Cuisine

Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Indigenous, Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Most people who haven’t tasted the cuisine think it to be characteristically spicy. The Cuban culture might be quite spicy, but not the cooking.

Many restaurants throughout the island are owned by the government and run by underpaid staff, thus serving infamously bland and overpriced food. Other restaurants (Paladares) are privately owned, and serve much better food. The finest food is created in casas particular where breakfast is generally offered to their guests, something not found in most restaurants. Some casas are also licensed to serve dinners.

Classic servings are black beans and rice, fried sliced banana, garlic marinades, rice dishes, and boiled Yucca plant. Pork and chicken, which is most feasted upon, are marinated in citrus juices such as lime or orange juice, then roasted until the meat is so tender it falls off the bone. Black beans are a main staple in Cuban households. Root vegetables (yucca, malanga, boniato) smothered in a mojo sauce of olive oil, lime juice, raw onion, and garlic are consumed with many meals. The most important ingredient to all traditional dishes is “sofrito,” a sauté of onions, green peppers, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves. Cubans have a gift for preparing meals with ease of instinct and without worry about measuring. The art of cooking seems to be born to Cubans.

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Paladares are private restaurants run inside the home of their owner. The employees are family members who serve up some of the most memorable dining experiences.

Hundreds of these private home restaurants opened up after they were legalized by Fidel Castro’s government in the mid 1990s, in the midst of economic crisis. A significant few have endured the strict rules they operate under, including high taxes and a prohibition on beef & premium seafood . . . lobster and shrimp are set aside for export and state-run restaurants catering to foreigners. While the menus offer ordinary cuisine such as filleted fish, pork, and chicken, the paladares offer a surplus of atmosphere.

Paladares are not officially listed, but some are mentioned in travel books or can be found by web search. Once in Cuba, hotel concierges, taxi drivers, and even will often recommend private restaurants, especially if they are operated by a relative or a friend.