Restaurant Review: Havana

[rating:4]

Before we begin, you should note that there is construction going on around the restaurant, as illustrated in the image, so do take note that is doesn’t stand out at the moment from the outside.

Inside, you have dimly lit ambiance, it seemed to me, at least last night that the front of the restaurant is slightly more quiet than the back.  You have a relatively regular cuban menu here. They start you with some toasted bread and soft butter, that was pretty good.  As appetizers me and my friend Chenster shared ham croquettes and meat filled potatoes, hmmm.. Yummy.

I love me some “Ropa Vieja”, shredded beef, so I got this dish with yellow rice and beans.  Chenster got a pork chop, a dish that due to the humongous portion half became mine. The food was good overall, my dish, the shredded beef didn’t really sit well with my taste buds. I wasn’t really feeling it so I didn’t eat much from it.

This is where it gets interesting. When we were paying our bill, the waitress asked me why I didn’t eat much of the meat and why I didn’t want to doggy bag it. I told her that I didn’t really like it, it tasted a bit salty and the creole sauce just wasn’t doing it for me. She was very nice about it and said that she’d mention it to the chef. I stated that it wasn’t necessary but she insisted.

Shortly thereafter she came back and told me that it was removed from my bill. Again, I told her this was not necessary but she said “if you didn’t eat it because you didn’t like it, then you shouldn’t have to pay for it, we want you to enjoy your time here. Also if you’d like something else, please tell us.”  I had eaten some of Chenster’s pork chops, so I was good and full. I thanked them for the kind gesture and stated that I was ok.

Let me say that you cannot underestimate the type of impression that great, fair service like this leaves on a customer. It was not my intent to give these guys a terrible review, I was going to give a neutral fair review of the restaurant, however the way that they show interest in our satisfaction takes the overall experience to a higher level. Simply based on that, I would return here again to eat. That got them that extra star from me.

All that being said, aside from my personal dislike of the “ropa vieja’, everything was delicious.  I emphasize “my personal dislike”, because taste is relative and subjective. I’m not a fan of creole sauce, but you may be.  Give the place a try, I think it’s a good restaurant and I will return.

Let us know what you think if you try it out.

Havana Restaurant and Bar on Urbanspoon

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