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Not to be outdone, other Havana paladares quickly started jumping on the culinary bandwagon. Based in old grandiose houses in the neighborhoods of Vedado and Playa, places such as La Esperanza and La Cocina de Lilliam were soon churning out equally delectable dishes and recipes were developed and expanded.

Thanks largely to Nueva Cocina Cubana, Cuban cuisine – primarily, but not only, in Havana – has slowly edged itself back into international reckoning and visitors to the island are increasingly surprised by the quality of the food on offer. Although the country is still a long way from becoming the gourmet capital of Latin America (let alone the Caribbean), by most measures, that age-old Cuban stereotype of cheap rum and iron rations could soon be confined to the annals of gastronomic history.

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Flan is baked custard with a caramel glaze served in individual portions. Cubans also make pumpkin and coconut flan of Spanish origin. Huge sickly sweet cakes are wheeled out at the smallest excuse – and usually transported around town on a wobbling bicycle first. Havana and a couple of the larger cities also have some good patisseries. The standard (and only) dessert in all cheap restaurants and Islazul hotels is the incongruous mermelada con queso (tinned jam with a slice of stale cheese). It’s as vile as it sounds!

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DRINKS

Alcoholic Drinks

Cuba’s rum cocktails are world-famous. There’s the minty mojito, the shaved-ice daiquirí and the sugary Cuba Libres (rum and Coke), to name but three. Havana Club is Cuba’s most celebrated ron (rum), with Silver Dry (the cheapest) and three-year-old Carta Blanca used for mixed drinks, while five-year-old Carta de Oro and seven-year-old Añejo are best enjoyed in a highball. Cuba’s finest rum is Matusalem Añejo Superior, brewed in Santiago de Cuba since 1872. Other top brands include Varadero, Caribbean Club and Caney (made at the old Bacardí factory in Santiago de Cuba, though the name Bacardí is anathema, as the exiled family decided to sue the Cuban government under US embargo laws). Most Cubans drink their rum straight up and, on more informal occasions, straight from the bottle.

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Though it originates in the Canary Islands, ropa vieja (old clothes) has become a Cuban signature dish. It is made with shredded beef seasoned with garlic, onion, tomatoes, cumin, bay leaves, oregano and green peppers.

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The drink made from fermented cane is called aguardiente (fire water) and a few shots will have your eyes watering. In bodegas (stores distributing ration-card products) it’s sold as ron a granel (rum from the barrel) for about 20 pesos – bring an empty bottle. Local nicknames for this hooch include ‘drop her drawers’ and ‘train spark.’ Popular bottled brands are Santero and El Niño. Cubans also make fruit wines from mango, pineapple or raisins. Big city stores usually carry a limited selection of Spanish, Chilean and Cuban wines. Top beer brands include Mayabe (3.8% alcohol), Hatuey (5.4%) and the big two: Cristal (4.9%) and Bucanero (5.4%). Imported beers include Lagarto, Bavaria and Heineken.

Nonalcoholic Drinks

Cubans love their coffee (cafecito or café cubano) which is served strong, black and sweetened in small espresso-sized cups. Homegrown in the Escambray and Sierra Maestra Mountains, a fresh brew will be brought out as an icebreaker wherever you go, from a top-end resort bar to a wooden campesino (country) hut. Café con leche (a mixture of strong coffee and hot milk) is more of a tourist drink and is thus available in nearly all bars and hotels serving foreigners. Havana has some great coffee houses and more are being added all the time. Smaller towns have them too, though here they are usually less fancy and more local (look out for the Cubanitas chain). There isn’t much of a té (tea) culture in Cuba, but you can always get a pot of hot water at hotels or restaurants. Tea bags are sold in stores that sell items in Convertibles.