Soups and traditional dishes bring big flavors: a relleno negro turkey soup is 'striking,' escabeche deemed 'soup for the Yucatecan soul.' But cochinita pibil - 'the YucatГЎn's most emblematic dish' - comes most highly recommended, with its 'vibrant' and 'enticing' broth. But Onstad recommends the 'solid' take on Yucatan standards: 'excellent' appetizers like fresh corn torillas, griddled tortillas, or pork empanadas, which arrive with a 'crisp, nutty crust.' Lopez's incarnation of the restaurant serves up 'rich, rounded flavors' (and yes, there are burritos, tacos, and tamales). CUBO Serving homestyle Cuban comfort food in an open casual setting is the name of the game for the food cart turned brick and mortar El Cubo de Cuba. The Mercury's Chris Onstad finds a lot to like at the revamped version of Angel Food and Fun, which features former Bluehour sous chef Manuel Lopez in the kitchen. Not everything works - he suggests avoiding the 'chalky' beans and overly citrusy guava chicken - but ultimately, El Cubo de Cuba is ' very much a restaurant of the people.' And that's a good thing. At Cubo, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the Cuban food. At Cubo, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, the Cuban food is down to earth, and the rum cocktails are plentiful. If you need a little pick me up, itвЂ™s worth stopping by El Cubo de Cuba on Hawthorne Boulevard. Republicans aside, the menu offers 'faithful versions' of Cuban dishes, and Martin Cizmar particularly likes the mojo pork ('juicy, shredded shoulder meat, brightened with citrus'), Cubano sandwich, and the 'very nice' plantain side options. If you need a little pick me up, its worth stopping by El Cubo de Cuba on Hawthorne Boulevard. CUBA+CUBO ist eine Kollektion zum Thema Quadrat, mit geometrischen Linien und geformter SitzflГ¤che. Portland gets pretty gray and gloomy for a good part of the year. Unlike the Cuban restaurants in Miami - where the room is 'marred by the unshakable sense that Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were somewhere in the building' - Portland's El Cubo is ' warm and inviting,' 'the sort of place where you relish the chance to sip wee cups of milky coffee.' WWeek's visit to SE Hawthorne's cart-to-mortar Cuban spot El Cubo de Cuba begins with a long metaphor about the importance of ambiance.

Photo of El Cubo de Cuba courtesy Avila/EPDX

Cubo de cuba