Cuba Libre, Washington DC’s hoppin’ homage to Havana just
north of Chinatown unveiled its “Tapas Tuesdays” last week to a group of lucky
Latin-crazed foodies. The weekly
special, which will last indefinitely, allows patrons unlimited access to the restaurant’s
arsenal of 25 tasty tapas dishes for just $26.95 (the special must be ordered
by everyone at the table). The sheer
magnitude of some of the offerings is enough to satisfy the hungriest of diners
after three tapas but the adventurous one (who’ll be smart to get in that jog
the next day) will go for more.
Tops on everybody’s list should be the Levanta Muerto
Seafood Soup. Translated as “raise the dead” soup, many of the sea’s wonders
(shrimp, Baja Bay scallops, crab meat and mussels) are doused in a Chino-Cubano
coconut milk broth to create a most death-defying dining experience. It will make you feel alive (in every sense
of the phrase), which must be inspiration for the soup’s name.
Almost as fantastic is the Grilled Baby Octopus dish. A handful of these attractive ocean dwellers,
grilled to the optimal spongy texture, perch atop a Haitian eggplant salad that
gives the Greeks a run for their money.
Another must is the Papas Rellenas, due to its delightful
combination of beef picadillo and sweet n’ sour guajillo pepper sauce -- a tangy
mixture to say the least. The stuffed
Cuban potato rolls achieve a formidable crisp while still allowing your fork to
cut into them like a stick of butter to reveal the surprise that awaits you.
A final highlight from the 25 selections that comprise the
tapas special is the Cuban Sandwich Spring
Roll. Simple yet delicious, the plate tastes
exactly how it reads – a Cuban sandwich rolled into a spring roll. You’ll be left wondering why you never
thought about doing it yourself.
Cap off your dining experience with a cup of Café Cuba Libre
– a cup of authentic Cuban coffee blended with coconut milk. If this cup of joe was able to impress a
non-coffee drinker, it will surely do wonders to a normal person.
DO NOT LEAVE THE RESTAURANT without ordering Tres Leches for
dessert – vanilla sponge cake covered with mocha mousse and soaked three
dolce-de-leche flavored milks. “Oh, my God” is all this food blogger could muster.
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