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

Jorge Castillo: 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 Lindgren: 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 Musibay: There is NO such thing as a dry mojito!

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

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

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

We Show You How in Two Great Miami Cuban cookbooks:

Havana Shirts

Only the best Cuban products! Find Cuban shirts: Great Guayaberas, Guapitas, and Cubaveras.

havana-shirts.com

Guayabera Shirts

Looking for the classic guayabera? We have a complete selection!

guayabera-shirts.com

Serrano Ham

Now you can order Serrano Ham (Jamón Serrano) from an American importer.

ham-serrano.com

Spanish Chorizo

A good Spanish chorizo is the

essential ingredient for many Latin dishes!

spanish-chorizo.com

Best Cuban Cookbook

The best Miami Cuban cookbooks with simple, easy-to-follow recipes for everyday meals and wonderful parties. Save 34% off list price.

bestcubancookbook.com