Cuba Info
Joined: 15 Nov 2006
Posts: 15
Home Country: cuba
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 Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:29 am Post subject: FOOD & DINING IN CUBA / CUBA DINING GUIDE |
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FOOD & DINING IN CUBA
LOCAL CUISINE
Cuban, or criolla, cuisine is a mix of European (predominantly Spanish) and Afro-Caribbean influences. The staples of the cuisine include roasted and fried pork, beef, and chicken, usually accompanied by rice, beans, plantains, and yuca. Oddly, Cubans do not eat large amounts of seafood, although fish and lobster dishes are on the menu at most tourist restaurants. In general, Cubans do not use aggressive amounts of spice or hot peppers, although onions, garlic, and, to a lesser extent, cumin are used fairly liberally.
With the exception of breakfast, most meals come accompanied with some combination of white rice and beans. Arroz moro, or moros y cristianos (Moors and Christians), is the common name for black beans mixed with white rice. Congrí is a similar dish of red beans and white rice already mixed. Sometimes the rice and beans are served separately.
The national dish -- which unfortunately you won't often find on restaurant menus, but it's worth sampling if you do -- is ajiaco, a chunky meat and vegetable stew. Ajiaco comes from the Taíno word "aji" for chile pepper, although the dish is seldom prepared very spicy. You're much more likely to find ropa vieja (literally, "old clothes"), a sauté of shredded beef, onions, and peppers; or picadillo, a similar concoction made with ground beef and sometimes featuring olives and raisins in the mix.
If you're looking for a light bite, try a bocadito, literally a "little bite," which is what they call a simple sandwich, usually made of ham and/or cheese.
Aside from the excellent Coppelia ice creams, you'll generally find rather slim pickings for dessert. Flan is popular, but seldom outstanding. I feel similarly about natilla, a simple sweet pudding, that usually comes in either chocolate or coconut flavours. Many dessert menus will feature some sort of sweet marmalade, usually guayaba, papaya, or coconut, accompanied by cheese. Unfortunately, the cheeses used are generally bland and nondescript.
La Bomba -- If you want to order papaya, remember to call it fruta bomba. In Cuba, the word "papaya" is almost always used as pejorative slang referring to a woman's most private part!
BEVERAGE
Most Cubans simply drink water or any number of popular soft drinks, including Sprite and Coca-Cola, whose locally produced equivalents are called Cachito and Tu Cola, respectively. While many hotels and restaurants serve freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast, you'll have a harder time finding other fresh fruit juices than you'd expect in the Caribbean tropics. One of the more interesting non-alcoholic drinks you're likely to run across is guarapo, the sweet juice of freshly pressed sugar cane.
Cubans also drink plenty of coffee, and they like to brew it strong. Order café espresso for a straight shot, or café con leche if you'd like it mixed with warm milk. Ask for café americano if you want a milder brew.
Cuba produces a small handful of pretty good lager beers. Cristal, Bucanero, and Mayabe are the most popular. If you want something slightly darker and stronger, try a Bucanero dark. Cuba has recently begun to produce a few wines, under the Sorao label. If you're a wine drinker, you'll want to avoid these and hope there are some Chilean, Italian, or Spanish bottles on the wine list.
Cuba does produce excellent rums. Most visitors soon have their fill of mojitos (light rum with lime juice, fresh mint, sugar, and club soda) and daiquiris (light rum, sugar, lemon juice, and shaved ice). Another popular cocktail is the cuba libre ("Free Cuba"), which is simply a rum and Coke with a squeeze of lime. If you want something beyond the endless mojitos and daiquiris, you might enjoy a well-aged añejo rum, either neat or on the rocks. Try a Havana Club or Santiago brand 7-year añejo reserva, and you may even give up single malt scotch.
PLACES TO DINE
La Bodeguita del Medio, Havana (tel. 7/867-1374)
This classic joint is a must for any visitor to Cuba. The criolla cuisine is excellently prepared, and it's an understatement to say the ambience is lively. Go ahead and have a mojito, but get one made with añejo rum.
La Guarida, Havana (tel. 7/862-4940)
Atmosphere, fame, good food, and good times all combine in equal measure at perhaps the most famous paladar in Cuba. The walk up the rickety steps to this third-floor private restaurant is an experience in itself.
Roof Garden Restaurant, Havana (tel. 7/860-8560)
The creative French-inspired menu and stunning setting make this probably the best high-end dining option in Havana. Try for a window table on the elevated area ringing the restaurant.
La Cocina de Lilliam, Havana (tel. 7/209-6514)
Lilliam Domínguez has raised the bar for paladares around Havana. Her delicious criolla cooking always makes the most of whatever ingredients are locally available, and her softly lit garden setting is stunning.
La Fonda de Mercedes, Las Terrazas (tel. 8/77-8647)
Working out of her apartment's simple kitchen, Doña Mercedes Dache serves up wonderfully prepared criolla cuisine. Meals are served on large tables in an open-air terrace overlooking a mountain lake. If you come to Las Terrazas, don't leave without eating here.
Paladar Estela, Trinidad (tel. 419/4329)
A colonial house with a pretty garden patio dining area, this private home restaurant in the heart of the historic quarter of Trinidad serves epic proportions of well-prepared Cuban specialties. The friendly owners also rent a room.
Mesón de la Plaza, Sancti Spíritus (tel. 41/2-8546)
One of the nicer state-owned, small-town offerings in Cuba is this restored 19th-century house with quality specialties like chickpea soup, ropa vieja (shredded beef), and sangría, as well as live music during the day.
La Campana de Toledo, Camagüey (tel. 32/29-5888)
Located on one of the most authentic and elegant colonial squares in Cuba, this handsome, rustic restaurant with a pretty patio is a great spot for a midday break from the heat or a relaxed dinner. Dishes are more imaginative than the basic Cuban fare at most state-run establishments.
La Colonial, Baracoa (tel. 21/4-5391)
The government seems to support the competition of private restaurants only nominally, and this is the last surviving paladar in Baracoa. The nicely decorated colonial house easily outclasses the state-run options in town, and it has good service and a changing menu with several fresh fish dishes.
Restaurant El Morro, Santiago de Cuba (tel. 22/69-1576)
Perched along the cliff next to the El Morro fortress, with spectacular views of the Caribbean, this popular open-air restaurant is a good-value lunch spot. There are plenty of fish dishes and a fixed-price midday deal, all served under a canopy of hanging plants that helps patrons beat the heat.
ZunZún, Santiago de Cuba (tel. 22/64-1528)
One of the few upscale dining experiences in eastern Cuba, this elegant restaurant has several small, private dining rooms scattered throughout a large 1940s house in one of Santiago de Cuba's most pleasant suburbs. Attention to detail and presentation -- dining elements seldom given much thought in Cuba -- are a welcome surprise. It's best known for its top-quality seafood. |
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