Cuban Vibes

Have we really not updated this blog since November?! Yikes. Well, fear not. We are back and eating again. I have put on a comfortable layer of blubber for the rest of the Chicago winter and intend to share my resources so that you too may stay as warm as a happy seal on a harsh winter day. Ok, so I'm breaking the rules a bit to get the food sharing juices flowing again. I don't know if it's because we just watched the movie, "Chef", or if it was just time, but we finally tried Cohiba; A Cuban restaurant across from the BBandB and the TJ Max on Broadway just north of the Diversey Clark intersection. We've been holding on trying this place to give it the benefit of the doubt and work out some "new restaurant in a failing storefront location" kinks. We walked in and were welcomed by the sound of Cuban music. Feet were tapping. Good start. There were 4 or 5 full tables and I overheard someone say how much they loved this place. Also good. Service was pretty quick and the waiter was friendly and attentive without being at all overbearing.
What I Ate: I would imagine, this is the place to get a Cubano. However, since I am on a no pork deal, I was drawn to the Ropa Vieja. A shredded beef sandwich with peppers and onions. Sounds like an Italian Beef right? Nope.  The bun itself was incredible. It was a french roll that was grilled to allow for a tiny bit of crispiness without being too greasy. Maybe it was the luck of the first time visit, but I could not stop eating it and could probably have ordered a roll on it's own with nothing inside. The beef was succulent. So juicy. It required multiple napkins and a wet nap. However, it had an overwhelming flavor of Allspice that I just could not get over. Too powerful and floral for me. I ate the entire ginormous sandwich of course, but I just wished it didn't have that overwhelming flavor. It overpowered the sandwich. Perhaps that is the traditional way to make it, but for me, it took a sandwich that could have been spectacular and put it on my "Ew" list.

Ropa Vieja

Why She Ate: My wife and eating partner in crime ordered the Chicken Cohibarito. It has fried plantains instead of bread and was supposed to have grilled onions (but they were raw), mozzarella cheese, lettuce and tomato. It was really delicious and quite massive. It was indeed the more pleasing of the two dishes. We commented on how it was definitely fried, but not greasy. It wasn't dried out either and was a meaty bite of plantain. Delicious.
The fries were fine, but really nothing special. That's all we got. Much more on the menu and we'll be back.
So here's what I think. Go here. I recommend it after only going once (which breaks my rule, but you'll have to live with that).  I really think it's worth trying. If you eat piggy, get the Cubano. It looked delicious and properly made.
They have a large dinner menu which we will hopefully go back and try. I'm going to give it some time before going for dinner, but maybe will be back sooner for lunch to try a couple of the other sandwiches before determining what is going to be. . . my usual.

Cohibarito