Cubasi - July 2022

If you're in the mood for a great Cuban sandwich (ham, pork, cheese, pickles, mustard), make your way to Cubasi Bistro in Sterling. Make sure to order some papas rellenas (meat stuffed mashed potato balls) and empanadas (chicken or beef stuffed pastries). The vivid colored wall decor of Cuban street scenes brings the ambiance to life. While you are waiting for your food, you can sit and play a game of checkers. The checkers are imprinted with the Puetro Rican flag and the Cuban flag. I told the owner that I really enjoyed the papas relllanas. I told him I thought they were a Puetro Rican treat. He explained that he enticed his parents who lived in Cuba and his in-laws who lived in Puerto Rico to join him in his endeavor. HIs mother and his mother-in-law help in the kitchen. Each claim the best papas come from their country. Neither one of us dare question them. I peeped in the kitchen and saw both woman adding spices, stirring pots, and kneading dough. Undoubtedly, love and working together as a family are the essential ingredients.