More than often I have read that the quality and variation of food is of a lower standard than most deserving travellers are accustomed too but here on the Avenues del Puerta a number of small free standing cafes on the cornice have set up just where the tourist buses disgorge their occupants. El camaero persuaded us to have lobster with black rice but unfortunately the cook was colour blind so white rice had to do instead. Still extremely delicious with the token salad and how do they get a plate of chips out of half a potato but they managed it. Overall a good cheap dining experience al fresco style. La cuenta por favour.
This is not so much a list of everything we ate but more of the experiences and my failings to order in Spanish.
The staple meat diet is pork and that’s official, especially when ordering lamb which the waiters advice is not recommended although its on the menu. In fact there are other options “not recommended but the pork is good”.
‘Window of the world’ in the hotel Tryp is similar to that in the Hilton Park Lane but circa mid 80’s. Ikea would love this place with the chintz and frills that sets it a 5* establishment with the odd smell of the candle tallow burning – pork fat no doubt. From up here we can see vast sways of Havana across to the airport in one direction, the fort and old city in the other and out across the Florida Straits.
Just about every establishment has some form of entertainment taking place from small trios of musicians to single guitarists and then the full combo including maracas.
What some dishes lack in one area they need to lack one other major ingredient and that is the oil. Some of the meals could have swum here from Florida and what with the lack of presentation – whole squid fried in one piece no strips, no rings, nada. As for ordering a Coke, don’t get persuaded to have a special one as they are infused with too much alcohol. However I am yet to have a bad coffee.
Grilled, fried, grill fried or fried grilled the options are huge, but to be fair life as been tough on these people; when communism collapsed in the east in the early 90’s Cuba hit a crisis that lasted 5-10 years. Food was scarce, so scarce that they developed their own form of beef steak – grapefruit skins!
So why shouldn’t they maximise this period now accepting that when you walk into a bar or restaurant there are a few extras that need to be taken into account like music and toilets, so don’t begrudge a few pesos here and there.
It gets tough looking for a place to stop and have a break without getting pestered by musicians. Whilst the musicians never run out there are days when you try and get the basics like tea and they have run out. Quite often they indicate there is no milk but you can always get a good black coffee.