ottawa foodies

Happened to be in Old Ottawa South at lunchtime so I dropped by this Cuban restaurant for a bite. Walking through the door I was pleasantly surprised to find colourful art on the walls, friendly service, and a carnation on each table.

Lunch consists of a choice of sandwich for $7 plus any number of sides for $4 each. I opted for the classic Ropa Vieja sandwich with a side of Yuca Fries.

The sandwich, with its toasted exterior and savoury beefy filling was satisfying in a most homey way. The yuca fries made it feel like a feast. A really nice meal!

Yuca fries!!!! Two orders of these anytime!
Place has nice ambiance and friendly staff.
Whoever invented these yummy yuca fries well done!

Tamale platter

Ropa Vieja was very tender and juicy. As usual, all the sides were excellent and I ate everything on the plate. Every time I leave Havana cafe I ask myself how something so bland as plantain and yucca can be so magically delicious...

Stopped by Havana Cafe today and they're celebrating their 2nd Anniversary. Also they've brought back their Sunday brunch buffet which I have to say was surprisingly good for such a small place. Good variety and from what I can tell, authentic flavor. Love the rice there.

The hit of the evening was the Pollo en Cilantro / Cilantro Chicken. This wonderfully marinated dark chicken meat was very good. A nice spice that didn't overpower yet you still had a bit of heat to get the juices flowing. This is worth coming back for. Nice portion sizes substantial but not overdone. All they need now is a nice dry adobo steak marinated in apple cider vinegar then grilled to make things complete or maybe a sofrito dish. More cfm's on the range hood wouldn't hurt.

The Ropa Vieja / Sauteed Shredded Beef was tasty but a bit under seasoned for my taste. The yuca chips were a unique experience. Rice and beans done well with the rice still having texture. A great dish for that stick to your ribs satisfying full belly feeling. The hot sauce mixed in made it for me. The beer selection is nil with Heineken and Stella the only offerings. Wow I had not had a Heineken since high school I know why kinda ginger ale tasting.

Checked their facebook page and it said they were open until 8pm tonight. Plantain chips with guac,hot sauce and a garlic dip to start was yummy. The hot sauce was my favorite the perfect compliment to the sweet plantain. A mix of all three dips proved to be a great combination.

Havana has really developed since they opened. They've worked out all the kinks that come with opening a restaurant. While last year they had some issues with under-staffing, the problem has been addressed and the service is much more efficient.

And yes, they just got licensed and yes they're open later now. Both good things.

I'm pretty sure they do catering as well.

Went to Havana Cafe for lunch today.

Overall it was great!

My companion had a mojito lemonade, and I had the guanabana juice (awesome!). I wasn't too sure how thick the juice would be as guanabana is a 'creamy' fruit, so they offered me a sample before I ordered it. Light and refreshing - I highly recommed this juice if you go! They also do smoothies.

Ordered the shredded beef plate and a cuban sandwich to share. Beef plate came with dirty rice, fried yucca, 2 small fried plantain pieces and a few roasted vegetables. Presented very nicely (sorry no pic). There was plenty of the beef, rice and yucca, but maybe could have used a few more veggies (hardly a complaint, they were just so good that I could have eaten more). Only complaint was that the rice was quite salty - this was easily balanced out with a generous squeeze of lime. ;)

Sandwich was good - but if you like your sandwiches gooey, melty and saucy (as I do) then you might be a bit put off by this one. At least I thought I would be. But going back and forth between the beef and the cuban sandwich made for a great combination! then a sip of that tasty guanabana juice - so much fresh flavour!

THEY JUST GOT THEIR LIQUOR LICENSE A WEEK AGO - So they now serve up real Mojitos and a few other beverages, but I stayed away from those today!

Also, now open later from what I understand (would make sense as they now have their liquor license)

I can't comment on the speed of the kitchen, as I called in my order in advance to make sure I had time to enjoy the food without being rushed. They kindly accepted my request and food was served not even 5 minutes after sitting down.

~$25 total bill, not too shabby for a fresh, tasty and filling lunch.

I will most definitely be back.

The Yuca Fries are definitely worth ordering if you have a good appetite! Served piping hot, they have a crisp exterior, soft and fluffy interior, and they're tossed in a sweet chilli sauce that gives them an addictive quality. The garnish of onions goes very well too. Big thumbs up!