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were equally delectable, and
showed us that sophisticated meals
are available in Cuba, if you know
where to find them.
Other members of our group had
similar positive experience on their
own. Several went to Dona Etumia,
tucked down a small alley by the
Plaza Cathedral. Pleasantly deco-
rated with original art, the small res-
taurant offered a good tapas
-
style
appetizer menu, a varied entree
selection, and great frozen mojitos.
Moreover, the service was excellent
and it was very reasonably priced.
We also had lunch at El Aljibe, a
huge restaurant known for its roast
chicken. For some reason, most of
the restaurants didn’t have chicken,
but this one did, and it was very
good with the ubiquitous rice and
beans. Another good lunch was at
Jose Fuster’s studio and outdoor,
where enjoyed a lightly fried white
fish, a nice change from our usual
heavy meals, under one of his enor-
mous sculptures.
Dinner our last night was at El Jar-
din de los Milagros. We ate outside
under beautiful bougainvilleas and
had a good meal. I again had Ropa
Vieja, which was a fitting ending to
our Cuban adventures.
Unless you go off on your own, as
we did one night, you may not get a
real taste of the inventive cooking
taking place in Havana’s restau-
rants. But as economic conditions
improve and the country’s ties to
the United States strengthen, it’s
likely that the intersection between
interesting indigenous foods and
cosmopolitan food trends will lead
to a more rewarding dining experi-
ence.
(Continued from page 17)