Cuban

Nestled in the temperate Caribbean almost equal distance from the coastline of Mexican Cancun and Miami, USA, Cuba remains one of the most unspoilt South American destinations for romantic holidays. Despite its proximity to the States, Cuban cuisine rarely features singularly in the restaurant directories and isn't all that common outside of the Caribbean. Surprising given the diverse array of influences, which include indigenous African, Jamaican and Spanish cooking styles. Chinese characteristics are also found in the regional dishes of Havana – the rice and kidney bean dish of Arroz Congri Oriental being a firm favorite. Of course we doubt you'd order Arroz Congri as part of your main when dining out, which is where the elements of Spanish gastronomy come in. Rope Vieja, a seasoned dish of shredded flank steak in a slightly spicy tomato sauce makes the perfect accompaniment to the staple side platter. If you've ever experienced the taste sensations of Spanish tapas, you'd most certainly enjoy the Afro-Cuban finger foods so popular within the buffet restaurants of America. Croquetas - a Spanish fried breaded roll fusing pate, cheese and Bechamel sauce is a distinctly popular hors d'euvre, along with papas rellenas (beef, wrapped in a sphere of potato and deep-fried). Cuban cuisine is truly a voyage of discovery, since the gastronomy varies from East to West. Cuban variations of paella and empanada made with chicken (pollo) are palate pleasing alternatives to the Spanish variants we've come to know and love.