Amor Cubano

Amor Cubano brings Latin food in an upscale setting to the El Barrio section of East Harlem, where charging $12 for a Cuban sandwich seems like a recipe for failure. But the locals still flock here, perhaps because that Cuban sandwich can easily feed two and is chock full of juicy roasted pork, ham and melted Swiss cheese. The menu adheres to Cuban favorites like vaca frita—shredded bits of steak fried with onions and copious amounts of garlic—and lechon asado, or roast pork, dripping with sour orange mojo sauce. Order a mojito—there are six different kinds, including mango, ginger, champagne and coconut variations—at the sleek bar in the front of the restaurant, where a three-piece band plays Cuban standards on the weekends. Diners preferring quiet conversation can head to the back room, where the music is faintly audible and the décor evokes a backyard patio, complete with outdoor furniture and faux-laundry hanging on clotheslines to dry. Sunday brunch boasts unlimited sangria—pineapple or red wine versions—and bottomless mimosas.