This week we are going a little somewhere different. The Caribbean Islands! Just kidding, we are going to Point Loma, but this restaurant will make you feel like you’re on a tropical island packed full of flavor! The place is called Embargo Grill and it’s located on Point Loma Boulevard. This unassuming little restaurant was on our original list, and we talked about going for a whole year before we checked it out. It was recommended to us by our friend, David Buck. Something along the lines of, “This place has the best Cubans! You gotta check it out, man!” (Insert full on Indiana accent here). So after we went whale watching with Ian’s brother Sean and his girlfriend Tara, we decided to finally check it out since we were in the area. Spoiler alert: it has some pretty darn good Cubans.

I’ll be the first to say I have not always had my mind blown by Cubans. I have had some I’ve liked, and some that I found whatever. The Cuban sandwich at Embargo Grill has changed my mind. Ian, on the other hand, loves Cubans and he also found this one really delicious (both ends of the spectrum covered here). For starts, the bread has the perfect char and crunch. The pulled pork is phenomenal (and that is coming from a Southerner y’all, I don’t take that lightly). The ham and swiss cheese are perfect. It’s the pickles that make this sandwich so good though. They are wonderfully crunchy and acidic. We gobbled that sandwich right up. And can’t wait to do it again and again. We went full tilt (shocking I know, we were glutinous)  and split the Cuban and Churrasco Steak sandwich to get a better feel for the menu. The Churrasco Steak sandwich was also delicious. The all stars on that sandwich are the garlic aioli and chimichurri. Having studied abroad in Brazil for 3 months, I am a HUGE fan of Churrasco. Nothing better than some red meat, right?! Put it on some bread and this girl is even happier. Sean got the Ropa Vieja sandwich– basically a Latin (French) Dip. Roasted beef, chorizo, cheese, peppers, spinach, and garlic aioli with a Jamaican jerk dipping sauce. Packed full of flavor and fun!

Let’s talk about side dishes for a second. I’m a sides/carbs girl, y’all. Honestly, give me a plate of fries and I am set. Hook me up with a buffet full of sides and I’m gone. Carbs = life. The sides here are awesome. We started with the Maduros (fried sweet plantains). They are one of my favorite Latin dishes, and these did not disappoint. I barely shared them with Ian (sorry, babe!). We also got the basket of fries which are both traditional and sweet potato fries with a garlic mayo and a curry sauce. Insider tip: go curry with sweet potato and garlic mayo with regular. You’re welcome.

We are kicking ourselves for waiting too long to try this place. Don’t make our mistakes, people. Get over there and try Embargo Grill! Your tummy will thank you. And when you’re done, go get a cookie from the Cravory! It’s like right next door!