CUBAN CUISINE LIST of 72 samples. PART 1 (PDF)

[Yenchiong]

The World Association of Chef Societies (WorldChefs) declared Cuban cuisine an Intangible Heritage at a planetary level, for having safeguarded the identity and continuity of a gastronomy with deep national roots and contributed to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

 

I have collected 6 samples of each categories in order to give you a visual reference of how they looks like. I left intentionally the local names and let you find the translation and meaning. Paladares are the best places for ordering them, sometimes there are not in the menu. I have tested all of them and they are really good.

 

 

(PART 1)

 

APPETIZERS

SOUPS

MEATS

CHICKEN

SEAFOOD

RICES

PLATOS CUBANOS.pdf

[VidaNaPraia]

What this doesn't tell you is that you simply have to take what you can get in Cuba. The paladar may be "out of" whatever you choose from the menu. And if you want, for example, ropa vieja made with beef as in the original recipe, not the ever present pork, better look for a Cuban restaurant in the U.S.; little to no beef to be had in Cuba,.

[IsanTom]

Most Cubans get $25 per month plus one chicken each from the government. Anything else they must scavage from wherever. So they eat what they have because they have no choice. It's a way of life!

[VidaNaPraia]

My comment was referring to restaurants geared to tourists. Some have very limited menus and not very good quality. That is why the few that have proved to be of the quality tourists are accustomed to are reservation only, booked months in advance.

 

The markets for locals/Cubans are full of meat, mainly pork though, and vegetables. Fish and chicken are available. There is choice, although uneven.

 

Of course, the reporting on Cuba has concentrated on the most sensational stories of deprivation , to prove a political point. What picture of US life would someone get if all they had ever heard was about kids who needed to get 2 meals provided by charity, homeless families, neighborhoods that don't have a grocery store?

Edited July 16, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[Snit13]

Yenchiong, it appears you have done extensive research and posted some lovely pictures. I am confused as to your reason. Are you suggesting we print these photos and take them with us when we go to Havana and then try to order some of the items? As has been posted most likely these items will not be available for purchase in the private/home restaurants.

 

I commend you for posting the beautiful pictures of food. I am wondering if I could find many of these dishes on restaurants in Miami. Maybe the 26+ years I lived in Miami I visited the wrong Cuban restaurants. Food looks yummy.

[Yenchiong]

Yenchiong, it appears you have done extensive research and posted some lovely pictures. I am confused as to your reason. Are you suggesting we print these photos and take them with us when we go to Havana and then try to order some of the items? As has been posted most likely these items will not be available for purchase in the private/home restaurants.

 

I commend you for posting the beautiful pictures of food. I am wondering if I could find many of these dishes on restaurants in Miami. Maybe the 26+ years I lived in Miami I visited the wrong Cuban restaurants. Food looks yummy.

 

Hi Snit13

 

I read some posts that mark Cuban cuisine as a bad cousine.

The main purpose of this message is give you a visual reference of the Cuban Cuisin, that has been recognized internationally and has a heritage. I just selected 6 samples of each courses or categories. Also, I included some street food samples. Because most of visitors don't speak Spanish, it could be a good idea to have a pic in your cellphone for a better communication with locals. As an art, you cannot stereotype a cuisine because you don't like it.

 

When we talk about Cuban issues, it is almost impossible to do not associate it with politics. It was not my intention to be sarcastic with this post, sorry for the ones that have been or will be offended, including you.

 

If you lived in Miami, you probably have tested all of them, the most popular ones, for sure. I think, Cubans in Miami and other cities in the world are keeping alive this heritage. After almost 60 years of gastronomy transformation in the island, due to all point of views, internals and externals, we can not expect to find the original receipts, but I am pretty sure they still alive, mainly at Paladares.

 

Have a good day

[VidaNaPraia]

I read some posts that mark Cuban cuisine as a bad cousine.(sic)

As an art, you cannot stereotype a cuisine because you don't like it.

 

You may have drawn an incorrect conclusion from certain comments.

Cuban cuisine can be wonderful. The way it is often encountered in Cuba, though, effected by shortages and lack of quality products, as well as badly skilled cooks, makes it a real crap shoot every time you walk into a restaurant/paladar or eat in a casa.

For example, in the US the fishmonger, fisherman or cook removes the bloodline, because it does not taste good. In Cuba, where every morsel of protein is valuable, they are not accustomed to do so. That spoils the taste of even the best piece of fish. That would lead me to shy away from any ceviche dish.

Quality is uneven. One night at one place, you may get a nice dish of shrimp with garlic.(Shrimp tend to be very small ones though.) On another night at another place, the garlic may overpower the shrimp..

Pollo asado (roast chicken) depends on the quality of the chicken. Another of my posts has a humorous comment from an experienced Cuban traveler about the country of origin of chicken products in Cuba and their respective quality.

 

Because most of visitors don't speak Spanish, it could be a good idea to have a pic in your cellphone for a better communication with locals.

I doubt any casual visitor, particularly one off a cruise ship for just a few hours, is going to make a point of questioning locals to track down some thing in a photo. Just not practical.

In Havana, "street" food is often sold at little windows, not movable carts, with a brief hand-written menu, if any, a bit intimidating for the average tourist. You might even walk right by the window without noticing it or understanding it sells food. Are most tourists really going to stand there in the street trying to match a photo to what may be on offer?

If the restaurant menu says lamb, and you feel like lamb, that's what you ask for; if it's in stock, you may get something edible. To up the odds, make a reservation at one of the paladares that lots of tourists have reviewed well to make sure you get one of the limited seats.

 

....we can not expect to find the original receipts, but I am pretty sure they still alive, mainly at Paladares.

 

If you consider ropa vieja to be a recipe that is made with pork, this dish may be "alive" in Cuba today. Even most paladares can't get what doesn't exist; some high end ones do special order, and their prices reflect that.

Most tourists couldn't tell a paladar from a state run restaurant just by looking. DJT better get very detailed, with lists of approved paladars in every hamlet, in his new guidelines.

Edited July 16, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[Yenchiong]

 

... I am wondering if I could find many of these dishes on restaurants in Miami. Maybe the 26+ years I lived in Miami I visited the wrong Cuban restaurants.

 

 

Hi Snit13

 

 

You visited the smart Cuban restaurants because they sale to American customers not Cubans.

Next time you return to Miami, please, visit Palacio de los Jugos, they have 9 restaurants in town, where Cubans eat.

 

I just received these pictures taken yesterday from there.

They match 100% my list and have even more typical Cuban Cuisine displayed.

 

[VidaNaPraia]

Again, "traditional" Cuban dishes as cooked by Cubans in Miami are NOT what you are going to find in Cuba.

For example, the Rabo Encendido in the first set of photos and on the Miami restaurant menu for $12.00------- "rabo' means tail, in this case OX (i.e. beef) tail. If there is no beef available in Cuba, just pork, where does any cook get ox tail to make this dish?

Cows in Cuba are solely for milk for children. Milk cows, not beef cows, are what you see in the fields.

 

You can also note that the Morros y Cristianos (dark rice and a few undercooked hard beans), found on every restaurant table in Cuba, is nowhere to be seen on the Miami restaurant menu. On the Miami menu, there are frijoles, maybe because they don't have to conserve the beans they have, and can serve a whole portion.

 

The "ensalatas" on the Miami restaurant menu are likely to have actual vegetables and lettuce. Salad in Cuba is usually some shredded cabbage, period.

 

Lamb in the US is usually a tender piece of meat, usually chops or upper leg/haunch, but even stew lamb chunks are tender when cooked. In Cuba, as nicely sauced as it can come, lamb was stringy, seemingly from the bony lower legs or something.

Edited July 16, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[Snit13]

Hi Yenchiong,

 

My friend of 44 years who nicknamed me Snit still lives in Miami. We spoke on phone yesterday. She lives in a Cuban neighborhood and her best neighbors are Cuban. I will have to ask her if she has ever eaten at the restaurant you posted. We have not been back to Miami for years but certainly would love to enjoy a meal at the place your recommended.

 

When we were in Tokyo years ago we ordered most of our meals from pictures as there was no way we could understand the language. We had guides when we were in China and they spoke English. In most areas of the world where we have traveled a Berlitz for travelers served us well. Mater of fact I dug my Spanish version out to take with me to Cuba. Fortunately the couple we will be traveling with is able to converse in Spanish.

 

I enjoyed seeing your pictures of Cuban food choices, and thank you for sharing. Both my husband and I have been craving Mexican food as of late. Not really into TexMex but have at least 1 authentic Mexican restuarant in our county.

[VidaNaPraia]

When we were in Tokyo years ago we ordered most of our meals from pictures.

 

In Japan, most restaurants have very realistic plastic replica food in a case outside the door, Servers are used to tourists leading them outside to the case to point at the plate they want to order.

[Yenchiong]

Hi Yenchiong,

 

My friend of 44 years who nicknamed me Snit still lives in Miami. We spoke on phone yesterday. She lives in a Cuban neighborhood and her best neighbors are Cuban. I will have to ask her if she has ever eaten at the restaurant you posted. We have not been back to Miami for years but certainly would love to enjoy a meal at the place your recommended.

 

When we were in Tokyo years ago we ordered most of our meals from pictures as there was no way we could understand the language. We had guides when we were in China and they spoke English. In most areas of the world where we have traveled a Berlitz for travelers served us well. Mater of fact I dug my Spanish version out to take with me to Cuba. Fortunately the couple we will be traveling with is able to converse in Spanish.

 

 

I enjoyed seeing your pictures of Cuban food choices, and thank you for sharing. Both my husband and I have been craving Mexican food as of late. Not really into TexMex but have at least 1 authentic Mexican restuarant in our county.

 

Good morning Snit

 

You will love the food at Palacios de los Jugos, they is not a fancy ones, but cheap and authentic Cuban dishes. That's why I said the Cubans in Miami and other cities with Cubans, are keeping this cuisine heritage.

 

You cannot find this service in Cuba, of course, but at paladares and casas particulares, some of them. Cuba has lack of a lot of resources, specially beef. It is not easy to find them. You can go to jail if the police capture you selling/buying beef. Cuba cannot import this meat from USA ... hope one day. The minimum amount of beef go to the tourism sector, for visitors like you, mainly. Cuban people cannot afford it, generally speaking, it is a luxury.

 

The list show pictures with some local names, authentic slang. People who speak Spanish from Latin America and Spain cannot understand it. So, instead of wasting your time explaining to a Cuban how it looks like and the ingredients of the dish you want to taste, just show the picture, they will get it immediately.

 

 

I know that for American tourists traveling with the current cruises, have not time to use this method of communication, just a few hours in port, it is not enough, I understand it. I was thinking mainly on tourists that will have more time at Havana, like the MSC Opera/Armonia ones which depart form the city and stay few days before and after the cruise tour or not Americans that can travel without restrictions and rent bed & breakfast (casas). I know a lot of B&B that can give you a customized service, they call CANTINA, a kind of room service. They will be delighted to please you with one of their local receipts, it is a national pride. If they have not the right ingredients, then the creativity will take place and be prepared with some "changes". There was a famous TV show cook named Nitza Villapol, a Cuban version of Julia Child, that wrote a lot of kitchen books keeping those receipts alive with almost nothing.

 

Anyway, my intention with my post was to help a little with in the communication field.

 

Again, no intention whatsoever to use irony and my apologies if someone was hurt with it.

 

Have a wonderful day

[VidaNaPraia]

The list show pictures with some local names, authentic slang.

 

Make sure to ask for "papaya" for breakfast.

 

There was a famous TV show cook named Nitza Villapol .....

...mostly known for her ideas for how to make do during the Special Period deprivations.

 

-------------------

receipt=recibo

recipe=receta

Edited July 17, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[Yenchiong]

Make sure to ask for "papaya" for breakfast.

 

 

...mostly known for her ideas for how to make do during the Special Period deprivations.

 

-------------------

receipt=recibo

recipe=receta

 

Hi VidaNaPraia

 

I really respect you and your posts are plenty of details and facts.

You are unbelievable, being here, I mean, in this forum, for so many years and contributing almost in every front, every day.

 

I disagree with some of your points of views, but it is your opinion and right.

Thanks for correct me one more time, I try my best with this language that is not my first.

 

Please, don’t use the word PAPAYA to ask for that fruit in Havana city because it means the female sex part and it is really a rough word. They will understand you anyway, but you will notice a suspicious smile and a different look in their eyes :p.

 

In Oriente, the East of the island, yes, they use this word without the previous meaning. The Cuban natives, the Tainos, called this fruit PAPAIA and the Spaniards modified it as PAPAYA. Some Caribbean countries and even Australia use PAWPAW instead.

 

Therefore when you are at Havana, use FRUTABOMBA and you will be fine.

 

This is another one. Do you know the meaning of RABO ENCENDIDO? :halo:

 

 

Have a good day!

[VidaNaPraia]

Hi VidaNaPraia

 

I really respect you and your posts are plenty of details and facts.

You are unbelievable, being here, I mean, in this forum, for so many years and contributing almost in every front, every day.

 

I disagree with some of your points of views, but it is your opinion and right.

Thanks for correct me one more time, I try my best with this language that is not my first.

 

Please, don’t use the word PAPAYA to ask for that fruit in Havana city because it means the female sex part and it is really a rough word. They will understand you anyway, but you will notice a suspicious smile and a different look in their eyes :p.

 

In Oriente, the East of the island, yes, they use this word without the previous meaning. The Cuban natives, the Tainos, called this fruit PAPAIA and the Spaniards modified it as PAPAYA. Some Caribbean countries and even Australia use PAWPAW instead.

 

Therefore when you are at Havana, use FRUTABOMBA and you will be fine.

 

This is another one. Do you know the meaning of RABO ENCENDIDO? :halo:

 

 

Have a good day!

 

Don't bother to kiss up. Puhleeze.

 

It was meant as a joke, kiddo. Sorry your not-first-language skills aren't up to it.

 

But since you brought up my background here, what brought you here (as an alternative to half a dozen other more general Cuba travel forums)? Cuban-Chinese origins? Frequent cruiser? Lots of time spent in Cuba?

 

Whatever they call papaya in Oz, the pawpaw, which is known to those in the southern U.S., is a different fruit.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=pawpaw+patch+song#id=1&vid=a2e1464ad1095ac1c69454345fc9c3db&action=click

 

And yes, I know what the literal meaning of that dish is.

Edited July 17, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[Yenchiong]

But since you brought up my background here, what brought you here (as an alternative to half a dozen other more general Cuba travel forums)? Cuban-Chinese origins? Frequent cruiser? Lots of time spent in Cuba?.

 

100% Chinese 100% Cuban. Yenchiong is my Chinese name.

 

A friend of my is running a successful B&B at Havana and beside the accommodation he gives information, a lot of information about Cuban culture, history, architecture, music, books, arts in general, Cuban Idiosyncrasy, etc, etc. His guests love this service. TripAdvisor Excellence since 2016. We are extending his idea to others, visitors from everywhere and they found the information very useful for their trip preparation.

 

This is an interesting forum about Cuba and I like to read its posts and opinions, the language barrier is a challenge, but we try. The long confrontation between USA and CUBA, make this exchange unique. I agree with you, 100%, that meeting the Cuban people is the best way to know this island. Hope one day Americans and Cubans can travel freely without any restrictions and keep knowing each others in a natural way.

[VidaNaPraia]

SO basically, you are advertising, posting with the implication of eventually soliciting clients.

 

Try the Thorn Tree forum on Cuba and see how far you get with the experts there.

[Yenchiong]

SO basically, you are advertising, posting with the implication of eventually soliciting clients.

 

Clients?, no really.

 

This is a cruise forum, so I guess, they don't really need an extra accommodation.

 

Even the ones with departures from Havana, their cruise Line already have hotels offers as a package.

 

My main goal is to share useful information for a better visit preparation. No business in this case.

[Snit13]

Thanks for trying to be helpful, Yenchiong. I appreciate your efforts.

[djacobson]

The World Association of Chef Societies (WorldChefs) declared Cuban cuisine an Intangible Heritage at a planetary level, for having safeguarded the identity and continuity of a gastronomy with deep national roots and contributed to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.

 

I have collected 6 samples of each categories in order to give you a visual reference of how they looks like. I left intentionally the local names and let you find the translation and meaning. Paladares are the best places for ordering them, sometimes there are not in the menu. I have tested all of them and they are really good.

 

Thanks for providing these lists. I have imported the pdf files to my tablets and will review them them before my cruise to Cuba next week. Mucho gracias!