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"Old Clothes" is a Specialty at Cubano's Restaurant

BY PATRICIA B. GROSSMAN

Ropa Vieja, Media Noche and Mojo. Do these dishes sound familiar? No? Then you haven't been to Silver Spring's premier Cuban restaurant: Cubano's. Located across the street from the illustrious Tastee Diner, Cubano's opened a little over two years ago. Owner 45-year-old Adolfo Mendes emigrated from Cuba in the early sixties with his aunt and cousins. Adolfo knew he wanted to be in the restaurant business at an early age. Lately, his restaurant has expanded into catering with such clientele as the Discovery Channel and the AFI.

Cubano's offers a wide variety of dishes. The menu lists them in Spanish and describes them in English. Ropa Vieja, Cubano's most celebrated dish, means "Old Clothes," but don't let the name fool you. Served separately as an entree, as part of a combination platter or as a sandwich, it is a delight not to be missed. Shredded beef in a Cuban-style sauce with tomato, garlic, onion and red and green peppers, it is reminiscent of pulled pork and beef stew with a slightly sweet flavor.

Appetizers and side dishes are in abundance at Cubano's. Ordering the Bandeja Cubanos ($14.95) will assure you of respectable sampling of the appetizers: a selection of delicious appetizers: tostones (fried green plantains), empanadas (traditional turnovers with meat filling), croquetas (smoked ham croquettes) and chicharrones.

Unfamiliar with most of the Cuban dishes on the menu, I ordered the Mi Tierra combination platter ($17.95). "I put together a combination of the three most requested dishes," Adolfo said of this selection. The platter consisted of generous portions of ropa vieja, fricase de pollo (chicken fricassee) and lechon asado (roasted pork). While the ropa vieja was good and the lechon asado moist and flavorful, I can see myself going back for the fricase de pollo even though I thought it would be the least interesting of the three. A mild tomato based garlic sauce coated the tender chicken which had been simmered with potatoes and onions. Sweet plantain, (sauteed banana) and a choice of white or saffron rice accompany the sampler. Anyone new to Cuban food, especially with a big appetite, will love it.

My dining companion, also a Cuban food novice, got the filet de pollo a la parrilla (boned and skinless grilled chicken breast marinated in the traditional mojo of olive oil, lime and garlic $13.95). Many Cuban entrees and appetizers are prepared in a base of mojo. At first I thought the chicken dish would be an uneventful chicken breast, but the subtle mojo was flavorful and the dish was beautifully presented. The chicken came with a side dish of moros and christianos a seasoned mix of rice and black beans. The portion was more than generous.

Another dish famous to Cuba is Masitas de Puerco (crispy fried morsels of pork, $14.95). Cubanos does a good job of keeping the pork tasty and crisp without drenching the pieces with oil. All said, however, I feel the chicken fricassee is well worth repeating.

Dessert after dinner was out of the question, there was no room for it. Both my dining companion and I decided on coffee however. Although iced coffee was not on the menu we asked if it was available. No sooner did we inquire but our obliging waiter said, "of course," that "he would see to it."

The dessert menu is quite impressive and I can see myself making a trip to Cubano's one evening just for coffee and dessert. Some of the scrumptious selections include: torta borracha or "drunken cake," a homemade rum-drenched cake filled with smooth chocolate custard decorated with nuts and Budin de Doris," a homemade bread pudding layered with guava and caramel, dotted with raisins.

Lunch is a real winner at Cubano's and there are many dishes catering to a smaller budget with lighter portions. Soups, sandwiches and salads are plentiful on the menu, all reasonably priced. One sandwich worth noting is the popular Sandwich Cubano or Media Noche. Either a baguette or a soft roll is filled with roast pork, baked ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, mustard and pickles in such a combination as to make this sandwich known throughout Cuba. I've heard of this famous sandwich but I've never had it myself, although during a lunchtime excursion to Cubano's another dining companion finished one in record time.

Whether you visit Cubanos for a spectacular dinner in a beautifully decorated setting or just for an interesting dessert with coffee, I'm sure you will find this little gem a place where you can discover Cuban cuisine at its finest–right off Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.

Cubano's is located at 1201 Fidler Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 301-563-4020; hours: Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m.-10:00p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.