Food We Love: The Best Puerto Rican Sandwich in Seattle
This flavorful gluten-free sandwich uses flattened, fried plantains in place of a bun
By Chelsea Lin September 30, 2019
This article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of Seattle magazine.
This article appears in print in the October 2019 issue. Click here to subscribe.
Editor’s note: This establishment closed on October 6, 2019.
Years ago, on a whirlwind trip to chicago that involved a punishing quantity of dining R&D, I fell in love with the jibarito: a Puerto Rican sandwich that uses smashed, fried plantains in place of a bun. My delight was rekindled in June at Addo:206 (Interbay), a casual new Puerto Rican–inspired restaurant from chef Eric Rivera, located in the back kitchen of Batch 206 Distillery. (Rivera’s original restaurant, Addo, is a restaurant-incubator spot and occasional fine dining destination in Ballard.) Rivera says he had to put the jibarito ($15) on the menu, as much for his Puerto Rican roots as for his time spent working in Chicago. To eat this, you’ll want to roll up your sleeves: Although the plantains are sturdier than most buns, they can barely contain the pile of juicy, tender pork, lettuce, tomato and garlicky secret sauce. It’s a sandwich suited to accompany drinking—starchy and hearty, best eaten in a dark corner.
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