We tried the full range of vegan dishes at Cubo, and overall, the flavors were simple and approachable. Whether you’re looking for a small snack or ready to wolf down an entire plate, there’s something for everyone. The cart made its debut in 2010, and by 2013, Cubo was ready for a brick and mortar restaurant.Īt Cubo, you order at the counter, then grab a table. I also learned that Cubo, like many other Portland restaurants, started out as a food cart, and there’s a framed illustration of the original food cart over by the picnic tables. For example, traditional Cuban food is not spicy, but due to demand from customers, there’s hot sauce available for the folks who insist on adding some heat.
Milko explained that he tries to keep the food authentic, but recognizes that you have to adapt to what Portlanders want. It was good to have my resident Cuban food expert tag along for this visit.Įven though I visited Cubo during off hours (when it’s better for photos), the space was filled with energy thanks to the pops of color, delicious smells from the kitchen, and the cheerful owners, Emily and Milko.īorn and raised in Havana, Milko moved here from Cuba in 1995, and his recipes are based on what he remembers of home cooked Cuban food.
I had never had Cuban food until I met John, who is half Cuban and grew up with this type of cuisine in Florida. I was invited to Cubo to try their vegan options and learn more about the restaurant. But this is Portlandia, the happy vegan land, so naturally Cubo has vegan and vegetarian options available too. When you think of Cuban cuisine, I’m sure that classics like ropo vieja and lechon asado come to mind, which aren’t veg-friendly at all. At Cubo, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the Cuban food is down to earth, and the rum cocktails are plentiful. If you need a little pick me up, it’s worth stopping by El Cubo de Cuba on Hawthorne Boulevard. Portland gets pretty gray and gloomy for a good part of the year. I would go back there just for the tostones.This post is in collaboration with El Cubo de Cuba. I was pleasantly surprised with El Cubo de Cuba. They’re a restaurant that is catching up with the times and staying abreast to all the shifting in dietary needs. The fact that their dishes are gluten-free and dairy-free is a huge plus. A little disconcerting, but if you all go and request extra meat, maybe they’ll start making their portions a little bit larger. It was a surprise that the server was not accustomed to people asking for extra meat. The extra chicken for $3.50 was kind of worth it.
Quality: Their menu says it all! Local farms, well raised meat. The server actually asked, “extra meat? hmmmm….ok”. If you’re a voracious eater, get the extra meat. So we ordered the Guava Chicken with extra chicken, just to see what we would get. I wasn’t stuffed and I probably could have eaten a bit more, but it was one of those feelings where I would probably be hungry in an hour. Quantity:: Honestly with the one dish, I was satisfied. If you didn’t want the black beans they allow substitutions.Ĭost: Ropa Vieja – $9.95, Mojo Pork – $9.75, Guava chicken – $8.50 (extra chicken +$3.50) = $12. We were fine to try the black beans and brown rice. How we ordered it: We didn’t make any substitutions here. Guava Chicken – Baked local Draper Valley Farms thigh and drumstick topped with Mojo Pork – Local Carlton Farms pork shoulder, slow roasted with house made Ropa Vieja – Slow roasted local Misty Isle shredded beef in a tomato based (sofrito) What we ordered: All main plates come with black beans and white or brown rice and a side choice. Gluten-free bread is available upon request. Cuban food? Even better.Įl Cubo de Cuba’s main dish plates and sides are all gluten and dairy free.
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