HABANA’S 210 S. Washington, Pioneer Square 206-521-9897 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
CUBANS LIKE PORK. Above all, pork sandwiches: chicken-with-pork sandwiches, beef-with-pork sandwiches, pork-with-pork sandwiches, and pork plain with a side of pork. Pork, pork, and pork. To the gringos, pork is the “other white meat,” but to Cubans, it is simply The Meat to Eat. They love the stuff. And the crew at Habana’s, Cuban or otherwise? They love it, too. Known primarily as a live music nightclub where things get pretty hot and sweaty on weekend nights, Habana’s has recently become a fairly exciting entity in the daylight hours as well, expanding its menu to include hot sandwiches, soup, and salads for the Monday through Friday lunch crowd. The new menu offers five hot sandwiches, and with the exception of the tangy shredded beef version, all of them involve pork. (But not to worry: We asked our server—somewhat facetiously—if we could add ham to it, and she said, “Yes, of course, that would be just fine.”) Served on sizable-yet-approachable bread loaves that are, happily, not aggressively ethnic (i.e., you can bite into them without losing a tooth), the deliciously prepared sandwiches are yours for the taking at about five bucks each – with freshly fried banana chips on the side for no extra charge. Those who aren’t so pro-pork should check out the daily specials (usually about $5, too). The shrimp with rice plate is a great alternative, as is the ensalada Habana (artichoke heart and olive and onions and greens in a creamy orange dressing: $2 side, $4 full). Still relatively under the radar of most 9 to 5-ers, it’s not uncommon to have the place to yourself and to receive hyper-attentive, friendly service, even on a sunny Friday afternoon.
