Un Bien
Sandwich shop · Ballard
6226 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Highlights
Caribbean sandwiches with roast pork, aioli, onions & jalapeños
Caribbean sandwiches with roast pork, aioli, onions & jalapeños
"Familiar with Paseo? You know, the Seattle institution that supposedly has “the best sandwich in the city”? Yeah, you love Paseo. Your friends love Paseo. Your high school trigonometry teacher loves Paseo. Even your dog loves Paseo, because that day a piece of marinated roast pork fell out of your baguette and onto the ground was the best day of Alan’s life. But you and Alan are are done with Paseo. Because Un Bien kicks Paseo’s ass. The story of Un Bien and Paseo is a tale that could feasibly be pitched to Focus Features and debut at Sundance. Let’s set the scene: Paseo used to be owned by a family (the Lorenzos) who created all of the restaurant’s recipes. Then in 2014, due to some complicated legal stuff, the entirety of Paseo’s brand was sold to some entrepreneur named Ryan Santwire (who we’d cast Bradley Cooper to portray in the film adaptation). But what about the confidential arsenal of recipes? Aye, there’s the rub— those weren’t included in the sale. Here’s where there’d be a heated montage of Bradley Cooper’s character with his head in his hands, sweating in a kitchen surrounded by test tubes and Caribbean spices. Finally, Paseo decided to hire some of the original staff to recreate the family-jewel sandwiches from memory. Seems easy enough. But unlike the essay portion of your SAT, this is not something one can just BS and get away with. And keep in mind, this is the Paseo you go to today. photo credit: Nate Watters Fast-forward to 2016: two brothers from the Lorenzo family decide to open a new restaurant called Un Bien, which is nearly a carbon copy of Paseo’s shack and Caribbean menu, but with the original recipes they made at Paseo. Eating Paseo is like being trapped in a black-and-white television, whereas Eating Un Bien is living in a technicolor world. The marinated roast pork has a more vibrant tang, the charred caramelized onions are at peak sweetness, and the spicy aioli is zippier than ever. Now, cut to you and your Mustang convertible, driving into the sunset on a windswept Seattle street, with one hand gripping the wheel and the other shoving an Un Bien sandwich into your face. Somewhere, a pair of rose-colored glasses is left in the dust. Food Rundown photo credit: Stan Lee Fire Roasted Corn We know you’re about to eat a massive sandwich that will hold you over for many hours, but if it’s corn season, do not miss this. These cobs sit on an open flame for a few minutes before getting slathered with aioli, parmesan cheese, cilantro, salt, paprika, and fresh lime. With charred kernels and creamy tang in every bite, this is the official best way to eat corn. No offense, Fritos. photo credit: Stan Lee Caribbean Roast Pork Sandwich Yeah, it’s the best sandwich in Seattle: pulled pork that’s been slow-cooked with the greatest marinade in all the land, and topped with sweet grilled onions, spice-flecked aioli, crunchy romaine, cilantro, and pickled jalapeño on a toasty baguette. The Press Un Bien’s Caribbean roast pork, plus tart banana peppers, smoked ham, and swiss. Yes. Sometimes the cheese doesn’t melt all the way, and the addition of stacked meat slices makes the whole thing even more cumbersome to eat, but we don’t fcking care. Follow your heart. photo credit: Stan Lee Grilled Chicken Sandwich Everyone raves about the pork (understandably so), but the grilled chicken sandwich is actually the unsung hero. It’s marinated lovingly, and a char mark makes it to every bite. This is perfect if you’re hungry but not that hungry. Tofu Delight The garlicky tofu at Un Bien is fine, but we’re not sure we’d call it a delight. If you don’t eat meat, we advise you to get the “Onion Obsession” sandwich instead—the grilled onions are that good." - Aimee Rizzo
"You might be familiar with Paseo, which means you might be familiar with the story of how a family-owned sandwich empire was bought by an investor at an auction, and never was the same. Un Bien is the sandwich shop run by the family who started Paseo. It’s an exact replica of the original Caribbean menu, and after one bite, you’ll realize you never need to eat at Paseo again. Truth hurts. Get the roast pork sandwich, fire-roasted corn if it's in season, and don’t wear a shirt that you care deeply about, because you may spill on it (this food is worth every OxiClean spot treatment)." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"If someone tells you to go to Paseo during your trip, kindly (but firmly) suggest Un Bien instead. The menus are nearly identical, but Un Bien is where the original Paseo owners work, and you should be eating an original Caribbean roast pork-filled baguette—not a lackluster stunt double. Even though Un Bien’s drippy sandwiches are massive, grab some fire-roasted corn as a side, and eat it all on a beach picnic at Golden Gardens Park. Note that you may end up with tender pork bits, zesty aioli, and charred onions all over your (formerly) clean t-shirt, but that Tide Pen in your rental car’s glove compartment has been waiting for this moment." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"The Caribbean roast pork sandwich from this fuchsia and teal shack on the side of the road has the power to do two things: bestow upon you eternal joy and completely f*ck up your white t-shirt with meat drips. It’s worth it for this toasted Macrina baguette stuffed with tender braised pork clinging to tangy marinade, sweet onions stamped with char from the grill, tart pickled jalapeño, romaine, and a zesty aioli that laughs in the face of standard supermarket mayo. That, plus some of the best grilled chicken in town and fire-roasted corn slathered in limey aioli, paprika, and parmesan make for a perfect meal, especially if you’re picnicking at Golden Gardens. And especially if you have a Tide Pen handy." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"The Caribbean sandwiches at Un Bien are phenomenal. You know this. We know this. The seagulls that hover around the restaurant scouting out fallen bites know it, too. But what you need to do while the sun’s hot is order a marinated roast pork baguette and bring it down the street to the beach at Golden Gardens. Summer is synonymous with eating this sandwich, getting the zesty aioli, grilled onions, braised meat bits, and Macrina breadcrumbs all over your clothing, and laughing like a fool without a care in the world." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
