LEO's Eats with Robin Garr
TropiCuba's Lechon Asado
After 50 years of nutty national policy toward Cuba, our president, giving the finger to a recalcitrant congress, has shifted foreign-policy gears, reaching out to our island neighbor just south of Florida, demonstrating to our joy that Obama's just another name for nothing left to lose.
"Neither the American, nor Cuban people are well served," Obama said as he opened the door, "by a rigid policy that is rooted in events that took place before most of us were born."
That makes huge sense to me. In celebration of our refreshing new take on Cuba, we decided to celebrate by enjoying a fine Cuban dinner right here in Louisville.
Havana Rumba? Well, sure, that's the obvious choice. But wait! What's this? A new Cuban eatery in Clifton? Although it's the latest occupant in a sadly "haunted" location that's spelled quick death for a half-dozen past restaurant tenants, co-owners Orlando Grimany Nuno and his son Orlando Grimany Calas and Chef Angel Rodriguez are making smart moves with their new entry, TropiCuba, which opened last month.
The Clifton storefront looks tropically fresh and bright; and they make good use of social media, feeding an active Facebook page with menu specials and commentary, and popping up frequently on the LouisvilleHotBytes forum to check local foodies' interests with thoughtful questions about the best location and style for a new Cuban eatery.
With Rodriguez, who also owns El Sabor de Cuba on Outer Loop, bringing years of culinary experience in modern Cuba to the kitchen as chef, and the Grimanys presiding over the front of the house, TropiCuba holds great potential.
...
TropiCuba's beer license came through last week, so a selection of familiar Mexican beers is now available, along with the usual domestic industrials. Wine and liquor will be licensed and on hand, the owners hope, by the time you read this.
It sounds mighty good, and HotBytes scouts have returns with glowing early reports, so Mary, our friend Anne and I headed right over the other night to celebrate our new Cuba foreign policy with real Cuban fare in a new Cuban restaurant.
We were pretty satisfied, overall ...
Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/?p=5266
See this column also in LEO Weekly:
http://www.leoweekly.com/2015/04/we-cel ... tropicuba/
TropiCuba
2206 Frankfort Ave.
290-9365
http://tropicubalouisville.com
https://facebook.com/tropicubalouisville
Robin Garr's rating: 85 points
