Colada Shop’s hot, melty Cubano sandwich. (Photo by Brian Oh)
Dish of the week: Cuban sandwiches
Where to find them: Colada Shop, Tico, Sundevich, Mi Cuba Cafe, Smoke & Barrel
Loosened travel and trade restrictions between Cuba and the U.S. have placed a renewed attention on the island nation—especially among food and travel enthusiasts. But visiting the country still comes with many challenges. Luckily, anyone craving a taste of Cuban culture in D.C. has some good options. This week, let’s look at one of the culture’s iconic dishes: the Cubano sandwich.
While the sandwich may derive its name from the island nation, food historians say that it used to be called “un sanwich” or “un mixto” there. It became the Cubano when immigrants came to work at cigar factories in Tampa Bay’s Ybor City neighborhood in the late 19th-century, and then took hold in Miami. However, many in Miami, including the mayor, insist that they’re the true home of the Cubano, because Tampa Bay’s version includes salami.
Today, the Cubano remains a wonderful mix of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard (and salami, in Tampa Bay). The delightful combination of carbs, meat, and cheese even had a starring role in the 2014 Jon Favreau movie Chef.
In D.C., the Cubano can be found at many of the area’s Cuban restaurants, as well as at some places that you might not expect.
Start with the breezy Colada Shop (21430 Epicerie Plaza, Sterling and 1405 T St. NW), which just opened a small counter-service space in D.C. The Cubano ($9.98) comes hot and gooey off the panini press, wrapped and ready to eat in-house or take away. Rather than reinvent a standard, Chef Mario Monte sticks to tradition with his recipe.
“Our Cuban sandwich at Colada Shop is influenced by the deeply rooted heritage of my family,” he says. “We share a passion for Caribbean flavors and hope to put the spotlight on an amazing culture that has stayed true to its traditions for the last century.”
If you choose to dine-in, consider pairing it with one of the shops $8 Cuban cocktails, which include the Cuba Libre and the classic rum daiquiri.
Hole-in-the-wall Mi Cuba Cafe (1424 Park Rd. NW) also goes with a straightforward preparation, serving a Cubano ($9.95) on its bilingual menu, which features plenty of Cuban side dishes, soups, and appetizers for building a meal.
The brunch menu at Tico (1926 14th St. NW) features a Cubano ($14) alongside its other Latin American-influenced entrees and small plates. This version uses pickled jalapeno peppers, and the kitchen also adds ancho chili and honey to the mustard sauce for a kick of sweet heat.
A take on the Cubano also appears on the international sandwich menu at Sundevich (1314 9th St. NW). Here, it’s named the Havana ($11) and made with a heavy helping of roasted pork, Gruyère cheese, Dijonnaise, and pickles. The sandwich is plenty large enough for two people to share or split while trying something else off the global menu.
For a barbecue twist, head to Smoke & Barrel and dig into the Bar-B-Cubano ($13), a mouthful of smoked pork, peppered ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and barbecue sauce. Better yet, it includes a side dish from the restaurants list of comfort favorites. The jalapeno-cheddar grits and fried okra are both recommended.
And if the crusty bread of a Cubano is too much to handle, try a media noche. Meaning “midnight” in Spanish (it’s an ideal way to chase away late-night hunger after an evening of dancing), the sandwich shares all the ingredients of the Cubano but swaps the crunchy, grilled bread for a slightly sweet and soft egg roll. Both Colada Shop and Mi Cuba Cafe serve this alternative version of the classic Cuban sandwich.
