Have a seat and enjoy a bit of Seattle sandwich history. The original Paseo opened in the 1990s and had what many believed was the best sandwich in the country - not just the area. Its Caribbean Roast Pork sandwich drew rave reviews from locals and tourists. My 2013 blog post about the original Paseo says all you need to know about what I thought, and looking back, it probably deserved a much higher score.
Seattle Unexplored has a blog post with an excellent summary of Paseo, the new Paseo, and Un Bien.
In November 2014, Paseo abruptly closed and it was huge local foodie news for weeks. Four former employees sued the owner, claiming wage theft and unreasonable working conditions. Roughly two days later, other Paseo employees defended the owners, claiming the four employees were tarnishing the owner's reputation and that it was a great place to work. Paseo's original owner eventually elected to retire, and any lawsuits were likely settled out of court, as I couldn't find much more after that.
Meanwhile, an entrepreneur reopened a new Paseo (unofficially Paseo 2.0) and hired back many of the original Paseo employees to recreate the recipes and menu.
In July 2016, the sons of the original Paseo owner opened Un Bien, armed with the real original recipes. Seattleites frankly now have their choice of which is the best, but being forced to pick one on this trip, I had to go to Un Bien.
The menu has many familiar items, but the Caribbean Pork sandwich ($13.25) is prominently #1 on the list.
That famous Caribbean Pork sandwich starts with the pork shoulder, coated in their house marinade, and slow roasted until extremely tender. The pork is put on a toasted Giuseppe baguette with garlic aioli, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, crisp romaine lettuce, and caramelized onions.
Yes, this sandwich is amazing. Instantly brought back Paseo memories and probably got 10x better over the years. Perhaps it was because I hadn't had Paseo's sandwich in about 12 years, and maybe I was also really craving this, but I enjoyed every bit of it. It's a messy one that will need many napkins and some wet naps, but believe me, it's worth it.
To wash it down, I got a fruit punch Jarritos soda ($3.50). Never had that flavor before, but it really hit the spot.
My mom got the #17 Bien Salad ($7), and even that was a big winner. Spring mix, purple cabbage, julienned pickled beets, fresh cilantro, with house vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil. Extremely refreshing and balanced to counter the heavier, yet blissful pork sandwich.
I got to Un Bien on a Sunday and I'm glad I fit it in. They close on Mondays and Tuesdays, and I was flying back home the following day.
FYI, the sales tax was 10.35% when I went. Nearly $2 in tax alone.
Confirming that Un Bien is yet another destination Seattle spot. A must-stop for your foodie list. 9.5/10
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