Trader Vic's/Polinesio, Havana, Cuba (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

N'' nui 'umi 'umi Tiki Socialite La Mirada Atoll Joined: Feb 21, 2011 Posts: 2718	N'' nui 'umi 'umi Posted posted on Fri, Oct 30, 2015 10:36 PM Hey Ace, Always good to hear from you. The drinks were excellent, especially since many ingredients for tiki and vintage drinks are hard to come by at this time. Osvaldo the barkeep/manager likes to create drinks. The ‘Specials” that he made for my wife were excellent. I had Mai Tai’s and he kept apologizing cuz he did not have any orgeat. I kept drinking em cuz they were very good although I suspect that I would have liked swampwater given that I was in such a magical location wid the love of my life. Regarding the food-we only had Pupu’s. They were okay. The staff at Polineso were awesome and amazed at our interest and knowledge of tiki (Mahalo Tiki Central). The chef and the waitress on duty came over to talk with us. They have a deep interest in the U.S.A. and had many questions. This was also true of the people of Cuba that we had contact with. I like to mingle with the locals wherever I go. Imo, Cubano’s have a huge thirst for all things American. Because of my fluent Spanish and my brown skin, the Bartenders and waiters at the Hotel National (were we stayed) kept jokingly calling me Cubano and said I had to stay. I was told that Cuban food was bland. I found it to be very tasty even though to my surprise chile is not used in Cuba. Very little beef, lotsa pork, chicken, and fish. Dark beans(delicious) , rice, and plantains with every lunch and dinner. Best of all a bottle of Havana club 3 is set at your table in case your mojito or Cuba Libre needs fortifying. I had “Crystal” and “Bucanero” beer at various locations.They are the #1 and #2 beers in Havana right now. I preferred the #2, Bucanero. I also tried some of the Havana club 15 which was excellent however I actually liked the HC 7 yr. mo betta old which is what you get when you order rum neat at the Hotel National. One small piece of ice makes it perfecto! Went to a tobacco Farm at the west end of the island and my wife who never smoked in her life had a freshly rolled Panatella stuck in her mouth. After a few puffs she said that it was very pleasant. Everywhere we went the Cuban people were simply gracious-can’t wait to go back. [ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2015-11-01 21:47 ]

Hey Ace, Always good to hear from you. The drinks were excellent, especially since many ingredients for tiki and vintage drinks are hard to come by at this time. Osvaldo the barkeep/manager likes to create drinks. The ‘Specials” that he made for my wife were excellent. I had Mai Tai’s and he kept apologizing cuz he did not have any orgeat. I kept drinking em cuz they were very good although I suspect that I would have liked swampwater given that I was in such a magical location wid the love of my life. Regarding the food-we only had Pupu’s.
They were okay. The staff at Polineso were awesome and amazed at our interest and knowledge of tiki (Mahalo Tiki Central). The chef and the waitress on duty came over to talk with us. They have a deep interest in the U.S.A. and had many questions. This was also true of the people of Cuba that we had contact with. I like to mingle with the locals wherever I go. Imo, Cubano’s have a huge thirst for all things American. Because of my fluent Spanish and my brown skin, the Bartenders and waiters at the Hotel National (were we stayed) kept jokingly calling me Cubano and said I had to stay.
I was told that Cuban food was bland. I found it to be very tasty even though to my surprise chile is not used in Cuba. Very little beef, lotsa pork, chicken, and fish. Dark beans(delicious) , rice, and plantains with every lunch and dinner. Best of all a bottle of Havana club 3 is set at your table in case your mojito or Cuba Libre needs fortifying. I had “Crystal” and “Bucanero” beer at various locations.They are the #1 and #2 beers in Havana right now. I preferred the #2, Bucanero. I also tried some of the Havana club 15 which was excellent however I actually liked the HC 7 yr. mo betta old which is what you get when you order rum neat at the Hotel National. One small piece of ice makes it perfecto! Went to a tobacco Farm at the west end of the island and my wife who never smoked in her life had a freshly rolled Panatella stuck in her mouth. After a few puffs she said that it was very pleasant. Everywhere we went the Cuban people were simply gracious-can’t wait to go back.

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2015-11-01 21:47 ]

Post #753408 by nui 'umi 'umi on Fri, Oct 30, 2015 10:36 PM