![]() We had to ask a member of staff for one (my eye sight not operating to allow easy viewing of the menu on on the TV screen above the bar, without being only 3 inches from the screen). Oddly, when we arrived (12.45 on a Tuesday), only drinks (no food) menus were on the table. Nice enough, if a bit “kitsch” Cuban theme park – esque, I thought. Inside it was much bigger than I remember the Hashery Odd sort of set up with a big covered “outside” area, which includes a old style Cadillac parked up, before you go inside. The frontage on the High Street represents a quite considerable change from that of the Hashery. Starting out in Swansea, this is their second branch. This brings me to Old Havana in Cardiff, which has recently taken over the unit on St Mary Street where the now defunct Hashery (who had “Cubanos” of a sort) use to be located. Then there is the Cubano (mixto), one of the truly great (and most abused) sandwiches of the world. On top of this there is frequent use of non potato starch products, liked plantains (fried and often stuffed) and cassava/yuca, which gives the cuisine a tropical feel. Cuban dishes like ropa vieja, moro y cristiano and arroz con pollo, whilst often from humble origins, can in the right hands really pack a flavour punch. The vibrancy of Cuban cuisine can, however, be seen with the food of the large Cuban communities in Florida and when ingredients are plentiful it is regarded by many as classic fusion food. ![]() ![]() At its best it is viewed as operating to fuse Spanish, African and Caribbean cuisines and at its worst it is seen as plain and quite unimaginative (with only the basics in plentiful supply – rice and beans – it can be difficult to be imaginative I suppose). Perceptions of Cuba in terms of food (and many other things) are somewhat polarised.
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