Havana Cuban Restaurant: Anyone else hear the angels singing?

God made black beans and yellow rice for man to enjoy at Havana. Yes, I said it. Despite having made beans on many occasions and posting it on this very blog, there’s still something about having the real deal, or maybe its just having someone else make it. My parents like to say that someone “stuck a toe in it”. Delicious. Over the years I’d always heard marvelous things about Havana Restaurant on Buford Hwy. But only seemed to make it there once for a Cuban Sandwich and then it mysteriously burnt to the ground. I remember it was the first time I’d tasted any sandwich in Georgia that reminded me of my hometown fave the Po-Boy. The bread was flakey and although it was hot with sliced meats the general feel was the same.

It was a really tragic event. My friend Alishia says, “I cried for months and months, they have the best iced tea in the world!!!!! And the chicken and cheese empanadas… wooooooo!” she went on to say, “I lost weight after that.” Not particularly out of depression but because the food is so good that it will pack on the pounds from constant delicious salivating withdrawal.

It’s been around forever as a sandwich shop in the 1960s, and then transformed into a full eatery in the 70s and was in the same spot forever! When the place burned down from what appeared to be arson there were rumors circulating that it might not come back. This is when my friend Alishia presumed her “chicken and cheese empanada with a side of pickled jalapeno” life over tearfully.  And every time we would adventure for other good eats on Buford Hwy she would point and tear up at the singed remains of what used to be her savior of the drab workday; the only thing she looked forward to during the week. 

So what seemed like a little less than two years later we began to hear rumors and one day she called me screaming into the phone “HAVANA IS COMING BACK!!!! It’s coming back Oooooooh Laaaaaaawd Jeeesus!”  And we waited for what felt like months; a sign, a new phone number, another article in the paper! Anything! Eventually we tracked down what was supposed to be their new location… even then it seemed too good to be true and Alishia waited tirelessly circling the block looking for signs of Havana Restaurant life. Excitement, Happiness, a brief moment of anxious sadness in the possibility that something might have de-railed the re-opening, and finally BLISS.

This happened to be another moment when we were in the car together, having just come from Dim Sum down the street and there it was, shining in all its golden glory. She let out a shriek a hyena would be proud of and we whipped around so fast we must have broken some traffic laws in the process. Totally full off of dumplings and duck soup, we walked in that fateful day and she promptly ordered a chicken and cheese empanada and an iced tea; pickled jalapenos on the side.

I decided I’d try one as well and they were heaven. This is when TasteBud’s Quickie Havana Entry (Jan 13^th 2010) was born. After she thanked every one of the staff personally (picture on the Right) while beaming from cheek to cheek and letting out a couple more shrieks, it was time to eat our snack that we could barely fit but boy was it worth it. The best question to define the moment after sitting in the car drunk with bliss was “How did we not know sooner that the restaurant had already opened for business?” Sadly I think it was that we’d waited for what felt like so long that Alishia couldn’t take the wait any longer and finally gave up mid-rebuild. She finally seemed to be somewhat okay with the old “out of sight, out of mind” theory; something I didn’t think could happen.

So when we were looking for something to do I thought “Havana!” I had the Half Cuban Combo plate (half a cuban—pork pork and pork hot between two pieces of bread with pickles and mustard, Black beans and Yellow Rice) and I added one of my fav’s MADUROS! Sweet, sticky chewy, soft, and crispy around the edges. Amazing. The yellow rice was covered in a tangy tomato sauce, which at first glance was a little odd but then I decided to mix it together with the beans and wowzers. Follow it with a bite of sweet Maduros and then a giant flaky bite of Cuban sandwich. I can see now why this place is a recipe for weight control disaster. Havana Equals Heaven. 

There are so many wonderous things on the menu like the Chicken and Cheese Empanada plate that Alishia had. This was just like what I had except two GIANT empanadas were in place of the Cuban. And I spotted amongst many mouth watering drool fests the steak and peppers sandwich which I will promptly be trying next.

Yucca, Tamales, Picadillo, Pollo Frito, Boliche, even Chicken and Tuna Salad (don’t know why you’d order that with so many wonderous Cuban items on the menu but who knows they probably do it much better than the average American!) And there are even desserts like Guava Milkshakes and rice pudding.  Bring your whole family, help them pay for that beautiful new building and then maybe they’ll think about knocking out the wall next door for more seating because even though the seats have doubled we still had to wait for one!!!