Fried Sweet Plantains. Oh, So Delicious

One time, many years ago, I did a phone interview with Ian Astbury, lead singer for the Cult. Ian is a fascinating but super long-winded guy and he can talk for hours. That can be a blessing and a curse in itself, but that is another story. While I was on the phone with Ian he started telling me a story about his trip to Cuba (Aside: Ian is OBSESSED with the late Cuban Guerilla leader Che Guevara). He said to me at one point that “The food there was so fucking good, I wanted to eat the plate.” I thought that was a pretty funny quote, but of course he’s right. Cuban food rocks.

Last night, I went with my rad friend Geoffrey to this little Cuban restaurant in Chelsea called, appropriately, Havana Chelsea. Bluntly put, this place is the fucking bomb. I don’t even want to print the restaurant’s address because I want to keep it as secret as possible, so I can always get a table when I go there, which from now on will be OFTEN!

Geoffrey ordered the breaded chicken breast with white rice, and I ordered the roast pork with yellow rice and black beans. We split an order of the fried sweet plantains. Oh my god, it was so effing good. When we were done stuffing our faces, Geoffrey had a hot tea and I had a dulce de leche for desset, because dessert is my thing. The bill came to $30 with the tip. My leftovers are enough for probably two additional meals. Havana Chelsea‘s decor is not fancy but it’s cool in a “tacky Cuban diner” kind of way. The service is courteous and personal if a bit on the slow side. I can’t wait to go there again!!