La Cubana

I know exactly two things about Cuban food: One, it’s delicious, and two, you can’t get the good stuff in Seattle. Sorry, and, believe me, I’ve tried only to be disappointed time and time again. So, on a recent trip to the City of Roses we decided we were going to bank on Portland’s reputation for food and see if we could find the fast track to some righteous Cuban grub. Now, having been born on the Island Paradise myself, I take pride in being able to tell if the place is going to be good before I even take a bite (call it a sixth sense), so when I made my second phone call of the day to verify their location (I’ll save you some misery, it’s the FIRST left after you turn right on 82^nd) and found myself being mildly scolded by Vivian (the Cubana of the food truck’s name) for not having left my phone number the last time I called, it occurred to me that I could have been talking to my Cuban mother and that the food would be seriously good.
Was it? Darn tootin’ it was. Like all food trucks, the menu is limited, but what they do they do well. The partner and I each went for the Cuban sandwich which was done classically and tasted great. It came with an enormous side of mariquitas (sliced plantain chips that you’ll love way more than potato chips) and, lucky for us, they were out of diet Coke so we went for broke and got a couple of batidos (milkshakes) made from mango and mamey (pro tip: both good, but get the second one). We also managed to score a sample of the ropa vieja (a stew of fork tender shredded beef with a tomato and pepper base) and the congri (rice and black beans that were cooked together) — out of sight! There were some other options to try, but they’ll have to wait for a future trip; still, we think we got the gist of the menu, and the verdict is that these folks can cook.
Speaking of the talent behind the menu, the couple that run the food cart, Vivian and Mario, were unbelievably warm and kind to us. It probably didn’t hurt that we were born under the same starts, but they were equally warm toward my very Anglo partner (and someday husband), and I got the feeling that they treat everyone who comes to eat their food that way. They’ve also got a great story to tell about how they made it from Cuba to Portland, and if you catch them at the right moment they’ll probably share it with you.
Bottom line: Fortunately, Portland is a great town to visit for any occasion, so when we’re feeling the jones for some Cuban food we can combine it with some additional fun, but, just to be clear, if this place were out in the middle of nowhere, we’d still make the schlep just to eat the food and hang with Vivian and Mario. So what’s your excuse?

Congris (vegan), which took about 15minutes to make my order. When their was nobody in the queue in front of me. So i dont know why it took so long. The food looked very nice the presentation was spot on, the one thing i noticed was that the yucca was missing. The rice and beans, fried plaintain all tasted great. I could eat that every day especially the rice and beans. The lady brought me out some cuban coffee. That was a very nice gesture. The cofffee tasted delicious. The food was good the service was was slow but very nice. They only thing i didnt care for was the price $ 8 for some rice and beans and a bannana. It should have been $ 4.50 or $ 5. At the most., i would eat at La Cubana again if i were in the area. Because the lady was so nice and sweet and the food was delicious.

We read an article on the Intertubes about this place and I’m happy to say it was everything the article promised: great music, nice people, and that coffee — wowzers. I’d been hankering for a Cuban sandwich for months and this fit the bill. It was delicious.
I’d like to drop half a star because it was a dollar or two more than I was expecting which keeps it from a full 5. Also, it’s worth mentioning that for tourists, this is pretty deep into Portland — we were surprised that it was about 5 miles from downtown, but it was great to see a little more Portland :)

Food was really yummy, atmosphere was fun. For being on 82^nd, it was pretty quiet. The owner was chatty and fun. :)

Amazing cuban food! Great vegetarian options. I love the yuca!

Came her yesterday with my co-​worker. We were planning on eating at Rositas but they were closed. We were greeted by a very friendly woman in the food cart. She suggested the Cuban Sandwich and it was wonderful. It came with a side of plantains (?) with a side sauce made of lemon juice and garlic. It was very delicious. She treated us with some Cuban coffee after we finished our meals. Will for sure go back to eat again. Great find here along 82^nd. :)

What an experience! The food is fresh, made to order, authentic and delicious. Furthermore, Viviane (owner and cook) is warm, inviting, and very friendly. There is covered seating, and she even plays Cuban music from the truck.
We stopped here with my family, who is generally pretty conservative with their cuisine choices, and everyone loved it. The Cuban and ropa veija — highly recommended.
We may fly back out here from Boston just to visit Viviane again :)

La Cubana… This is the real deal. I’ve eaten at several Cuban places around town and this is Authentic and original. You come here you’re on a vacation. You’re literally in Cuba… theres latin music, umbrellas, and exotic fruit smoothies. Viviane, the owner is cooking from scratch, most of the food is organic… amazing, made to order and the prices are very reasonable. The quality and cleanliness of the food and the cart is amazing. Everything I’ve tried on the menu is unbelievably good. This is the island experience, at its finest, in the concrete jungle that is Portland.

Wow! Now this is what I’m talking about. Being Cuban, my family has always felt like Portland needed some good authentic Cuban food, and it has finally arrived.
I’ve tried most of their menu and all of it is jam packed with rich flavor! Their prices are pretty consistent and their portions are large!
Next time you’re looking for some good music, and a lively vibe, come check out La Cubana!

Super, great Cuban food! Love the music and the great customer service! Want to eat real cuban food? You gotta go here to La Cubana!

Lively Cuban joint! It was a rainy and cloudy day. I walked into the food cart lot and was woken out of my Portland melancholy by the loud, bright, and lively Cuban food cart.
I had a Cuban sandwich. It was good. It was about
$ 9 or $ 9.50. It came with 3 little slices of fried plantains. They need to throw a few more of those on the plate.
Good food, but I thought it was a little on the expensive side considering it’s a food cart located on SE 82^nd. It was brand spanking new when I went, so I’m sure they’ll work out some kinks.
All in all, I liked it and I want to go back with some friends. Mainly I liked the vibe. That loud, flashy Cuban vibe that makes it feel like a quick little vacation. Definitely a nice contrast to everyday Portland.