So you thought you could quietly open your doors last Friday and keep your arrival quiet? Not so fast Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant. We’ve found you and we’re spilling the beans! Good news about new, good restaurants travels fast! This is not the first Habana Blues Tapas Restaurant in the Louisville area (there’s one in New Albany), but it’s sure a lot closer for people looking for a good meal on the east end of town.
From some of the same team who brought us Mojito Tapas in the Holiday manor shopping center comes this new Cuban offering. Anyone tired of waiting in line will quickly gravitate to this location at the corner of Westport and Hurstbourne next to Walgreens (Isn’t everything next to a Walgreens)?
My favorite encounter with the tapas concept comes from a trip years ago to Barcelona Spain. Tonight’s adventure gave me fewer frequent flyer miles but just as tasty.
Our first taste was an appetizer: Guacamole con Chicharritas – Avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and red onions. Served with plantain chips. Tasty, not to spicy (my wife Norine appreciated that). For a taste of a varity of foods try the Tapas Samplers. Tapeo Criollo – 1 papa rellena (mashed potato ball stuffed with ground beef), 1 empanada de pollo (fried flaky pastry stuffed with chicken ropa vieja), 1 toston relleno (fried green plantain cup stuffed with the house ceviche), and 3 yuca bites (mashed yuca stuffed with jalapeno cheese). Served with red pepper sour crea, salsa antillana (cocktail sauce), and smoked honey.
Very good for starters, but I also have to recommended Mejillones al Sofrito – Blue mussels sauteed on a Creole tomato and wine sauce, topped with fresh cilantro and served with bread. WOW! I could have made a meal out of the plump mussles and very tasty Creole tomato and wine sauce.
To round out the meal my wife and I tried the Solomillo al Cabrales – Grilled beef tenderloin served over garlic mashed potatoes. Topped with Cabrales bleu cheese and finished with a port wine reduction and we also tried Ropa Vieja de Carne which included shredded beef slowly cooked in a creole!
Total bill about $50 bucks , not bad considering we were really stuffed walking out of there. We really loved the menu and luckily there were only a few people tonight who found this place. That will change and the crowds will come. But this place deserves to be packed. Good food will always find an audience!
Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.
