Breakfast includes a selection of pastries ($0.75-$2.25) and egg dishes ($7.95) like Huevos Cortadito (eggs any style with Spanish chorizo), and Amanecer Corralito (sweet plantain omelet with chorizo and ham). Salads and sandwiches are on the menu for lunch and dinner, all of which are $8.95. Sandwiches include selections like Mini Cuban Hamburgers, the Cubanito, and the Madrid (Serrano ham, roasted peppers, olive oil, mixed greens), which I had the night I visited (and highly recommend).

There is also a selection of about half a dozen entrées (prices ranging from $10.95 to $13.95) served with black beans and rice. Because of Cafe Cortadito's small size and almost overnight success, be prepared to wait for a table, even on a weeknight. While there is a small bar to wait at where you can drink the bottle of wine you brought with you (remember, no alcohol served here), I wouldn't recommend eating there. There isn't any space for your knees to fit, which makes for awkward and uncomfortable dining. Wait it out for a table.

At night they turn the lights down low and the slightly off the beaten path location, the candles, music, and personal service (the owners open and pour your wine, they remember a face) make Cafe Cortadito a good choice for an unpretentious date.

In sum, unlike Skye Masterson, Cafe Cortadito does not have just one time of day. In fact, it is almost like three venues in one: a place to catch breakfast with your laptop in the morning, lunch with your pals in the afternoon, and a romantic setting once the sun goes down. –M.F.