Last date I was here: 03/12/2010Restaurant: Banana Café (http://www.bananacafedc.com/home.htm)
Location: Barracks Row
Total Rating: 4.6
Food: 5, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5
Summary: This Cuban, Puerto Rican, Tex-Mex restaurant and piano bar is a favorite of mine for dinner. Happy hour at the Piano Bar upstairs is popular, they also have Karaoke some nights. The restaurant has a fun, colorful atmosphere displaying great art pieces by the restaurant owner himself. Fresh chips and salsa (delicious!) are served gratis as you peruse the menu. The frozen house margaritas go down smooth and refreshing – a pitcher is a great deal for the table. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.
I have also been here for breakfast/brunch where they have a buffet. I prefer the lunch/dinner menu. I love to sit outside on the patio as you have the prime view of happenings along Barracks Row. Although this place gets crowded, service is always accommodating.
What I ate:
Fried Calamari
Served with mango sauce
Sea Scallops a la Veracruzana
Seared sea scallops with a tomato pico de gallo cream sauce
Carribean Vegetarian Combo
Includes rtamal de elote, grilled vegetables, plantains, fried yuca, guacamole, white rice and black beans.
♥Plaintain Quesadillas♥
Pan-toasted flour tortillas with melted cheese, an fired green plaintains
served with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream
Cuban Sandwich
sub-style sliced roast pork loin, honey baked ham and swiss cheese
topped with mustard, mayonnaise, and sliced dill pickles
Served pressed grilled “a la plancha” and with fries
Plus Keith ate:
Cozumel Fajitas
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Beef and served with guacamole, pico de gallo,
red beans, yellow rice and flour tortillas
Stuffed Plantains
green plaintains, marinated, deep fried, and stuffed,
one with beef, one with chicken, and one with seafood.
Served with white rice and black beans
Shrimp Fajitas
Grilled to perfection with genuine Mexican mesquite wood and
served with guacamole, pico de gallo, red beans, yellow rice and flour tortillas.
Beef Burrito
Large flour tortilla, stuffed, baked, topped with ranchera sauce and melted cheese,
served with sour cream, pico de gallo, rice and refried beans
Ropa Vieja
shredded flank steak cooked with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices
served with plantains, yellow rice and black beans
