WBASNY in Cuba

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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.

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