Fine Dining in Cuba: The New Revolution

First published 2015

Fine dining in Cuba might sound like an oxymoron to some. For decades, wisdom has been that restaurants on the impoverished island were mediocre at best, and that a good meal was hard to find. This was true as recently as a couple of years ago. But the gastronomic scene has been changing and chefs have made huge strides in offering a wider range of quality restaurant options.

The Cuban government, in the desperate years after the Soviet Union pulled its support from the island, sanctioned the private ownership of small restaurants called paladares,  which means ‘palate.’ Situated in homes, these humble kitchens, limited to a few tables, provided simple criollo — traditional Cuban — food. The scarcity of all but the most simple meats rice and beans, and a strict policy which forbade the offering of seafood kept them from competing with government-owned establishments.

In 2012, however, the state relaxed the rules and paladares have moved up to the next level. While simple mom-and-pop places abound, a new crop of elegant venues for creative chef cooking have begun to challenge the island’s reputation for culinary blandness.

One of the first in this vein was La Guarida, located in the apartment where the renowned film Fresa y Chocolate was filmed. Several dining rooms, filled with kitchy knick-knacks and movie memorabilia bustle with locals and foreigners. The menu, which includes a small wine list, strives for international creativity but doesn’t always hit all the marks. But La Guarida opened doors to wider possibilities.

Then Le Chansonnier arrived. Set in a late 19th-century mansion in Vedado, it was restored by chef and owner  Héctor Higuera Martínez (who has since moved on to El Cocinero, located in a remodeled factory). The dazzling décor was decidedly post-modern. The small, astutely chosen menu featured duck, lamb and fish, all of whose sources were nearby and local by necessity. Patrons included government bigwigs, foreign visitors, journalists, and a handful of locals with enough disposable income to afford the relatively steep prices.

Others followed in rapid succession. The ultra-cool El Cocinero is perched on the roof of an extinct factory which houses a complex of galleries and boutiques. Casa Pilar oozes sophistication.

Doña Eutimia specializes in artfully prepared traditional dishes, as does Mamá Inéz and Nao. O’Reilly 304 does home-style cooking in a laid-back boho setting, ‘60’s rock creating a funky and fun ambience.

In August 2014, Otramanera was inaugurated, arguably presenting the best cooking to date. It’s set in a sleek ‘50’s ranch-style house, its chef trained in Catalunya.

But all of the chefs interviewed pointed out the daily uphill battle they face trying to keep stock of the most basic ingredients, as well as deal with less than expertly trained staff.

While perhaps it’s early to proclaim the birth of the “Nueva Cocina Cubana”, it seems clear that the dining scene in Cuba is in the midst of a revolution of its own.

Doña Eutimia is a homey paladar located in the heart of restored Habana Vieja. It has the look of a rustic Italian trattoria, and offers traditional criollo – Cuban – fare. Classics such as picadillo, chopped beef perfumed with cinnamon, cloves, sweetened with olives and spiked with olives are expertly prepared.

Paladar Los Amigos: Musicians frequent this back alley, old-style paladar, and their influence can be seen in the décor.

Otramanera, located in (once) tony Miramar is exemplary of the spate of avant garde venues to have opened in the last three years. It’s set in a mid-century modern private home that has been remodeled with light and clean space in mind.

The bar at Otramanera. Clean, contemporary 21st century design is new on an island which has seen very little new contruction since the late ‘50’s.