas-Fort Worth, one that comes short is Cuban. Enter The Latin Pig, a family-operated fast-casual restaurant opening next week on Custer Road in Plano, serving all your Cuban basics: black beans and rice, Cubano sandwiches, and guava-filled pastries.

Owners are John Guerraro and his wife, Ana Castillo, who moved here from New York and missed the Cuban food they'd grown up with. "Dallas has maybe three Cuban restaurants in the area, but I'm very particular," Guerraro says.

Sandwiches include the classic Cubano and a "Cuban Reuben" that reflects the owners' New Yorker roots, with chicken, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on pumpernickel bread.

The signature dish is lechon, Cuban-style roast pork with rice and black beans. There is also picadillo, or ground beef with vegetables, and pollo guisado, stewed chicken with potatoes and carrots in tomato sauce.

Sandwiches include the classic Cubano and a "Cuban Reuben" that reflects their New Yorker roots, with chicken, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on pumpernickel bread. Side dishes include fried plantains and yuca with garlic and onions.

"Yuca is something people don’t see much around here," Guerraro says. "It can be steamed or fried. You have your steak fries, but these are bigger, more rustic."

The other surprise on the menu is Salvadoran food, including pupusas, the traditional Salvadoran dish that's like an extra-thick tortilla stuffed with fillings.

"My wife is half Salvadoran and half Cuban," Gerraro says. "Her mother is Salvadoran, and she's our chef. I have tried two dozen places where they make pupusas, and these are absolutely the best. We have them with pork and with black beans, but the one I like has zucchini and cheese."

Another thing they're doing is breakfast, with three unique cuisines. The Cuban breakfast has eggs with plantain and sausage. The Dominican has eggs with mashed plantains and ham. The Salvadoran has eggs with black beans and plantains.

There are baked goods, including black-and-white cookies and pastelitos de guayaba, or puff pastry filled with guava. And, last but not least, coffee. Gerraro's restaurant background includes a stint at Starbucks.

"There are two Starbucks across the street from us, but we'll be doing something they don't: Cuban-style coffee," he says.

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McDonald's News

McDonald's closes 2 CosMc's beverage spinoffs in Dallas-Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of CosMc's

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After less than a year, McDonald's is cutting back on its CosMc's beverage spinoff, and that includes shutting down locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

McDonald's introduced the beverage led concept in December 2023, when it opened the first location in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The concept — which seemed to be competing with Swig, the drive-through drink chain from Utah — features coffee, lemonade, slushies, and energy drinks, plus bites such as the Egg McMuffin, hashbrowns, and McPops — like doughnut holes.

They went on to open six more locations, all in Texas: two in San Antonio and four in DFW. Both San Antonio locations still show up on the website as open but two have closed in DFW so far, as follows:

Watauga at 7304 Denton Hwy.
Arlington at Abram's Alley, 300 E. Abram St. #150

Their website currently shows the Dallas location at Campbell Road, which was the original location, as still open, as well as a location in Fort Worth on McPherson Boulevard.

Despite the closures, McDonald's still plans to continue the test in the US for the foreseeable future, a spokesperson says, including opening two new smaller format stores in Texas in 2025.

That includes a location in Allen at 861 W. Stacy Rd.

The plan is to close three of the larger locations that were remodeled into CosMc’s locations — meaning that one of the locations currently still open is due to close.

"Since opening CosMc’s, we have had the benefit of testing out different location sizes and setups – from revamping larger restaurant spaces to building smaller prototype locations that focus more on the drive-thru and digital experience," their statement says. "We learned that the smaller format stores allow us to test new, unique circumstances that are reflective of our customer base. As a result, we will open two new smaller format stores in Texas in 2025, and close three of the larger locations that were remodeled into CosMc’s locations."