Banana Cafe & Piano Bar
Banana Cafe & Piano Bar, web site, 500 Eighth Street SE, Washington, DC, just off Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 202-543-5906 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Cuba, Spanish, and Puerto Rican dishes. Not exactly a mom and pop, the place has a somewhat vile yuppie flavor. The Puerto Rican dishes consist of mashed plantains, in various forms, with garlic. The dishes vary greatly in quality. The best ones are good enough to enjoy (try the Puerto Rican ones, if only for novelty’s sake), but not good enough to stand comparison with the real thing. By all means go, especially if you live in the area (few good alternatives), but lower your expectations accordingly.