If it sounds strange to go out for a dinner of ham sandwiches, you haven’t been to Cubano yet. This bar and restaurant, located at the former Citizen Cain on Dongfeng Street (東豐街), serves a staple snack popular in both Havana and Miami.
The sandwich Cubano is made from simple ingredients — ham, roasted pork, cheese, dill pickles and bread. But as with any good sandwich, the whole is greater than sum of its parts.
Cubano’s version costs NT$260 — not exactly a proletarian price, but the labor that goes into these sandwiches deserves some appreciation. The pork is marinated in “mojo,” a concoction of orange juice, garlic and olive oil. The dill pickles are sliced thinly, adding a delectable sweet-and-sour note.
Photo: David Chen, Taipei Times
The sandwich is flattened and heated on a grill with a foil-covered brick, a makeshift variation of the traditional plancha press, which is similar to a panini grill.
The white flour bread, which is baked fresh daily, is delicious. Cubano co-owner Francis Beauvais, who also runs the Italian restaurant Le Rouge in Banciao, told the Taipei Times that he uses a recipe from his father, who works as a chef in Miami.
Six versions are on offer: The jamon y queso (NT$240) is the same as the Cubano but without the roasted pork, and the Cuban rib (NT$280) gets a little fancier with mango-glazed baby back ribs. The pollo Cubano (NT$240) and pollo Castro (NT$280) come with mojo-marinated chicken, with the latter including blue cheese.
Vegetarians have a single choice: the sandwich de Fidel (NT$260), which has grilled portobello mushrooms. This was one of my favorites after sampling both the roast pork and chicken versions. My only problem with these sandwiches is that they aren’t sold at lunchtime — Cubano is only open in the evenings.
All orders come with a side of tortilla chips and a thick homemade salsa, but the rather skimpy portions are just a tease. Get a larger serving of chips for either NT$150 or NT$200, or try the nachos grande (NT$290), which comes loaded with red onion, black olives, jalapenos, melted cheese, sour cream and guacamole.
Other appetizers include chicken quesadillas (NT$220 for the 8 inch — around 20cm — or NT$280 for the 10 inch), fajita salad (NT$320) and garlic potato wedges (NT$160, enough for two persons, or NT$300 for a larger portion).
Cubano, which opened in June, will appear familiar to former Citizen Cain patrons, with its large booths that seat six to 10 people each. But Beauvais says he and his partners are aiming for a more low-key atmosphere. The dim lighting and dark wood tones are tasteful and soothing, and there are acoustic music performances on the weekends. The energy gets turned up a few notches on Wednesdays, when the restaurant hosts a salsa dance night.
A few touristy posters and stock photographs play up the Cuban theme, as do the rum cocktails. Mojitos, Cuba libres and daiquiris (each NT$280) are among the selections. Draft beers include Carlsberg for NT$170 and Tsingtao for NT$140. The bar also offers cigars from Honduras and Nicaragua and according to Beauvais, there should be a fresh batch from Cuba by the time this article is published.
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