Guantanamera, NYC

What can I say about New York City...what an incredible place!   What a blessing to have the opportunity to visit and experience the wonders it has to offer!  On a recent trip to the "Apple" Michele and I were looking for great places to eat and stumbled across Guantanamera!

939 Eighth Avenue

NYC is a food lovers dream...if you can think it, it’s here: Trinidadian, Korean, Italian, Greek, Asian, Persian, Ethiopian, Indonesian, Pakistani, Jewish, Puerto Rican, Jamaican, Russian...are you catching my drift...it defies description, but I will do my best to articulate the wonder for you.  Today we are off to Cuba...passport and governmental approval not required.

After suffering through the brutal Texas summer where we broke records for consecutive triple digit temperature days, the brisk fall east coast weather was a welcomed respite.  It was not cold, it was fall on the east coast, you need a light jacket, scarf, fashionable head gear, and you’re good.  We take the Q train north bound from the Stoute Hotel (the in-laws house) in Brooklyn and make our way into Manhattan.

The Rents

Guantanamera is located on 8th Ave. between 55th and 56th street...just a few block south of Columbus Circle.  After a little site seeing and people watching we worked up an appetite and made our way downtown.  The in-laws met us at the door, as they were not going to let us out-do them...they like to eat too.

The venue was “traditional NYC intimate” (meaning rather small).  It sat approximately 60 people in a long rectangular footprint.  Many locations in NYC are in store fronts that offer a narrow yet deep floor plan...this is one of them.  The bar is the first thing you see, it’s immediately to your right as you enter the venue.  There was a small stage for a 3 or 4 piece band in the back.  Twin bongos emblazened with the Cuban flag sat poised ready for action...I kinda expected Ricky Ricardo to come out and sing Babalou.

Murals of Cubano culture and heritage adorn the walls with vibrant colors and cultural depictions of life making you feel as if you are driving through Havana for the first time.  We started off with Sangria, which came in two varieties: red and white...I regret that we did not try any of the appetizers, as a waiter with a plate of Empanadas walked by...I thought “what the hell were we thinking?”  I guess we were so hungry we just went straight to the entrees. 

Sangria

The Sangria was excellent, just how I like them, sweet and fruity with a mild alcohol taste in the background...I know it may sound weird to you drinkers out there, but Michele and I don’t enjoy the taste of hard liquor alone, we need it masked with juice and fruit: a la the Pina Colada, Mojito, etc... As we enjoyed both the red and white Sangria the food began making it’s way to the table.

Service was "a si a si, mas o menos” (so so, more or less) our waiter was not very friendly or engaging, just kind of matter of fact service.  He was efficient in taking our orders but was too transactional.  It was early in the dinner cycle 4:30pm or so it was not busy - he could have enhanced our experience by making some suggestions, describing the dishes, or telling us about his favorite, so...they will get dinged on service when I finish this.

Lechon Asado

I chose Lechon Asado (suckling pork) for the second day in a row, remember the pork shank at Centrico.  Fall off the bone tender is becoming a cliche` but there no better way to describe it!  It was fall off the bone tender accompanied with steamed cassava, both covered in a clear garlic broth with a side of Congri (black beans and rice).

Rabo Encedido

Michele had the oxtails with mashed sweet plantains.  What a simple yet effective way to serve plantains!  Served like mashed potatoes and just as “buttery”, they provided a tremendous counter balance to the spicy/savory red wine reduction.  Selecting and cooking oxtails is an art...everybody can’t cook oxtails.  Sometimes you get fatty oxtails, that are tough, too small, with little meat on them.  My mother-in-law says the trick is to add ice to the stew as you are cooking :-) These were selected and prepared correctly, slow cooked/stewed in a tomato base with Cubano spices...tasting these bad boys I emphatically said: Ole`!  

Shrimp Paella

Uncle Arthur had the Shrimp Paella.  Just look at it...Nuff said!  Hands down the best presentation of the four dishes.  Seafood Paella served in a bowl creatively fashioned from a banana leaf and topped with pan seared shrimp.  Both the Shrimp and Veggie Paella dishes were replete with flavor.  Every region of my tongue was excited by the flavors in this dish...salty, sweet, savory, earthy, spicy...It was amazingly light and refreshing, while being grounded and palpable.  I was compelled to eat it!  As soon as I finished a mouthful, I was reaching for the bowl...I was almost shoveling the food into my mouth and it wasn’t even my plate!  As good as my dish was, I had buyers remorse, or plate envy...whatever you wanna call it, but the power of this dish made me regret doing the pork...it was that good!  Luckily for me Coconuts had virtually the same dish and couldn’t finish it all, so I got the best of mine and hers!

Paella Valencia

Coconuts chose the Veggie Paella.  After the nice presentations of the aforementioned dishes, the veggie dish was very under-whelming.  Outside of the cast iron personalized skillet, the presentation left much to be desired.  Luckily the presentation did not affect the taste!  It was excellent...per Coconuts (My Mother-in-law a.k.a Barbara Stoute) it was very flavorful, but on the salty side and had no ginger...which she puts in everything...and I mean EVERYTHING!

We left Guantanamera richer for the experience!   Holla back, tell us about your experiences in Cuba or any part of the world.