When Carlos Ramos opened Rice and Beans Cuban Cuisine, his goal was to offer his customers in the Cypress area something they never had before: authentic Cuban cuisine. In the year after opening, Ramos said his food has added to the diversity in the area, drawing in customers from different countries.

"We didn't see a restaurant in the area that served this type of food," Ramos said. "There is lots of diversity in the people here, and we wanted to offer something new. We have customers from many different countries: Mexico, Salvador, America and Cuba."

Ramos moved to the Houston area seven years ago from Miami, bringing the city's diverse flavors and atmosphere to his own establishment.

Along with offering new flavors, Ramos is proud to stand out among other eateries as the first Cuban restaurant in the area that serves freshly cooked food daily.

"Our food is traditional Cuban and Creole," Ramos said. "There are other restaurants that use packaged food. Here it's all fresh. The beans are cooked fresh. Everything is made fresh every day."

Rice and Beans has diverse menu choices that highlight a variety of Cuban Creole flavors with beef, chicken, pork and seafood dishes such as shredded beef topped with seasoned Cuban sauce and served with sweet and tangy plantains.

The menu also includes a variety of wines from Italy and Portugal as well as beer, along with mojitos with tropical fruit flavors.

However, good food is not the only thing that keeps customers coming back, Ramos said.

"There are three things that are important to me about owning a restaurant: cleanliness, good service and fresh food," Ramos said. "We want everyone to have quality food so that are customers are satisfied with what we offer."

Daily specials

Rice and Beans Cuisine offers its patrons specials on select menu items every weekday, featuring a range of Cuban-style meats, spices and flavors.

Monday: Fricase de Puerco—

Pork in Cuban sauce, $7.95

Tuesday: Arroz con pollo—

Chicken with yellow rice, $7.50

Wednesday: Boliche—

Eye round beef in Cuban sauce, $9.95

Thursday: Fricase de pollo—

Chicken in Cuban sauce, $7.50

Friday: Bacalao a la bizacaina—

Cod fish in Cuban sauce, $9.95

Traditional Cuban food

Throughout its history, Cuba has been inhabited by a number of cultures. As a result, Cuban cuisine has become a blend of a variety of flavors. Traditional Spanish, African and Caribbean dishes and spices come together to create a common flavor.

Owner Carlos Ramos opened Rice and Beans Cuban Cuisine to offer traditional and fresh Cuban food in Cy-Fair. Ramos' business remains the only purely Cuban restaurant serving the community, and he continues to bring this traditional fare to residents and visitors with a wide menu of options.

Bandeja Cubana—A mix of Cuban favorites including two ham croquettes, a stuffed potato, a stuffed yuca, a Cuban tamale and three sweet plantains, $9.95

Sandwich cubano—A pork, ham and cheese sandwich, $7.95

Ropa vieja—Shredded beef in a tomato-based sauce and served with rice and fried plantains, $8.95

Enchilado de camarones—Shrimp served in a Cuban Creole sauce, $9.95

Rice and Beans Cuban Cuisine

26321 Hwy. 290

Cypress 832-334-5660

www.riceandbeanscubancuisine.com

Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Sat. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Sun. Noon–8 p.m.