Cuban Restaurant's Review 2

This “ups and downs” column was first published in www.cubaabsolutely.com for its January edition. Still I want to share it in my blog.

 

While taking advantage of the holiday season I embarked on the mission of eating out in new and old paladares in order to report on more ups and downs for the food enthusiasts in Havana. Here the results of the field research for this month.

 

DOWNS:

Despite de sad zoo, the margherita pizza close to Havana,
is the one at Piccolo, at Guanabo.

The zoo at Piccolo: This is where the best pizzas in Cuba are made (in my opinion). It is a cute restaurant in the beach town in Guanabo and the favorite of many families that like to stop for lunch on weekends after a morning in Playas del Este. The pizzas are baked in a wood oven and dressed with fresh ingredients from the vegetable garden on the premises. But as much as the food and prices are great, the little zoo that the restaurant keeps as entertainment for the children that visit is pretty depressing. There you will find a huge snake inside a tiny cage, a jutia (which is kind of an opossum mixed with a beaver) also in a small enclosure, and many caged birds. I mean, even in the case of snakes, there are few things more depressing than a big animal trapped in a small space.

Calle 482 #503, % Ave 5 y 7, Guanabo, Cuba. Tel. 796-4300
 

The indoor area at Tres Medallas: This is definitely not the prettiest looking paladar in Havana. It was opened about a year ago by Olympic champion Mireya Luis and her Italian husband. The restaurant, which is named in honor to the three gold medals that Mireya won in Barcelona, Atlanta, and Athens, offers a variety of decent Italian food (including wood baked pizzas) at decent prices. The place has an open outdoor area and it offers an indoor space too. For the hot months the indoor dining room provides the comfort of A.C. and a space away from the flies; nevertheless, the area is dark, cold, with little personality and loud music. I would highly recommend the owners hire a professional interior decorator to bring some charm to this uninviting space.

Calle 20 # 313, e/ Av. 3ª y 5ª. Tel: 052 645 337

 

 

Not cool to offer or demand this beautiful and endangered
species at a restaurant (Photo by Thierry Caro,
source Wikipedia)

The turtle offering at many paladares: Without naming names I would love to mention this huge “down” in many paladares in town. Some of these restaurants are already great, with good food and service. So, if everything is already working well, why in the world do they have to offer endangered species in the menu? In this case I have decided to withhold the names of the places that have offered “caguama” or “tortuga” as a gourmet dish, but it is more than one. I know the line of legality and illegality in Cuba can be pretty gray, but this is not only illegal, people, it is immoral! And then, as far as I understand it just tastes like chicken… offer chicken then!

 

 

The wait time at Mi Jardín: This is among the oldest paladares in the city. It is a quiet and casual place and one of the few that offer Mexican cuisine. The food is good, they have a Pescado a la Veracruzana that can be nice and spicy, the Plato Mexicano is a great way to sample a few dishes, and the Totopos appetizer is really addictive. But unfortunately not all is good: prepare to wait up to 25 minutes just for the drinks to be served, another long wait for the food, and if you care for a second drink it is not unusual that you will have to go and look for the waiter yourself. I mean, the waiters (who are part of the family that owns the paladar) are very nice, they are just very slow. So, if you arm yourself with a little patiente you might enjoy this cute place.

Calle 66 No. 517 esquina a 5ta, Miramar. Tel: 203 4627

 

UPS:

 

The fresh pasta at La Corte del Principe: This is one of the newest paladares in Havana. It is a charming and yet unpretentious establishment with a few tables in a covered porch and with a limited menu written in a blackboard. The place is nice, the prices are good, service is fantastic… but what is more attractive about this place is the homemade pastas, they are really good and they are offered with a variety of sauces that are also very outstanding: four cheeses, carbonara, amatriciana and pesto to name a few. Follow the recommendations of the owner, Sergio, who will give you personalized service and a detailed description of his Italian creations. You will want to come back. Beware than even though it is an Italian place, pizza is not served.

Calle 9 Esq. 74, Playa. Tel: 05 255-9091

Ivan Justo, aka Aguacate 9, has not only great food
but a very cool ambiance.

Baby eels salad at Ivan Justo (aka Aguacate 9): I have to acknowledge that I might not order baby eels for my last dinner, actually I might not order baby eels for any dinner; but that is just me, and I have to say that my Spanish dining accomplices went head over heals for this menu item at Ivan Justo. Apparently this is Havana serving this gourmet tiny creatures. The paladar is located at Aguacate 9 and often called more by its address than by its name, it has an interesting menu that includes beef, lamb, rabbit, suckling pig, paella, appetizers such as the eel’s salad and home made pastas. The prices are a little bit in the high side, but the place is very pretty and service is good. No way to lose with this one.

one of the very few restaurants in

Aguacate 9, esquina Chacón. Habana Vieja. Tel: 863 9697
 

Hot plate cooking at PPs Teppanyaki: Located in the heart of Vedado this paladar opened just a few months ago with a Japanese menu that includes a variety of sushi and, of course, teppanyaki, the kind of Japanese cuisine that involves cooking on a hot plate in front of the customer. The menu at PPs Teppanyaki includes a variety of meats (shrimp, beef, and pork) prepared and presented in different traditional styles. All of them were really good during my visit. The skillful cooks explain every step of the cooking process and are able to make accommodations for any particular taste and answer any question about this cuisine. Prices are reasonable and reservations are recommended, since there are only two hot plates with about 12 chairs each.

Calle 21 No. 104, apto 4 e/ L y M, Vedado. Tel: 836 2530
 

Piña Colada at La Casa: La Casa is one of the oldest paladares in Havana, and it is often missed by many in the expat community because of its location on a very quiet street in Nuevo Vedado. The place is nice and has an interesting interior garden. The service, supervised by owner Alejandro Robaina, is spotless and the food is fairly good, including the Japanese menu they had on Thursdays. But one of the high points of this restaurant is their piña coladas; they are just out of this world. They are served in a carved pineapple and are a meal in itself made with fresh fruit, a generous serving of rum and ice. Don’t miss having one of these cocktails!

Calle 30 No. 865 e/ Avenida 26 y 41.Nuevo Vedado. Tel: 881 7000