Asia de Cuba's Daring Pairings: Ritmos Cubanos (Cuban Rhythms)

This review originally appeared on The Gotham Palate. (More pictures there, too.)

On a recent trip to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, I became accustomed to dining al fresco at one of the local eateries down the street, where brisk bachatas blared through giant speakers. Local bands strummed a tune two feet away while I feasted on oxtail stew and plantains - a smooth Presidente beer in hand. A supreme feeling of leisurely bliss washed over me.

That's the same state of mind I was in when I dined at Asia de Cuba for New York Restaurant Week. Except, this was not the Dominican Republic - it was Murray Hill, Manhattan. And instead of bachata, my audio senses were under the influence of the slow, romantic intonations of the chachacha, layered over rich, husky vocals, now swerving into a fierce rumba beat, followed by a bongo-laden mambo.

If suspension of reality is the goal, Asia de Cuba scores a win with its draped cream-colored curtained entrance, soft orange lighting and upbeat Cuban music. Plush white seating is a nod to the recurring lounge theme that pervades the restaurant. Dim lights create a relaxed mood for stressed out urbanites to clink glasses and enjoy some feisty fusion food. One long communal table in the center is flanked by high bar stools covered with ethnic patterns, each cut from a different cloth. Our waiter, James, a dapper-dressed 20-something in a starched white button-up and spiffy black vest, greeted us effusively.

Asia de Cuba believes that sharing is caring. As a party of four, we got to choose 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2 desserts. First up were the appetizers. The Tunapica was, in essence, a Tuna tartare picadillo style with Spanish olives, black currants, almonds, coconut, soy-lime vinaigrette and wonton crisps. This was a very daring and complex dish. The sweet-n-tart flavors really complented one another well.

Calamari salad.

The Calamari Salad included crispy calamari with chayote, hearts of palm, bananas, cashews, chicory and radicchio, topped with sesame orange dressing. The calamari was soft and had a distinct 'Asian' flavor.

Stella Artois & Caipirinha.

The exhaustive spirits menu made it hard to decide on a drink, but I settled on the Caipirinha ($15), since I was in a Latin kind of mood. It went down strong, and I could have done withou the lemons (I prefer limes) but I approve of the long sugar cane, which provided a delicate touch. My friend had a Belgium Stella Artois ($8), one of the few beers he will drink.

Entrees came next. The Cuban BBQ Chicken wowed me with its savory combination of Thai coconut sticky rice, avocado fruit salsa and tamarind sauce. The fine-grained sticky rice arrived steaming in a piping hot thickness. We all scooped up seconds (and thirds) of the avocado fruit salsa, which was mashed together like guacamole.

Honey-Rhum Glazed Pot Roast of Pork.

The Honey-Rhum Glazed Pot Roast of Pork was served with sauteed Shanghai bok choy, fried plantains and enoki mushrooms. I love mushrooms of any kind, so the enoki was a pleasant, crunchy addition. The vegetables hungrily soaked up the sauce, which tasted slightly like turkey stock but somehow worked. The pork was truly an explosion of flavor (akin to Fourth of July fireworks, for the mouth) but came off a tad too strong.

Cuban Opera.

As the saying goes, 'There's always room for dessert.' The Cuban Opera tantalized with its Devil's food cake base, kahlua, milk chocolate and coffee mousse. It came with a scoop of caramel-coffee ice cream flecked with small toffee bits. The rich chocolate was a decadent treat but tasted best in combination with the ice cream.

Coconut Invasion.

The Coconut Invasion looked just that: Tri-layered coconut cake with shredded coconut on top (the epitome of the word 'coconut'), creamy coconut ice cream and warm chocolate sauce. We failed at finishing this one and I ended up taking it home where I found it promptly missing (i.e. devoured) the next day by my sister, who harbors a not-so-secret sweet tooth.

Asia de Cuba has expanded its Restaurant Week menu until Labor Day (including Saturdays) - proof that the fine dining industry isn't doing so well mid-recession. However, this bodes well for those who can't dish the dough and/or enjoy having their inner culinary aficionado sated, as the prices are momentarily slashed. Take advantage of the price fixe menu, generous portions and zesty melange of flavors that fuses the best of East and West.

Final Remarks/Outtakes:
Ube had a stuffed look on her face. She totally zoned out at the end.
D-man was satisfied, as usual, but I discovered that night that even he has his limits. This is the guy whom we affectionately dub 'the human vacuum' with his seemingly bottomless pit of a stomach, but even he was having difficulty finishing off dessert. Which goes to show you that the portions are more than generous.
G: I'm not eating for the rest of the week. I need to get rid of some fat.
S (me): I...can't [eat anymore]. (rubs stomach)

Rating: 4.5 stars. The portions were twice the amount any normal human being should consume in one meal. However, we were all able to sample an assortment of dishes, which was quite appealing. The $35 dinner price fixe turned into $60ish for me (including tax & tip). My drink was kind of expensive and too lemony for my taste, but I was so thrilled with the dining experience that I kindly overlooked that flaw.

Location:
Asia de Cuba
237 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212.726.7755
www.chinagrillmgt.com

Cubano at Cafecito

Happy together.

Cafecito is the place to be.

Rachel and I dug into the menu like the voracious food lovers we are. Plenty of lip-smacking sandwich options available, though we settled on the lunch specials. For just $9, you get a thick 8-inch slab of meat with rice, beans and plantains on the side. What better way to go?

Warm lighting.

Mini disco lights draped delicately from the ceiling like long, dangling earrings. The brick wall insets added a homey vibe to the Cuban restaurant/bar. A collection of plush cushions scattered on the front benches enhanced the lived-in feel.

One thing we noticed right away was how clean the bathroom was. Spotless! Seriously much better than what the plain, nondescript yellow awning suggests.

Biztec con arroz, frijoles y tostones.

Rachel ordered the seasoned steak.

Look, Mommy - I made a heart!

I got the Pollo Cafecito, or house chicken. And boy was it mammoth. See that picture? The entire chicken was nearly twice that size. Needless to say, I brought leftovers to work the next day. As for the flavor, I'm not sure how Cubans do it, but the tender chicken had a most satisfying blend of spices - black pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin and who knows what other "secret" ingredients.

You can't see it here, but we also ordered a half-carafe of sangria. It was Rachel's first time, and though she found the drink "ok," she heartily ate the chopped apples. Sangria is also a refreshing summer drink. I like making it from scratch, soaking the fruits in the wine concoction for hours. You can use just about any type of fruit - apples, oranges, peaches, grapes, cherries, etc. (Just pick one or two, not all of them!) Then, pop it in the refrigerator to chill.

Vamping up the freak.

Couldn't resist snapping up a few Vampire Freaks.

Rating: 4.5 stars. I...LOVE...rice and beans. Our waitress was pleasant and didn't rush us in the least. An energizing music selection featured everything from classic jazz to reggae and all the shake-your-moneymaker salsa and rumba in between. I'd go again with a bigger crowd to sample the sandwiches and half-priced Happy Hour drinks. Or maybe a pitcher of that sangria.

Location:
Cafecito
185 Avenue C
(between 11th St & 12th St)
New York, NY 10009
212.253.9966

Day 7: WANTED: Carnivores

Southern California has several chain restaurants that cater to the southwestern palette. One of them is Stonefire Grill. Most people come here for the meat, and with good reason. Try the the lemon garlic chicken, mesquite grilled ribs or pepper garlic tri tips, all of which are tender and perfectly marinated with herbs and spices that make your tongue sing (if it could). Stonefire Grill also offers a variety of fresh salads, soft breadsticks and thick, cheesy slices of pizza.



Carnage (there was more on the plate when it was first served).



After a winsome day at Venice Beach, we drove around La Cienega Blvd in the dusk, hoping to spot an Indian restaurant. In the end, we came across Versailles Cuban. Now, I've had my share of Jamaican, Dominican and Puerto Rican food, but I've never tried Cuban before. Parking was hard to come by, but the clink and clatter of dishes and the chatty patrons hungrily devouring their meaty entrees drew my eye in from the get-go. I knew this was going to be worth the wait. The friendly host, a dark-haired Cuban in his mid-late 20s with two gold fillings and a ponytail, winked at me and showed us to our table.

Above, one of the few vegetarian combos: Aaron, frijoles negros y platanos (rice, black beans and fried sweet plantains) - $8.95



My dish: Famoso pollo Versailles (Versailles Famous Garlic Chicken) - $10.95. The menu's description reads: "Juicy roasted half chicken marinated in our delicious garlic sauce garnished with sliced white onions," which pretty much sums up its actual taste. I was far from disappointed. And I've never seen such a large portion of chicken in my life! It was so big that I had to take home the entire breast. My head was reeling with fantasies of squawking chickens being chased by the butcher, then plunged, head-less, into a vat of simmering garlic and butter (although I tried not to think of this scene when I was eating the chicken).



Here's my moro, or white rice with black beans cooked together. I was first introduced to moro in the Dominican Republic last March when my family took a vacation there during spring break. Versailles makes it differently from the Mom & Pop restaurant in Luperon Bay, D.R. Nevertheless, it's a hearty and texture-rich dish -- if a bit on the crispy side.

One thing's for sure: California does not lack in the meat department. My carnivore friends, I urge you to take a trip out to LA and see (taste and smell) for yourself that I am speaking the truth.