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A taste of Havana finds a home on Hengshen Road
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LA Bodeguita del Medio, the global Cuban chain, originally from Havana, has found its Shanghai home facing the leafy Hengshan Road just outside the new developed food and beverage complex on Yongping Lane.
Obviously Cuba means mojitos, cigars and exotic, passionate locals yet the spacious two-floor restaurant-bar offers more than those simple pleasures to a wide variety of Cuban specialties.
The interior is rather laid-back and casual with a stage for bands, and of course, Latin music as the background. The walls are covered by photos of Havana street scenes, the restaurant’s famous customers, and other objects showing the vibrant Cuban influence.
The original La Bodeguita del Medio, opened in 1942, is known as the birthplace of the Mojito cocktail that was the favorite drink of Ernest Hemingway, who used to hang out at this famous venue during his time in Havana. Though less iconic and historical compared to the Havana venue, the Mojitos they serve here are equally genuine — the delightful aroma of mint, the right amount of rum, sugar, lime juice and ice. It actually tasted slightly stronger than most of the mojitos made around the town.
While having the refreshing, delicious Mojito, I studied the food menu with a main focus on Cuban and South American dishes. Cuban food is a blend of native American Taino food, Spanish, African, and Caribbean cuisines thus the flavors are unique and flavorsome.
Cuban Plate (368 yuan/US$57) was recommended to me as it’s widely ordered by the first-time customers.
A big plate of mouth-watering dishes includes: baked pork ribs, Cuban-style chicken wings, ropa vieja (shredded beef), congri (rice with black beans), yuca chips, banana chips, avocado and creole sauce. It was perfect for two people sharing and the baked pork ribs and congri were my favorites. Congri, the combination of rice and black beans, is the Cuban staple while the pork ribs were extremely tender and flavorful.
Don’t forget to order the spicy bean soup with sour cream (48 yuan) before indulging in the big plate of everything Cuban. It was not so spicy as indicated and the sour cream gave an interesting texture and taste mixed with the bean soup.
La bodeguita del medio
Opening hours: 11am-1am (Sunday-Tuesday); 11am-2am (Wednesday-Saturday)
Tel: 158-0071-4883
Address: 191 Hengshan Rd
Average price: 200 yua
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