Houston’s Buena Vista Cuban Café Opens Showcasing Havana Flavors | Eater Houston

"After moving to Houston following their daughter’s college graduation, Roberto and Esther Diaz opened Buena Vista Cuban Café to recreate the energy and flavors of Havana; Roberto, a 70-year-old former butcher who ran supermarkets and oversaw restaurants, assembled a team—including Cuban chef Yankiel Rodriguez, Houston chef Pedro Garcia, and bartenders Maury Almaguer and Pedro De La Rosa—to bring an elegant yet relaxed Cuban dining experience to Memorial Heights. I found the menu rooted in classic Cuban dishes—Buena’s Cuban board (a sampler of croquetas, empanadas, plantain chips, yuca fries, and tostones), ropa vieja slow-cooked in spices and tangy tomato sauce, African-Cuban pork served over yucca mash, seafood paella, and creamy flan—and paired with a cocktail program of mojitos, sangrias, rum-based drinks and a smoky, spicy mezcalito. Dripping in floral wallpaper, the U-shaped bar seats 20 and anchors a dining room for about 100 with vibrant art, warm greens, splashes of pale pink, spiffy half-circle booths, chandeliers, and a charming terrace bordered with tropical plants; Thursday nights come alive with live music, professional dancers, and cigars rolled on site, with similar festivities planned for the grand opening on Saturday, September 30. Open daily from noon to 10 p.m., the restaurant has received favorable reviews and even a stamp of approval from Roberto’s 86-year-old mother." - Brittany Britto Garley