Above: Today the tears aren’t for the sandwich’s flavor, but its farewell. And also maybe wage theft.
Where on Earth will we go to now in order to find that mouth-watering Cuban Roast sandwich?
We are sad to report that the hugely popular Paseo Carribean Restaurant, famous both for its food and the round-the-block lines it drew in Fremont and to its location near the Shilshole Marina, has shut its doors. Both places closed down Sunday afternoon.
“We were put in a position where we had to close,” the restaurants’ account coordinator Ornella Bardinelli told Seattle Weekly today. “I cannot disclose why.”
The sign that sent Seattle into sandiwch shock. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren
Paseo was featured in every Seattle publication and received raves in Food & Wine and Esquire, which named Paseo’s the Best Cuban Meat Sandwich in America.
Bardinelli said a lawsuit filed by employees in September, alleging wage theft, played no role in the decision to close. According to the suit, Hispanic workers “were not provided rest and meal breaks as required by law. They were frequently required to work shifts in excess of twelve hours and often received no more than thirty minutes of rest/meal breaks.”
The suit also alleges that Hispanic employees were “treated differently” than non-Hispanic workers and that the restaurant staff was denied overtime pay and fired after they complained.
Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren
A sense of mystery and secrecy has long hung over Paseo. As Seattle Weekly
contributor Patrick Hutchison wrote last winter, “Not a single article published about Seattle’s famed sandwich parlor mentions the owners’ names, much less what they do during their [annual winter hiatus] break. None talk about the family history or its inspiration. On Seattle’s highest-rated restaurant, according to Yelp (second highest in the entire U.S.), there’s a surprising lack of information. Even paseoseattle.com, which includes information on their menu and press accolades, proves elusive: When you click on the “About” tab, you get ‘About Page Coming Soon! Stay Tuned!’ Classic.”
Photo taken ten minutes after Paseo’s confirmed closure. By Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren
Asked what the owners intend to do now, Bardinelli said, “They will regroup and figure something else out.” She quickly added, “Please write that we appreciate all the loyalty we’ve had through the year from our customers.”
UPDATE (11/11/14, 2:29 p.m.) Lawyer for the plaintiffs, Trevor Osborne of Davies Person, P.C. of Tacoma, when asked whether the case had any connection with the closing said, “I’d be speculating. I have no reason to believe [the closing] was caused by this case or other particular circumstances.” He did say that since the defendants were notified in April, and the complaint was filed in June, there have been “no significant developments” but that a trial date has been scheduled for some time in the next few months. “We are still in the discovery process. It’s hard to say which path [the case] will take.”
