Experience Havana - in a meal!

Eat Cuba. The flavors and smells of Cuban cooking can transport diners instantly to a far away land. And at Rincon Habanero– Havana Corner – the music, decoration and people will take you to the exotic island while you dine on Plantains Stuffed with Seafood, Moro (Cuban style black beans and rice), Cuban Yucca al Mojo (boiled cassava served with garlic and lemon sauce) and succulent Pernil, a traditional Cuban pork loin slow baked so it stays juicy, moist and full of the signature flavor. Located on Via Argentina, right across from El Trapiche restaurant, you can eat a typical plate of food for around $7 and feel like you are in another country.

Craft work from Cuba.

Jose Manuel Rodriguez opened the restaurant in late 2005 and says that his venue is a popular spot for Cubans in Panama, especially musical artists. While dining, you might see Adalberto Alvarez, the Orquesta Anago’n, Los Van-Van and Carlos Varela at a neighboring table in the small restaurant. A large screen is always broadcasting one of Rodriguez 100-some DVDs of musical presentations, from big band, to salsa to modern day Cuban hip-hop. Tell him what you want to hear as you order an authentic Cuban beer or a “mojito” made with real Cuban rum.

Browse through the CDs on sale, Rodriguez is the distributor of Cuban music in Panama so he has it all. Cuban tobaccos and cigars are on sale, which seals the deal on The Visitor’s classification of Rincon Habanero as a place of cultural interest in addition to a consistently great meal.

Cuban music for sale.

Rodriguez, who has just returned from a visit home to Cuba, was reluctant to say too much about how his people feel regarding their new leader or the fact that citizens are now allowed to buy cell phones and use the Internet. He smiled with a far-away look in his eyes, “People don’t have much there, but they are happy,” he said.

The small restaurant is welcoming and charming.
Check their selection of CDs, cigars, and memorobila from Cuba.

Putting a Twist on it

A burger, pad thai or fettucini, sir?

Where to begin in describing TWIST? Let’s start with the name; it was chosen because the cuisine offered is a ‘twist’ on the usual fare found in most restaurants. You want Pad Thai? It’s on the menu. Pasta? It’s there. Fish…a burger…a steak… or Tom Yam Kung soup…or…. well, you get the idea. The varied menu manages to satisfy almost any taste. Yet another twist is the décor that reminds me of a small restaurant in Beverly Hills, what with the sophisticated padded ceiling, subtle black and orange color scheme and eclectic decorative art.

But there is more to TWIST than just a quirky name….there is the food.

The list of appetizers offered is your first clue that you are in for a treat. My party were hungry for shrimp in all its variations, so we started with Steamed Shrimp Dumplings ($8.00), delightful bite-sized Asian dumplings stuffed with a delicious shrimp mixture, steamed, then served with a piquant dipping sauce. The pasta-like wrappers were both firm and a perfect flavor counterpoint to the rich filling. Extremely good. Shrimp Wontons ($8.00) were crisp and flavorful as were the Fried Shrimp with Shredded Coconut ($10.00). Tom Yam Kung soup was a milder version of the fiery Thai original and may be ordered at any level of heat, if any, that you might like. But beware; Thai chili oil is a potent and slow acting ingredient...proceed slowly. Added to our list was the New York Burger ($6.00) cut into fourths. Appetizers, soup, burger, all good. An excellent beginning!

But can the trend continue? Read on.

Pad Thai ($13.00) is a difficult dish to find in Panamá City as there are no Thai restaurants, so I was anxious to see how Twist might make up for this omission. Needless to say, our Thai chef certainly knows his country’s cuisine…it was excellent! Add a moderate dollop of Chili Sauce and the dish is pure noodle, shrimp and crushed peanut heaven! Large enough for two persons, this ample dish is a‘must try’. Imperial Rice ($13.00) was a succulently rich rice concoction served in a hollowed out pineapple! It works as either a meal or as a side dish for four…. simple, but also simply delicious! Red Snapper in Black Bean Sauce ($15.00) consisted of a very large whole fried fish whose succulent flesh easily separated from the bone. Although slightly overcooked, the flavor of the tender fish was perfectly balanced by a not-too-pungent black bean sauce, the combination of the two adding up to a delicious meal. To balance such an Asian-centric meal, we sampled the Roasted Pork Tenderloins in Mango Chutney ($12.00) and were rewarded with a tender, generous portion of pork, rich with flavor and delightfully accented by an extremely well made chutney sauce (so well made, in fact, that I would have loved to take a jar home to enjoy!). Al dente vegetables complimented the fish and pork dishes.

The service staff is informed and attentive without being intrusive, friendly without being forward…a perfect combination… and a positive influence on the overall enjoyment the evening had to offer. Without a doubt, TWIST has definitely taken its rightful place on my list of Top Five Favorite Restaurants!