Cubo De Cuba

About twice a year, I hook up with some ex-coworkers to catch up on how everyone is doing and try a new dining venues. This time we tried Cubo and we were all happy with our decision. I would have given a full 5 stars, but we had a good 20 minutes wait to order because of their set up for ordering, along with it being lunch time on a weekend. Cubo's method is similar to a food cart, where you order at a service window, pay and get a beverage of your choice. The cashier then makes or gets your beverage. If it's a cocktail, or espresso or some other drink which requires more attention than opening a bottle, it can back up the line. The food was excellent, reasonable priced and cocktail well made. The staff was friendly and service good given how busy it was with an atmosphere of Cuban eclectic.

WOW! Finally made it to Cubo! I'm only sad that I didn't go sooner. Every bite was perfect! Definitely my new favorite restaurant in Portland. We ordered the Cuban sandwich (with a side of sweet potato fries) and Portland Bowl (with a hardboiled egg). Hot Buttered Latte added as an extra treat. Every bite was a taste explosion of healthy, fresh ingredients! It was hard to hold in our happiness; we were both dancing a little in our seats. Eventhough it was barely above 40°F, we opted for outdoor-seating. The patio has picnic tables with outdoor gas heaters. Update: Tried the BEEF PICADILLA. Every part was fresh and tasty; the hash was the best part!

We came here later afternoon for lunch/dinner (linner? dunch?) and had a few dishes. We got the Mojo Pork, Guava Chicken, Cafe con leche (coffee with milk), limeade, and a Mango Batido (milk with fruit smoothie). Everything was on point and delicious. I wasn't sure if i'd like the guava chicken, but it was pretty tasty! I'm a huge pork fan so really enjoyed the mojo pork and the accompanying sauce. All the sides were really good like the beans, sweet potato fries, and especially the Caribbean salad. The cafe con leche was nice and strong, and my wife and daughter really like the mango batido. One of the workers came by to drop off our food and was nice enough to get us some extra sugar for the cafe con leche.

We got the guava chicken, ropa vieja, coconut mojito and a mango mojito. They were quick and the foods seasoned well. We both felt full in the end thanks to the Rice and beans. We both also loved the mojitos and they offer a happy hour during the week that would definitely be worth stopping by just for the drinks. We wish there was a little more meat but that’s mainly because of how good it was.