1st time Havana Rumba visit tonight!!!

Finally!!!

I'm sure the entire menu is delicious, but are there any "must haves"?

Their vegetarian platter rocks my socks.

I love the fish dish, and right now I'm drawing a blank on the real name of it. Can anyone else remember? Despite the fact that I can't remember the name, it is really yummy.

[Robin Garr]

I love the fish dish, and right now I'm drawing a blank on the real name of it. Can anyone else remember? Despite the fact that I can't remember the name, it is really yummy.

Pescado Empanizado (fried grouper) or Cherna a la Parrilla (grilled)?

I like pigmeat, Cubano or otherwise, and both Lechon Asado and Masas de Puerco really ring my chimes. The beef Ropa Vieja is also a Cuban classic.

As someone said, you just can't go wrong at Havana Rumba (or Mojito). Try anything!

I love, love, love the grilled grouper!

My faves:
grilled grouper
Ropa Veija
Masa de puerco

Cherna a la Parrilla- that's the one. I love it. We don't do the fried food thing b/c of my husband's cholesterol. Yum.

Whatever that pressed sandwich they have is with the sweet potato fries, oh man!

I have not been in far too long.

Well, I must say the wait for the delicious food was worth it ... the wait for table service, however, put a huge damper on my opinion of the place.

We had the intentions of enjoying one item from the tapas portion of the menu and then moving onto the entree portion. We never made it past the tapas! We thoroughly enjoyed Pappas Rellenas, Empanadas Vegetarianas, and the delicious Tostones con Pollo. With sides of Congris and Tostones, we were too stuffed to move onto the grouper. The large party next to us had the Havana Bananas, which, in presentation alone, is enough to warrant another visit.

I was a bit disappointed in the Cafe Cubano. I was taught how to make Cuban coffee when I was on a mission trip to Cuba by a very sweet gentleman. Their coffee was an art form ... the sugar froth creamed over the dark roast liquid and the taste was divine. The coffee at HR was just bitter ... no sugar froth and tasted a bit salty. That was my only food disappointment.

The downside of the evening was the service. We were seated around 7:00 p.m. between two large parties - one party, in particular, was very noisy and it was very obvious they had been there since Happy Hour started. They were almost to the point of obnoxious ... right on the border. Conversation, without yelling, was difficult because of the volume of the two parties. Once seated, it took the better portion of 10 minutes before menus or water were brought to our table. I was understanding that our server was having to wait the two large groups, but there were moments when he just stood over by the wall talking to one of the other servers. I tried to catch his eye and let him know we were ready to order, but he never looked at us. I finally asked one of the other wait staff passing by if someone could take our order (we had been there almost twenty minutes by this point). Our server finally came and only took the order ... he didn't tell us of any specials for the evening ... very little communication with us. To be perfectly honest, I felt like the two of us were a huge inconvenience to him. Once we finished our first round of tapas, we had to, once again, get his attention so we could order another round. We had to ask for sweetener for our drinks (twice) and for to-go containers. If I was going to determine whether I would visit again based on service alone, I wouldn't go back. I was highly disappointed after reading so many glowing reviews of HR. Because of the food, I will make a second visit. I can only hope that on Friday evening, our server was just having a bad night. It's a shame, too, because if he had done his job the way it should be done, his tip would have been much greater because the food was divine. The tip I left, which was more generous than our server deserved, should have been directed to the chef, who was the star of the evening.

I used to go in the early afternoon, when possible, and the service was always exceptional, very personable and friendly. I've never had a problem getting anything or having to wait.

I fear you were the victim of the two large parties and perhaps a slightly less motivated server.

I've been wondering about the coffee at both Havana Rumba and Mojito. At the Cuban places I've been to in South Florida, it's always made as described here, but here in Louisville it's a lot more like espresso. Unlike the poster, I like Mojito's coffee, but I don't recogize it as the cafe cubano I got at food stands and restaurants in South Florida.

I spoke with a friend who worked on a medical transfer program (now defunct thanks to our enlightened government) in Cuba, and he said that he rarely saw the kind of sweetened coffee I know as Cafe Cubano. I'm getting a different story here, however.

How I wish I could go there myself and dive into the bottom of this mystery. And the lovely beaches of Cuba of course.

Does anyone know who proper, authentic Cafe Cubano is made?

Cherna a la Parrilla- that's the one. I love it. We don't do the fried food thing b/c of my husband's cholesterol. Yum.

unless they fry the fish in lard, it wouldn't have anymore cholesterol than the grilled version.

There is no cholesterol in vegetable oil, corn oil, soybean oil, olive oil, etc.

[Robin Garr]

unless they fry the fish in lard, it wouldn't have anymore cholesterol than the grilled version.

There is no cholesterol in vegetable oil, corn oil, soybean oil, olive oil, etc.

FYI, the connection between a high-fat diet and cholesterol is a little more complex than just "avoid foods with high cholesterol." A low-fat diet and exercise is usually an effective one-two punch against cholesterol, and in that context, avoiding fried in favor of grilled is an excellent strategy.

One more time, by the way: Did you get any of my E-mails?

I did not get emails, but I will check. been having problems with that account.

But, I stand by my position that there is no cholesterol in vegetable oil.

[Robin Garr]

I did not get emails, but I will check. been having problems with that account.

Yeah, take a look if you will, or shoot me an E-mail. I need to ask a time-critical question.

But, I stand by my position that there is no cholesterol in vegetable oil.

As stated, I agree. Eating a lot of non-cholesterol fats can prompt the liver to make and crank out cholesterol, though.