Going Bananas

Last night kicked off with a trip down to Eastern Market's Banana Cafe for mojitos with Hargis. Several years ago, during the Tampan exile, I asked one of my donors about decent places to find a Cuban sandwich in Washington DC. Frank's Cuban, so I decided that he would reasonably have eaten a Cuban sandwich or two during his tenure in the Clinton Administration. He kind of scowled and said that there wasn't really much to speak on that count in the nation's capital. But, he said, Banana Cafe did have a pretty good one. Not a ringing endorsement, but I thought it was worth trying upon my return. Their Cuban Sandwich ($10.95) was pretty much as described.

Above the restaurant, however, lies a whole other world. Painted bright yellow, with significant (but random) portions of the decor accentuated with neon lights, the Piano Bar hosts a large Captiol Hill crowd for happy hour that thins out as the night wears on. Chuck Smith or Gordon Kent man the pianos, playing selections from the 60s and 70s you'll want to sing along to. The mojitos are tasty, but expensive at $38 a pitcher. They were also too sweet for everyone after having only one. It would have been a victory for abstinence if only the bar hadn't also sold beer.

In the end, Banana is a pretty good neighborhood eatery, but not worth a pilgrimage for its own sake.

Just for the sake of fun, I should report that although last night began with something civilzed like mojitos at Banana, it ended by shooting nameless booze at the Union Pub and making out publicly at the Union Pub...with more than one person. Good Wednesday!

I put out a facebook request for other places that make a good Cuban and got the following suggestions:

• Go to Miami
• Habana Village in Adam's Morgan (1834 Columbia Rd. NW - No prices on web menu)
• Argonaut in H Street Corridor (1430 Maryland Ave. NE - $9 Sandwich)
• Cubanos in Silver Spring, MD (1201 Fidler Ln., Silver Spring, MD - No web site)

Happy eating!