Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar Awards

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar Restaurant Review:

Step into an environment evoking the glamour of Old Havana (circa 1940), pulsing with excitement, at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar. The menu is filled with fusion dishes that deliver the big flavors of Latin cuisine. There are several well-made ceviches, and the Baja bay scallops version with tomato, Bermuda onions, aromatic cilantro and a fiery jalapeño salsa is at the top of the list. Fresh lime juice and extra virgin olive oil cools the tongue. Or choose from modern items such as the plato gaucho for two, which is a Cuban mixed grill of spice-rubbed New York strip steak, skirt steak, jumbo shrimp, herb-marinated chicken breasts and Spanish artisan chorizo. Red hot onion rings and a trio of sauces accompany. There are good renditions of classics as well, such as paella de mariscos made with shrimp, clams, mussels, mahi mahi filet, squid and baby octopus; the rice is saffron "Bomba" --- a tasty short grain variety. Rums outnumber wines, but you’ll find some good vintages that suit the cuisine. Among the few desserts is the warm banana and chocolate chip bread pudding with Cuba Libre’s spiced rum and roasted pineapple.