A couple of weeks ago, I did a column on good places to eat for 10 bucks or less. Cafe Laguardia almost made the cut. I really wanted this smart cafe to be included, but the cutoff was $10, and that's that.

But now you get to read about a very nice Cuban cafe where you can dine quite deliciously on any number of entrees that are in the $12-$15 range. However, should you wish to splurge, you will find that paying $18.95 for a whole red snapper and $18.50 per person for Paella Valencia isn't all that bad. Entrees come with house salad, white rice and beans or yellow rice and pigeon peas. Hint: Unless you are a vegetarian, order the yellow rice; it gets an extra taste kick because it is prepared with ham and bacon.

The fact is, when dollar comes to shove, there's nothing on the Cafe Laguardia menu that even hits 20 bucks.

Let's start with the Cuban nachos. Crispy-thin slices of tostones (green plantains) were topped with tomato, guacamole and sour cream with a zingy sauce on the side to further liven up matters. Add in a choice of chicken, ground beef or steak for a couple of dollars more and you have a bracing appetizer for two to share.

If tostones are not your thing, then I can highly recommend Havana black bean soup as a starter -- dark, murky and rich with a cap of cheese, onions and sour cream. Or you can start the food ball rolling by simply ordering one or two empanadas -- the fried tortillas wrapped around a filling of nicely seasoned ground beef. Or a seviche special that put together octopus and shrimp.

But it is with the entrees that Cafe Laguardia really shines. For example, you will find one of the tastiest versions of ropa vieja here. Ropa vieja is flank steak that has been shredded and cooked in a tomato sauce with green bell peppers and onions. A beef stew of sorts, but one that really popped with flavor. Black beans and a mound of white rice came with it -- perfect for mixing all together,

A similar, very traditional rustic dish is chicken fricassee. A very nice portion of shredded chicken became part of a stew that included onions and green peppers in a flavorful tomato-based sauce.

Meats came forth with a vengeance via the "Taste of Cuba" (sabor de Cuba). The oversized plate groaned under the weight of pork medallions, shredded beef, ground beef, fried plantains, ham croquette, cassava, and a white rice and black bean stew. Bring your appetite or share lavishly. It was a sweet deal for $15.95.

For something a lot lighter, the grilled red snapper fillet would be a sensible choice. The fillet was portioned just right; the flavor was fine (it got painted with a mild garlic sauce) and the enjoyment was plentiful.

Of course, why go to a Cuban restaurant and not have a Cuban sandwich? Back for lunch, and that's exactly what happened. The "sandwich Cubano" is one of the best around. The taste magic of roasted pork, ham, cheese (Swiss) and pickles was quite something. The heat (as in pressed) the sandwich was exposed to ramped up the flavor of the meats and melted the cheese for a splendid finishing touch. Order some fries on the side, because they were quite good.

For dessert, the rice pudding was, well, rice pudding. But the flan, drizzled with chocolate sauce, was frightfully good -- great texture and flavor -- one of the best I've had lately.

Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com.