Week One: Cuba

As the first destination of our journey around the world, we chose a country whose flavors would distract us from our cold and snowy New England surroundings and transport our taste buds to a tropical getaway.

For a true taste of Cuba we ventured out last night to the highly recommended Soul de Cuba restaurant on Crown Street in New Haven.

A cozy hole-in-the-wall, Soul de Cuba boasts authentic recipes handed down through generations to two of the co-founders, brothers Jesus and Robert Puerto. With a mere nine tables and a six-seat bar, Soul certainly has a home-cooked feel, as if it were modeled after the Paladares, the independent, family-run restaurants common in Cuba.

Awash in earthen tones, the walls are adorned with ancestral photos, brightly colored artwork and framed cigar box labels. Lively island music further invites each guest to sit back and relax while sipping a fresh Cuban mojito.

Made with fresh mint, lime and Cuban-style Matusalem Platino rum, the Soul mojito was a refreshing way to start to our meal. Soul also offers an impressive variety of Caribbean rums, South American wines and island-inspired cocktails.

In order to get an idea of what to expect from our first flavor adventure, I researched a few different recipes and found that Cuban cuisine is a mixture of predominately Spanish, African and Caribbean influences that relies heavily on garlic, onion, green peppers, oregano, cumin and citrus. Slow-cooked meats, plantains and rice and beans are also staples.

During my research I kept seeing mention of a dish called Ropa Vieja, tender shredded beef in a tomato and green pepper sauce served with rice and black beans. Although the name (translation: “old clothes”) hardly makes the mouth water, I had already decided to try it when we arrived at the restaurant. Upon reviewing the menu, however, I was swayed in a different direction.

For our first course we ordered the tostones, fried green plantains with a side of mojo for dipping. Typically used as a marinade for meat or vegetables, mojo usually consists of garlic, sour orange juice, onion, oregano, cumin and black peppercorns. Since unripe plantains have a rather mild flavor, almost like a potato, the distinct garlic flavor of the thick mojo was a necessary accompaniment. Although I thought the sauce made the dish, my esteemed colleague and tasting partner, Adam, did not much care for it.

For my main course, instead of the ropa vieja I had planned on, I decided to try something really different and ordered the rabo encendido, oxtails stewed in a savory red wine sauce. The segmented meat was extremely tender, making it easy to extract from each of vertebrae, and I soaked up the remaining sauce with the white rice and beans.

A misconception about Cuban food, one that I obviously share, is that it is spicy. I was expecting a bit of a bite when in reality, the traditional flavors are more simple and subdued. In Cuban cooking it is the meat itself, rather than intense spices or heavy sauces, that provide all the flavor. Hence the prevalence of slow-cooking techniques, over low heat and several hours the meat has a chance to break down to its most tender and flavorful point. This is what makes Cuban food delicious.

For his entrée, Adam ordered the bistec de pollo milanesa, a lightly breaded and fried chicken breast topped with a slice of smoked ham, grated parmesan and a chunky tomato sauce. Basically chicken parmesan with rice and beans, the pollo was a bit bland compared to my oxtail, but Adam still seemed to enjoy it.

Even though we were stuffed to the brim with arroz y frijoles, we couldn’t end our Cuba experience without flan. A thick custard served with a light caramel sauce, Cuban flan is actually a bit spongier than the creamy Mexican flan I’ve had before, yet it was still deliciously simple and just the right size.

A fairly inexpensive meal, $65 for the two of us, Soul de Cuba is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for dinner only. Soul also offers some of their sauces, such as their traditional mojo, for sale.

For a night of firsts, our first taste of Cuban cuisine, my first bite of oxtail and our very first Passport to Dine dinner, I’d say we met with success. Now I’m off to plan our adventure for next week, but before I do that, it’s time for some leftovers.