Once a month I meet up with some of my closest girlfriends for some drinks and a catchup. Life gets busy, and even though we don’t see each other as often as we used to, when we get together it’s like we were never apart. I always look forward to our monthly get togethers and we always try a new restaurant, so it really is the perfect combination in my book!
This time we went to Havana Vancouver on Commercial Drive. I’m never in the area, so this was definitely a new and unique experience for me.
The space at Havana is energetic and beautifully decorated but it’s definitely not the place for extended conversation as it gets pretty loud inside.
Havana Vancouver is inspired by the flavours, colours, and culture of Old Havana, Cuba. They add a Pacific Northwest twist to their traditional Cuban dishes and use only the freshest ingredients. I have never had Cuban food, so this review is my first foray into this cuisine, so I really can only comment on the taste to me and not the authenticity of the dishes.
We came here for Happy Hour, so the prices listed below is their Happy Hour pricing. We also ordered a couple sides to nibble on from their regular menu.
The drinks were pretty standard and well priced for Happy Hour. None of the girls had any complaints – clearly because we had several rounds of all the drinks available.
This was one of my favourites. The corn and chili worked really well with the creamy dip.
This was like a very starchy potato french fry – and I didn’t mind it! It had a good texture and it was crisp from being fried. It was the perfect vehicle to put the delicious aioli into my mouth.
This was another good nibble to go with our drinks. Again, the aioli was delicious.
This was the weakest dish of the night. Most of the mussels were sealed shut and the ones that weren’t a couple of them were missing the inside! The highlight of this dish was the grilled sourdough.
This was a delicious flatbread. I love the grilled bread and all the ingredients worked well together without overwhelming each other. I squeeze of citrus to brighten all the flavours would have made this dish spectacular.
This was another delicious dish. I think one thing that Havana does well is their flatbreads, and I will definitely be back to have them again. The pickled onions helped breakup the heaviness of this dish.
Overall I had a very pleasant experience at Havana. The food was delicious and their drinks were well priced. Definitely a good spot for Happy Hour if you’re on the Drive.
