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Sophie's Cuban Cuisine - A New York Chain in the Former Singapore Bistro Space on 19th and L Street Downtown - Closed


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Sophie's Cuban Cuisine has been open for about a month now in the old Singapore Bistro spot on 19th St NW, between L and M.  There's carryout with fairly extensive steam-table offerings (as well as empanadas and the like) on the first floor, with table service offered upstairs. 

 

I've just been there once.  The waiter pushed the Mariscada ("Seafood in Cuban Sauce"), which sounded good on a raw, wet day.  I swear it hit the table less than 60 seconds after I ordered it.  Maybe 2 minutes tops, seriously, and predictably the seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, and some sort of white fish) was tough and overcooked, having all clearly been simmering in the tomato-based broth rather than cooked to order.

 

I don't want to judge a new restaurant on one dish so I'll be back next time I'm in the area to try other things, but unfortunately I can't recommend the only meal I've tried so far. 

 

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On this cold day during a cold winter I decided to take a walk with colleagues to Sophie's for some Cuban food and I am glad that I suffered through the below freezing temperatures.

I ordered shrimp and garlic sauce to go with a side of cooked veggies and blackbeansandrice (it was all mixed together).  The shrimp is cooked on demand and so I had to wait maybe 5 minutes. I didn't mind because I really didn't want to walk back to the office.   I wasn't every hungry so I let it sit in my office for about 30 minutes.

I tasted a shrimp and had a flashback to a New Orleans suburb and my childhood. My mom was an excellent and very lazy cook. THis stuff tasted like her shrimp creole when she didn't have onion or peppers but did have a sh*t load of garlic.  I loved it.  I wish they would bottle that sauce so I could make it at home.  The veggies were not overcooked and tasted a bit grilled.  The black beans and rice could have used some salt but the garlic sauce was salty enough to cover.

It was great and made me happy. I should also say the portions are big and my meal, wtih tax, was 12.64.

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I recommend the Fried Pork dish. It was really good, except for the salt. I found the two dishes I ordered awhile back was really salty. I had to drink a lot of water afterwards, but otherwise tasty.

I also like their plaintains (maduros). I will give this place another try because: a. the portions are pretty big for the price point, b. the price point is pretty affordable for a downtown lunch, and c. they are fast and convenient.

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9 hours ago, goodeats said:

Well, I walked by this place today and it was quite empty. I'm unsure when it closed, but you can't mistake that it closed.

Eater reported on March 3, 2016 that PopVille and BorderStan teamed up to announce its closure. 

Is it coincidence that the last two restaurants to close in this neighborhood were right next door to each other, Sophie's Cuban Cuisine and Science Club, and both occurred in the same month?

 

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