Havana restaurants & paladares (Video)

Hello,

Renting a property is not such an issue in Havana, the main issue is owner the business as foreign nationals are not permitted to own any business in Cuba.  Large hotels are often in partnership with the government where the Cuban government takes 51% or more of the profit.

Water and electricity supply is a main issue, the Cuban government has announced recently that Cuba will be going through a special period again.  Water supply has always been a problem in Cuba, I recalled not having a single drop of water for an entire week.

Acquiring ingredients can be very difficult, Havana often go through a period weeks without any chicken or beef.  Shops only supply basic cooking ingredients such as ground cumin, total salon, sugar and salt.  Speaking of salt, there were no salt anywhere for almost 2 months.  Black pepper and other cooking sauces are unheard of in Cuban shops.  Occasionally, we do get barbecue sauce, worcestershire sauce and soya sauce but supply is not consistent.

All the best,

Novella

Strange...i came from Havana in April, after 6months in Cuba. I could buy everything i needed, including chicken. Rice, 5 pesos the pound,chicken about 4cuc/kilo,cheese,salt. Sugar, brown or white at choice,fruits and vegetables in public markets,and pork in carnicerias or directly from producer. My wife has a cafeteria and never misses what she needs to prepare and sell the food, and she can offer daily 4 or 5 chouces minimum. So something is wrong in your post Novella

I also would like to see a link to those announcements u talk about,cause i very rare had electricity cuts in 6 months and never for more than 3-4 hours. Water never missed
May i know where u live in Havana?

Hello,

I do not have the link, but you can go to www.havanatimes.org and type in "Cuba Looming Crisis", dated
July 21, 2016.

I lived in Central Havana, near Neptune.  We did indeed had a one week shortage of water during May 2015.  I must say, electricity supply in residential areas were constant, as you have mentioned, a few hours of black out, at most.  However, public sectors and shops often face electricity cuts and it seems to be getting worse.  Speaking of this, I was speaking to my friend who lives in Vedado today and she told me the shop she works at did not have any electricity yesterday and she was sent home.

Regarding to chicken, I was referring to chicken breast and thighs which were out of stock for nearly 2 months in 2015.  Also, we did not have toilet papers for weeks, nothing at all in Havana.  Its true that ingredients is a huge issue for restaurant owners in Havana.  There is a beautiful restaurant owned by a
Swedish gentleman in Centro Havana, Lealtdad y Campanario (off Neptuno).  I can't remember the name, to save my life, I have always been horrible at remembering names.  He is a very friendly and helpful gentleman, I think he will be a good person to speak about a restaurant.

Best wishes,

Novella

There is a link
http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2016/ … 5p8gOjhDIU
and as u can see not only there is out of question a crisis but more, they opened the first ENGROS store .I live in Marianao which is a popular barrio, and i found chicken , cheese, and all the basic i ever needed, and that was in 2015 and 2016; and for those who can afford, in calle 51 there were stores selling in cuc, and always full of people buying (strange for a country where people are dying of starving....)
For the water, where i live, one day we have one day not, but we have a water tank big enough, so we fill it in days with water and is big enough to have water for 3-4 other days.
On the other hand, i wonder how did you resist so long without food...as for the toilet paper, yes i had that too from the same stores.

Hello,

I think you have missed the point, we never said everybody is starving in Cuba, we are talking about the inconsistency of supplies and the lack of selection, which are well known facts.

Just because they have open a sort of "Wholesale store" does not mean the end of the problems or crisis.  There have been stores in every corner of Havana, women with immaculately manicured nails and hair perfectly dyed, men drinking Bucanaro does not mean that problems don't exist. 

Cuban media is known to have always painted a perfect portrait, far from what is actually happening.  You might want to start reading news that's reported outside of Cuba.  That way, you will get the facts of what
really is going on.

Situation in Cuba always raises passion on both sides of the fence or straits or airports.
Having been fully aware of the situation in Cuba and many of its provinces, mainly in the east, since 1994, there has never a time to be in Cuba as it is now. Many things persist, but life has gotten considerably easier. Cuba is Cuba, and cannot be compared to other countries, because of its uniqueness.
I have to be honest, when I am traveling, currently in London, I enjoy the cities, culture and food, but I do miss La Habana!
Cuba is not perfect but it is a far more human society than other countries in the hemisphere.

@Nivella
First of all, OnCuba is based in Miami,the link i put there, specially to avoid "cuban media",so i think is yours to check your sources not mine, i did it you obviously didnt
I strongly doubt u live in Cuba and again i am talking from my own experiences.  According to you , this is exactly the situation, there is a total crisis.
I can send you directions of stores where i personally bought everything i needed, in Marianao,Playa or Vedado
And you talk about your friend who has a restaurant but is unable to get what he needsMy wife can, other people i know can they also, why cant your friend?

Havana restaurants & paladares: (Fresh link to the video)
Click to view video
youtu.be/2Xjw-vNYEhQ

Restaurants in Havana are not just a place to eat, some of them are already centuries old, weather it is the food, the décor, the ambiance, or all of it together, for the most part, they make a statement.

Paladares or, family restaurants, is the new business in Cuba. Is seems that for decades, people really “Really!” missed good eating and the gourmet dishes offered in Havana before 1959. These places can get very creative, and there is no need for a liquor license…???