Cafe Con Leche Struggles to Keep Up

Cafe Con Leche has hit a few bumps in the road on its journey from food truck to sit-down spot.

By Seattle Mag October 17, 2012

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This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of Seattle magazine.

Cafe Con Leche has hit a few bumps in the road on its journey from popular food truck to sit-down spot. In its expansive new SoDo dining room, the former Paladar Cubano crew draws a big lunch crowd, yet on a recent visit, there were too few servers, and the kitchen was out of empanadas and the popular house-made limeade before noon.

The main attraction—the pork Cubano sandwich—needed more of the roasted meat and thinly sliced ham, because industrial-tasting pickle slices dominated like the iron fist of Castro. On another toasty sammie, the garlicky shrimp shined brightly, but it leaped out of the bread, making it impossible to eat without knife and fork. On the plus side, the sandwiches ($6.95–$10) come with fries, which you can (and should) swap out for tostones—smashed and fried green plantains. Dip those in the outstanding handmade garlic sauce, knowing you’re going to need a fist full of breath mints before heading back to work.

Lunch, Mon.–Fri., 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; dinner Thu.–Fri. until 7 p.m. SoDo, 2901 First Ave. S; 206.682.7557. $

 

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