Paseo's: Cuban Sandwiches Like a BOSS
It is the east, and Paseo's is the sun. Arise fair sun, and kill my hungry stomach. Even as I write this post I can still taste the savory pieces of pork and freshly sauteed onions. Paseo's might just be Seattle's most famous restaurant outside the Space Needle, so of course I had to pay them a visit while I was in town.
Photo credit to Laura , because real talk it's hard to photograph such a messy sandwich.
These guys get so much business that they close a good portion of the year. I'm a bit envious. Despite the low profile of the exterior, the small red shack has received much hype from TLC as "the second best sandwich in the nation", The Food-Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate," Esquire's best Cuban sandwich in America, and many more. Just look on Yelp, they're sort of a big deal.
The exterior is just a big red shack. Trying to keep it simple I guess. It's so simple that they don't even have a sign.
The interior doesn't offer much seating, but there are a few tables if you do choose to dine in. I never have though.
I appreciate a good sear on my meats. That's just what that guy is doing back in the kitchen.
Eric decided to be adventurous and grab a plate of food. A piece of chicken, with salad, rice, beans, and corn. I'm willing to bet that it was decent, but probably not as good as their pork sandwiches. Seriously, just get a sandwich. Needless to say, Eric wasn't impressed.
This is actually a terrible shot of the sandwich so I apologize in advance. I was so excited to eat it, that I didn't think to take more photos. The lettuce sort of covers all of the meat and onions, so you'll just have to believe me when I say that there are plenty of meat and onions under that green thing. There are also some jalapenos in the mix for a bit of a kick.
They use an aioli sauce, and what I assume to be, a balsamic sauce with their pork and it is SO GOOD! The pork is slow cooked to the perfect tenderness, but is still rich in flavor and juice. I imagine they use a dry rub on the pork prior to slow cooking. The onions are seared/caramelized to perfection.
This is a pic I took while on Seattle's Light Rail, that really has nothing to do with Paseo's and is headed in the opposite direction.
Edit 11.11.14
The original owner of Paseo's is no longer with this establishment. There was a lawsuit against him for mistreatment of workers, and later filed for bankruptcy. Fortunately someone as able to swoop in and buy the rights to the local chain. The original owner took the recipe with him, and re-opened a shop called Un Bien, while Pasoe's new owner hired all of the original staff to re-create the recipe. I have not been back to confirm whether or not it is still a world class sandwich or confirm which place is better.