Havana Club Restaurant and Cigar Lounge

Havana Club Restaurant and Cigar Lounge Review

The latest venture from Cubano-phile Raglan Roper, who sailed his boat from Florida to Grand Cayman 20 years ago, stopping off along the way, serves authentic Cuban cuisine (scrumptious Cuban meatballs, crispy fried pork, and near-definitive black-bean soup). Ironically, it's smoke-free, though you can purchase not just Cuban cigars but cigarettes (there's a small adjacent hut for fuming). The back lounge is intimate, with back-to-the-future touches like curved bars and chartreuse walls amid the handsome mahogany furnishings. Live musicians often animate weekend evenings. A state-of-the-art ventilation system ensures the air remains clean. Best of all is meeting and admiring the dexterity of septuagenarian Jesus Lara Perez, the in-house torcedor, or cigar roller, who started working in Cuban factories when he was 14 and has since traveled from the Bahamas to Belgium demonstrating his craft.