Address: Corner of Road 21 and O, Havana, Cuba

Telephone number: not known

Website: N/A

Cost per head: From around 10 Convertible Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )

Wine list: Small selection of imported wines.

Date of visit: 1 April 2011

Cuisine: Cuban – bar menu

Summary

Having spent the day visiting Plaza de la Revolucion and the National Cemetery where most heroes of the Cuban revolution are buried, we found ourselves visiting the Hotel Nacional de Cuba which is a national monument.  Just in front of the main entrance to the hotel grounds we noticed what looked like a good menu at this restaurant and, talking to the waiter standing outside, we were told that everything was fresh, including the asparagus. We decided to try it so after a rest at our hotel we walked back along the Malecon for dinner. We decided to have the beer (Bucanero) since the wine rack was not well stocked and very expensive for the quality of the bottles.

We started with the asparagus salad which turned out to be very poor; it consisted of 5 very thin white tinned asparagus tips rather than the fresh asparagus we were led to believe by the waiter at the door. The second starter was also a salad, this time a tuna salad, with boiled potato, cucumber, tomato, green olives, onion in a mayo dressing; this was small and basic and just OK! The main dishes were Chicken Monseignor (chicken breast filled with pork ham) and Solomillo filled with ham and cheese; both mains were fine and in reasonable portions.

The cost of this was 30 CUC including two beers but it was poor value compared to other meals we had in Havana. The staff was cold and slow (unusual for Havana).  The restaurant was busy with tourists, mostly young people, who did not want to pay the high drink and food prices at the hotel opposite!  We will not be going back to this one!

Demetris Savva

Address: Corner of Road 3 and A, Vedado, Havana, Cuba

Telephone number: not known

Website: N/A

Cost per head: From around 10 Convertble Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )

Wine list: Small selection of imported (Spanish, Chilean and Argentinian) wines.

Date of visit: 30 March 2011

Cuisine: Cuban, training school for Chefs

Summary

We came across this restaurant (also a catering school training chefs and waitressing staff for the hotel and restaurant industry) when we went for an evening stroll before dinner. We liked the menu we returned at the end of our walk to find a few tables already taken by locals, always a good sign!  Like many Cuban restaurants, this one also did not have a list but the very friendly barman interrupted his cocktail-making and showed me what he had and told me the prices which were very reasonable. His two Argentinian reds looked interesting so we opted for the slightly more expensive one (at 18 CUC).  This was a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend from Bodega Estancia Mendoza; it proved to be a good choice as it was extremely fruity and perfectly drinkable after a very short “breathing” time.

The a la carte menu was extensive and we had difficulty choosing! We started by sharing a portion of Cebiche de pescado (fish marinated in lemon juice with onions and peppers) which was large and excellent. We followed this with Bolitas de carne de res (meatbalsl)and the Tamal en cazuela (a very creamy and thick, cornmeal and pork-based soup with paprika and other spices, very much like polenta in consistency); both of these were very good and served in substantial portions (11 meatballs!) which were very filling.  Nevertheless, we battled through to the mains which were Lomo ahumado (4 large, smoked, boneless cutlets of pork) and the Cordero asado al romero y vino tinto (roast lamb in rosemary and red wine) both of which were served with a selection of vegetables and rice.  Both were excellent but it was a struggle to finish them and in the end we did not have any desserts!

The service was excellent andf the staff very friendly and talkative.  The cost for the two of us came to just over 40 CUC including water and wine, an excellent value.

Second visit

Date of visit: 31 March 2011 (second visit)

Summary

After last night’s dinner we decided to try this restaurant again since it was good but also, very conveniently, just round the corner from our hotel. As it is also a catering school, the staff (except the master chef) was different but just as good and helpful. Instead of wine we decided to have the local strong lager-type beer (Bucanero at 5.4% alcohol).

For starters we ordered Garbanzos fritoscon jamon, bacon y chorizo (chick peas) and the Fileto de pescado grille a las finas hierbas (a large piece of fish filet grilled with hebs) which was served on a bed of vegetables and a large portion of rice (you get rice with everything in Cuba!); both of these were excellent and did not disappoint!  One of the mains we opted for was Conejo al estilo de chef (stewed rabbit in red wine; a chef’s speciality); rabbit is difficult to find in restaurants in this country but this was excellent and worth having again! The other main dish we had was Chateaubriand a la Bearnesa (a very large piece of filet steak) which was cooked to perfection.  Again, no room for desserts!

All this came to 36 CUC including bread, water and beers; an excellent value. Well worth the visit and worth going back!

Third visit

Date: 1 April 2011

Summary

This was our third visit to this restaurant on our last night in Havana, after our first two visits were so enjoyable and after last night’s disappointing visit to the Restaurant-Bar Monseignor. The staff was the same as on our first visit and they, and the chef, remembered us and came to chat after each course! After consulting again with the barman, who also explained the different types of rum to me, I opted for the second of his two Argentinean reds at 14 CUC; this was the “Malena” Tinto 2010 from the Mendoza region; it was very smooth and drinkable, very fruity (I guess it was mostly Malbec-based) but it was light at only 11.5% which was unusual but refreshing to see these days when most reds are above 13%!

For starters we ordered the Garbanzos fritos con  jamon, bacon y chorizo (chick peas) since we liked it a lot the first time! The second starter was Ensalada de chef (salad leaves in a vinegrette dressing, with jam, cheese and slices of grilled chicken breast); this like the chick peas was excellent but again the portions were large! The main choices were Filete mignon (a beautifully grilled, large filet of beef) and the Enchillado de camarones (large shrimps cooked in tomato sauce with garlic, onions, peppers and paprika) both of which came with vegetables and rice.  Both were again large portions and excellent so, I’m afraid, again no room for desserts!

The cost of this feast was 46 CUC including bread, water and wine which was again excellent value.  We will visit this restaurant again on a return visit to Cuba but this time we will not fly with Virgin since we were very disappointed with the lack of service (light, video and music) throughout the 9 hour return flight!

General impressions on the Cuban food were very good.  Quality was mostly excellent and the cost was, by western standards, extremely low. The exceptions are the salads in many places which are not of great quality, although this criticism does not apply to this restaurant!

Demetris Savva

Address: Corner of Road 3 and Road 4, Vedado, Havana, Cuba

Telephone number: not known

Website: N/A

Cost per head: From around 20 Convertble Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )

Wine list: Reasonable selection of odd bottles of imported (mosly Spanish) wines.

Date of visit: 29 March 2011

Cuisine: Cuban

Summary

We went for an evening stroll along Havana’s popular Malecon in front of our hotel and we walked back along the parallel street of residential properties when we came across this restaurant.  We asked to have a look at the menu which included very good Cuban (not really Basque) food. We spoke to the proprietor (Luis) and since it was a bit early to eat we returned later and found the place reasonably busy with 5-6 tables occupied by groups of 4-6 people mostly Cuban; for us this was a good sign!  Luis welcomed us and after a chat we ordered from the a la carte menu which was extensive. After that we chose the wine and this is an experience!  Nobody has any lists so they take you to the wine rack where you can see the wine and on Luis’s recommendation we opted for a bottle of the Spanish Nord-Est Red from Bodegas Roura in Barcelona.  This was a blend of 30% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Garnacha and it was light, soft, fruity and perfectly drinkable but nothing special; Luis did not give me a price except to say “muy economico” (very economical) but in the end it was 23 CUC (4 CUC in the shops!).

We started by sharing a portion of Carpaccio which was generous with tender beef and good lemony drizzle, parmesan and rocket.  Our starters of chick peas with chorizo and cod-stuffed peppers were reasonable portions and good although not very hot. The mains of lamb marinated in wine (a chef’s special) and the steak in mushroom sauce were very generous portions and very good quality and we enjoyed both of them. We had a lot to eat and opted to finish the wine and not have desserts!

The cost for the two of us came to just over 63 CUC including water and wine, a good value despite the enormous (for Cuba) mark-up on the wine!  The service was very good and friendly and we will go back on another trip to Cuba.

Demetris Savva

Address: Hotel Riviera, Paseo y Malecon, Vedado, Havana, Cuba

Telephone number: Cuba 8364051

Website: N/A

Cost per head: From around 12 Convertble Pesos (CUC; £1= 1.5CUC )

Wine list: Basic selection of odd bottles of imported (mosly Spanish) wines.

Date of visit: 28 March 2011

Cuisine: Cuban and European

Summary

This was our first trip to Cuba and we decided to stay and spend one week in Havana. The Virgin flight on the 27^th was OK but late so we did not feel like having anything that evening.  Since we do not usually have lunch our first meal in Havana was this one. When we are abroad we tend to opt for the local food rather than “imported” styles.  Having looked around during our travels in the day we decided to go to this restaurant in the hotel opposite ours (we stayed at the Melia Cohiba where breakfast was excellent; more in a different report).  The Hotel Riviera has a number of restaurants with L’ aiglon being the flagship; it offers a range of menus starting at 12 CUC for three courses and we opted for their mid-range one called Arte y Sabor Cubano at 15 CUC including bread rolls and butter (the portions you get at a cafe). The menu included a choice of 4 from each course and drinks were extra.

For starters, one of us chose the vegetable salad with ham and cheese which was basic with poor quality ham and grated cheese and the other chose the marinated fish which turned out to be a very good and generous piece of tuna on a bed of lettuce.  Our mains were grilled pork cutlets and grilled steak; the pork was good and again generous but the beef was tough and needed some sauce; both were served with a large portion of rice, mixed vegetables and root vegetables. For desserts we chose the dessert of the day which turned out to be a reasonable cheesecake.

The cost for the two of us came to just under 40 CUC including water and beers, an excellent value for money for visitors.  However, the restaurant was dark with old decor and a lady pianist was playing classical music, mostly out of tune!  Also, the restaurant was extremely quiet with only one other diner.  The service was good and friendly.

Demetris Savva

Damian Stafford asks: are there any Hispanic restaurants in London or the south east that you’d particularly recommend?

Eddie replies:

This is a difficult one. What do you mean by Hispanic? Do you mean Central American and Mexican – Tacos, Burritos etc. Most of them are actually Tex Mex and are not authentic. Wacha in Covent Garden is ok.

If you mean South American, it boils down to Cuban, Argentinean and Brazilian.

Argentina is well served by El  Gaucho – a chain of expensive up market steak houses. Re Brazilian, try Rodizio Rico on Upper St in Islington, its a meat eater’s paradise. Re Cuban, try La Bodeguita del Medio  in Kensington.

Personally, I like the Brazilian. It’s not easy to get in!