Cafe Havana

I remember the first time I went to Cafe Havana, in Nolita. We were on out way to see a show at the Bowery Ballroom, it was a weekday, and we decided to eat around the area since it didn't' make sense to back home to Brooklyn only turn around and come right back to Manhattan. We are sensible like that. That was about a year ago, when were still relatively new to the city and hadn't built up a stock of go-to eateries in different neighborhoods, so we were aimlessly walking around the Bowery on a hunt for affordable food. Affordable funky food, our plan B was Subway, and I wanted to avoid that. It was serendipitous to find it just as we were about to give up on our search, and we had one of the best Mexican influenced meals you can find in NYC.

And finding Mexican food in this city is a thankless task. Sure, it's out there, but most of it is subpar at best, lacking a certain je ne sais quoi that I am more and more convinced is actually the delicious taste of lard. There has to be a reason why all restaurants in Texas get it so right, and 95% of places in NY get it so... bland. I mean, NY is known as a foodie mecca, and it's just jalapenos and melted cheese, people. Can't be THAT hard.

Since then we've gone back to Cafe Havana a couple of more times. I'd go more except that we are not the only brilliant people who like this place. The lines are usually long, and life is too short to wait outside for a table in the dead of winter.

Yesterday we were lucky to find two stools at the bar straight away. The New Museum was having it's free night, and after indulging ourselves in contemporary art, we took a chance on finding a table since the dinner rush would hopefully be over.

I should mention that Cafe Havana is teeny teeny tiny. So small that a couple of tables are pretty much up against the corner facing door. All part of the decor, which is a combination of old-school diner, taqueria and Cuban cafe. I can't think of another way to describe it. I guess it's a dive-restaurant, but one of the cool dive places that wears the decay on it's sleeve like a badge of authenticity.

The food was delicious, as expected. I ordered enchiladas suizas, and Nate had a steak. Their suiza sauce is tomatillo based and feels really light, which is a good thing. So many restaurants make the suiza sauce uber-creamy that it can be overwhelming. Nate liked his steak and finished the whole plate, so I guess he liked it too. We really should have ordered the grilled corn, which is coated in gooey cheese and chili powder, and is like a melting party in your mouth. Alas, we realized our mistake too late to save tummy room for it. Next time, I promise. Hopefully soon.

Nate and I were talking about how we want to show this little gem to our relatives when they come visit us, about how it feels very New York with it's hipster clientele, crowded busy atmosphere, while being incredibly affordable. (actually, that last part in not new yorkie at all) And then quickly realized that most of our relatives live in Texas, and why would they fly all the way to New York to have the best enchiladas in town, when they can have equivalent tasting dishes in any ole' place back home. Still, I want them to see it. There is a certain intimacy that comes from eating in close proximity to others that one does not get in Texas. It might feel like a personal bubble invasion at first, but very quickly you go with the flow and enjoy the ebullient feeling of a crowd.