Tom B.
Yelp
I didn't quite know what to expect, yet overall the food is excellent. Pre-pandemic, whenever I walked by this place, it was vibrant with an overflow of patrons, loud music, and lots of conviviality; a true Cuban atmosphere.
It was a bit more subdued when I visited.
Only the cafe portion was open yet I had ordered for pickup online. All went smoothly and I like the convenience of paying in advance
The order wasn't quite ready when I arrived at the designated time, but shortly thereafter. Also, the expected text alert that the order is ready arrived at 5:04am. A bit of a glitch.
I ordered the following-
Jerk Grilled Chicken Wings: they were just OK, and didn't have the punch of spice I expect from Jerk Caribbean food. The side of blue cheese dressing was ordinary. The wings were cooked well and meaty.
Bistec Encebollado: a ribeye steak that I ordered medium rare. It was perfect, a nice cut and succulent. The potatoes and onions with it were great, tasty and cooked perfectly. A very good dish.
Empanada Pollo: the online menu only has beef but I saw another menu with chicken. I requested chicken and got it! The empanadas are large and full of meat and flavor. Some of the best I've had in the Bay Area. Comes with a nice cilantro sauce.
Arroz Con Pollo Fricassee: absolutely delicious and a standout entree. The chicken is plentiful and falls off the bone tender. The rice was flavored and incredibly good.
Tostones con Mojo: fried plantains that exude flavor and quite tasty. They come with a fresh and light dipping sauce. The consistency, however, was a bit too crunchy for my taste.
Grilled Pan Cubano: I was curious about Cuban bread and it was fresh and large cuts that had indeed been grilled with a light spice rub. It is good.
New Havana Salad: very fresh and full of greens and special extras, like black beans, mango, tomato, slivers of manchego, and banana (plantains perhaps?) The dressing was delicious and had a fruity taste. I just wish they would tear the greens down some as you get huge pieces of leaves to eat...ok, get a knife to eat it!
Not everyone in the kitchen was fully masked but those dealing with the public were. I feel for those working in restaurants these days, it's tough. TIP WELL!
Overall, it was great and I would gladly return for more. Cuban food is hard to find.