Jorge: OK, La Casa Del Mojito may not be Cuban, (the owner was born in Mexico) but if you are sick of Seattle Mexican food and are desperate for something more tropical, La Casa Del Mojito is the place to go. Mexican owner/chef Luigi Valenciana has drawn on the cuisines of several Central and South American countries to bring you a very nice eating experience.

Raúl: La Casa del Mojito is a tiny little restaurant on the North side of Seattle, not far from the University. There are only eight or nine tables with a few tables outside if you are lucky enough to be in Seattle when it is NOT raining.

Glenn: Although this restaurant is more pan-Latin than Cuban, there are many things the Cuban food fanatic will like here.

Jorge: One thing they really do right here is the mojito. When you enter the restaurant you'll see a stack of mojito glasses with sugar and sprigs of mint in them. When you order one, the bartender bruises the mint with the sugar in the glass, adds some lime juice, a shot of rum and some sparkling water, and you have a great drink!

Glenn: The mojitos here are sweet and refreshing just as they were created in Cuba -- Not the DRY mojito that so many New York places insist on serving to the public!

Raúl: There is NO such thing as a dry mojito!

Glenn: The tostones are quite tasty, although they were not as hot or as fresh as we like them. The best tostones must be fried and eaten with minutes -- just like a great French fry. The tostones here are served with a very thick and creamy mojito sauce with a mayonnaise base that is very tasty.

Jorge: On the other end of the plantain spectrum, they serve the platanos maduros with crumbled white cheese -- queso blanco.

Jorge: So many people have raved to us about La Casa Del Mojito's roasted chicken. The Pollo a la Parilla is very nice with a crisp skin and tender chicken. Like several dishes it is served with guasacaca -- the Venezuelan take on guacamole.

Glenn: Also a good choice -- the filete de pescado frito, a mildly marinated fish lightly seasoned and dusted with flour and pan fried. The pan frying gives the fish a much more crispy texture.

Raúl: The vaca frita is a nicely prepared flank steak, not the shredded beef dish that is a Cuban favorite. It's served with plenty of sautéed onions, and it tastes fine -- it's just not vaca frita!

Glenn: The restaurant does two very nice steak treatments. The signature Parilla de Luigi gives you several chunks of what looks to be tri-tip sirloin, marinated in citrus juice and plenty of garlic. The meat was very tender and cooked just as ordered.

Raúl: Another nice steak on the menu is the Bistec a Caballo. It's a thin-cut steak marinated with what tastes very much like a Colombian/Venezuelan-influenced marinade. It's served with a fried egg, like the typical Colombian bandeja.

Glenn: On a cold Seattle night, warm up with guiso de pollo, a succulent stewed half of chicken simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and lots of onions.

Raúl: If you have any vegetarians in your group, they'll like the vegetarian pinchos (shish kabobs) here. They are pretty tasted with a sweet cilantro glaze.

Jorge: All in all we have to say that La Casa del Mojito is our favorite Latin/Cuban restaurant in Seattle.

Glenn: It's a very fun place where you will quickly feel at home.

We Show You How: