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A new authentic Cuban restaurant, Sweet Havana Restaurant and Bar, owned by Yamirka “Yami” Monzon and her husband Oscar Gomez, is opened on S. Reynolds Rd. “Yami” is from Cuba, living in Havana for 20 years, before emigrating to Toledo in 2015. Oscar is from Mexico and previously was instrumental in opening two San Marcos restaurants. Sweet Havana’s chef, Rene Cabello, is also from Cuba. Oscar created the menu.
Yami was inspired to open this Cuban restaurant with no authentic Cuban food in Toledo. Sweet Havana opened in July with (liquor license) also serve Cuban sodas, Batidos, (a Cuban smoothie, often made with tropical juices) and Cuban coffee.
Inspiración
The restaurant’s interior is beautiful with painted murals on the walls and the front of a classic car hanging in the back of the dining area, a paean to the tradition of many classic cars in Havana.
A long bar has TVs on either side playing video of the streets and scenes of Havana.
Exploring the Menu
The dinner menu offers appetizers, several meat-based entrees, vegetarian fare, seafood options, tacos, a variety of Cuban fillings, a Cuban Sandwich along with desserts.
The Pork Belly with Guacamole and Tostones appetizer ($13) a very large portion of fresh guacamole, topped with small pieces of pork belly. The taste of the fatty pork belly blended well with the fresh guacamole. The Tostones – fried green plantains – are a little earthy and buttery. This sizable portion is probably best shared by at least 2 people.
For my main course I chose the Fried Snapper ($25) which comes with white rice, a Cuban salad and tostones (we substituted sweet plantains since we tried the tostones with the appetizer). The Fried Snapper was presented as the whole fish, perfectly cooked, moist and
tender with a subtle taste. The white rice was tender and buttery, and the sweet plantains tasted almost like a banana covered in honey. The salad with lettuce, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes and carrots, is a nice companion.
For dessert we ordered the Choco Flan ($7), a piece of flan atop a chocolate cake. The flan, a velvety and creamy sweet vanilla custard that melts in your mouth, paired with the chocolate cake, combined with a subtle feel of the texture of thick cake and chocolate, not overpowering.
Cuban Sandwich ($15) is an enormous handheld, cut in half, with freshly pressed Cuban bread, loaded with slow roasted pork topped with ham and Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The sandwich is delicious. The pork, flavorful and tender, is complimented by the ham, Swiss cheese and mustard. You could easily share this sandwich with another person.
Open for lunch and dinner, at 1855 S Reynolds Road next to Olive Garden. sweethavana.com
567-315-8031
