What: The Cubano With Tomato Soup
Where: Zobö and Meester’s, 68703 Perez Road, No. A1, Cathedral City
How Much: $7.99
Contact: 760-832-6104; www.zamgrill.com
Why: It’s comforting and delicious.
The invitation came via email on a Saturday. Bart and Carmen wanted to let me know they’d just opened a new restaurant on Perez Road in Cathedral City.
“Everything is made from scratch. Please come in and give us a try. The community support has been amazing so far,” the email said.
The following Monday, I was hungry and had errands to run in the general vicinity—so I decided to check out this new joint, with the interesting name of Zobö and Meester’s. A little lawn sign out front touted the Cubano sandwich, so I decided that was the thing to try.
When I ordered at the counter, the friendly woman asked which side I wanted. Macaroni, pasta or potato salad? Fries? Coleslaw? Or, even though it was 107 degrees outside, the tomato soup?
Ooh, yes, the tomato soup, I replied. It would give me something in which to dip the sandwich. What a fortuitous decision this was: The combination of the grilled panini and the soup was fantastic.
The sandwich in and of itself was great: The mixture of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, dill pickles and mustard aioli was splendid. The soup in and of itself was also very good: It had a fresh, savory flavor.
But when I put the two together … wow. The soup softened the bread just enough to make it easier on the mouth. The appropriate saltiness of the meat and the tartness of the pickle were balanced by the vegetable flavor of the soup. It was, in sum, comforting and delicious.
Zobö and Meester’s offers waffles (with chicken!), a burrito and bagel sandwiches for breakfast. Lunch offerings include a bunch of sandwiches both hot and cold, as well as salads and a handful of specialty entrees. But we’ll be ordering the Cubano with tomato soup more often than not. You know why.