¡Viva la Cubano Revolución!
Written by Bannman1000 Monday, 05 July 2010 15:21
Great
food and service in Taipei?
I
got word a month ago that Banciao pizza/pasta legend Francis from Le Rouge and
his pal Bobby had purchased the old Citizen Cain spot. Needless to say I was
excited to see what they would do with the place. I was pleasantly surprised.
I
arrived at Cubano with a few friends to see what this new Cuban/Mexican fusion
rum bar would have to offer. First off I have to say I loved the décor of
Cubano. It has a nice looking bar and there are interesting photos of Cuba
adorning the walls. It has a comfortable feel with a little bit of class.
Perfect for a date or just drinking with friends.
We
were greeted and seated right away by a smiling server with a perfect view of
the projector screen (World Cup's on you know) and were asked for our drink
orders while receiving the menus (if your like me you will have noticed this is
not the norm in Taipei). It was Canada Day, so there were Crown Royal whiskey
mixed drinks on special. Being a frugal crew we partook many a round of stiff
whisky and rum beverages.
The
manager/owner, Bobby, recommended the Mojito and the Pina Colada. I tried both
and can say they were both great. Bobby admitted to me that in the two weeks
since they opened they had mixed reviews on the Mojito but have definitely
hammered out the issues and I can attest that it is tasty. There is an
assortment of rums to try and you can mix dark or white rum in any of their
offerings at no additional charge.
I
started off with a grilled sandwich with chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled
onions and red peppers with blue cheese on a fresh baked Cuban style roll. I’m
told the bread is baked fresh every day on site. It sure tastes like it. The
side is tortilla chips with fresh made salsa. Not only was the flavor amazing
but also the portion size was generous. However, we couldn’t stop there.
Next
up was the quesadilla. Filled with chicken and topped, yes topped, with three
cheeses. A different style then I’m used to but it works and tastes great. They
provide a large bowl of salsa so you tomato fans out there can feel free to put
generous portions on each bite with little risk of running out. On a side note,
if I scoop salsa on my Mexican fare and get a few slices of jalapeno and some
olives, well you just made a fan.
After
devouring the quesadilla we were ready for the nachos. Quick question, have you
ever had great Nachos Grande in Taipei? (No, spray cheese on Doritos does not
make a Nachos Grande). Well, now you have a place to get some. Cubanos knows
their Nachos. It’s a heaping portion of tortillas, again, with three cheeses.
It’s loaded with olives, jalapenos, cherry tomatoes and another bowl of salsa.
The only thing I can say is it would be nice to have a meat option or even
refried beans. Although management assured me it’s in the works.
We
finished off our feast with the garlic potatoes. Big potato wedges covered in
roasted garlic and bacon bits with a mayonnaise based dipping sauce. We dumped
the garlic and bacon into the dip just to mix it up, with good results.
Afterwards, I topped off the evening with a nice Honduran cigar called Lempira
Puros. Currently, Cubanos is the only place offering them as they get them
straight from the distributor and they will be expanding the cigar menu in the
near future.
Overall
everyone in my party had a good time with great drinks, amazing fresh food with
the added benefit of very friendly management and staff who provided fast,
friendly service (I never had to look around for a waitress to fill up my
glass) and it looked like they were having as good a time as we were. I know
I’ll be back soon.
Anyone
looking for some great Mexican food or just want to try a Cuban sandwich check
out Cubano Bar on facebook for more info. For reservations call 02-27075691,
located at #67 Dong
Fong Street.
marcus makes this comment
Monday, 12 July 2010
Panda Doll makes this comment
Monday, 12 July 2010
Also - ashtrays on the table at 6. I would've liked they keep the 9 o'clock rule, or none at all, but I guess the neighbors complain about all the chimney noise outside.
I"d go back for lunch or when they have more on their menu. Or maybe a late night snack...
Panda Doll makes this comment
Monday, 12 July 2010
They have the same bartender that used to work at Copa. He can make strong drinks and his English is good.
Our waitress was a little nervous, and hung around the table hoping to please us a little too much, but not much of an annoyance.
Panda Doll makes this comment
Monday, 12 July 2010
-Tried the Mojito - it was strong and 2 of those would give me a nice buzz on. A little on the sweet side though.
-Had the Nachos - which are served on a super hot plate and all the toppings were layered evenly, so no soggy shit or bare chips. YUM. (much better than the FAIL at Yuma) Their guacamole is also tasty. ---The salsa isn't spicy, which is good for people like me. They do give you Tabasco sauce.
-Also tried the Cuban Rib sandwich with dill pickles. The sauce and the meat was so tasty, and came with a small side of chips and salsa.