Havana Cafe

Frituras de Frijoles Negros

I dream of visiting Cuba: home to Castro, Santeria, and Mojitos. My summer travel plans, however, are restricted to domestic air fares so I’m planning several stay-cations and in-state adventures. Cuba needn’t remain too distant a dream with my recently discovered love for the Havana Cafe. Sure, I’ve heard of the Havana Cafe, even driven by their two Valley locations (one in Scottsdale and one in Phoenix), but until you’ve partaken of the Arroz con Pollo or Frituras de Frijoles Negros (black bean fritters with avocado dip) you just don’t know. Havana Cafe is definitely a place to know.

Arroz con Pollo

The menu at Havana hosts a seemingly inexhaustible number of exotic fare from Salmon Tropical to the Masas de Puerco Fritas (crisp pork morsels with mojo-garlic lime sauce). For the vegetarian in your party, I suggest the Cho Cho, a chayote sqaush filled with lentils and vegetables with a mild Jamaican curry sauce. I swear by the Arroz con Pollo, a classic dish perfected by the good folks of the Havana Cafe: bone-in chicken, saffron rice, chorizo, peas, and white asparagus.

And, don’t forget about the Tapas. The Havana Cafe offers a more than respectable amount of tapas selections on their menu. Whether you prefer the traditional offerings like Seviche and Meijillones al Ajillo (sauteed mussels) or the more exotic selections like the Datiles de Chorizo (medjool dates stuffed with chorizo and wrapped in bacon), the Havana Cafe can provide.

Plan a trip there and drink a Mojito for Hemingway. Meet some friends out for tapas or take a date and stay for dinner. And, maybe, dessert.

Pollo Parrilla

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