Roksam likes to mix these flavors and textures in a bowl and spoon them up together.Ĭuban sandwiches and a (vegan) Caribbean salad of mango, cucumber, avocado and red onion in lime dressing round out the entree choices.ĭebate swirls around the origin of the Cuban sandwich. Salty, sweet potato fries are an especially good accompaniment. Mojo pork, a good introduction to the menu, is slow-cooked, tender pork shoulder served with beans, rice – and mojo, a slightly tangy, garlic and lime sauce. “We wanted to focus on a small menu and do that well,” Roskam says, “in order to keep quality up and prices down.” Escalera’s beans are like his mama’s, he says – flavorful, with lots of garlic and onion, and some sugar because everything Cuban is a little sweet.Ĭhoose from six entrees, all under $10, and four gluten-free sides at $4.50 each. The staples of a Cuban diet include black beans and rice, pork, sweet potatoes, and sweet or salty fried plantains (maduros and tostones). The couple tested and refined Escalera’s recipes with friends to create a menu Portland-friendly and true to Cuban traditions. Havana-born Milko Vigil Escalera and Kansas transplant Emily Roskam bring Escalera’s family recipes, three years of cart savvy, and a praiseworthy use of color to their new brick and mortar on Hawthorne Blvd. The colors! Red, yellow, and blue – the color of the sky at Veradera Beach on a sunny day. This post is in collaboration with El Cubo de Cuba.El Cubo de Cuba is a warm hug on a chilly Portland afternoon. Portland gets pretty gray and gloomy for a good part of the year. If you need a little pick me up, it’s worth stopping by El Cubo de Cuba on Hawthorne Boulevard. 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.Īt Cubo, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the Cuban food is down to earth, and the rum cocktails are plentiful.
But this is Portlandia, the happy vegan land, so naturally Cubo has vegan and vegetarian options available too. I was invited to Cubo to try their vegan options and learn more about the restaurant. I had never had Cuban food until I met John, who is half Cuban and grew up with this type of cuisine in Florida.
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. Milko explained that he tries to keep the food authentic, but recognizes that you have to adapt to what Portlanders want. 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. 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. 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. Whether you’re looking for a small snack or ready to wolf down an entire plate, there’s something for everyone.
EL CUBO DE CUBA FULL
We tried the full range of vegan dishes at Cubo, and overall, the flavors were simple and approachable. No frills, no nonsense here, just good homey Cuban food.Ĭuban food is good with beer, but make sure you don’t miss out on Cubo’s rum cocktails. Better yet, make your cocktail a double for an extra $4.
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