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

Anybody who is thinking to go, but not with an organized tour: I know a great local guide who knows the city and all the vintage time warp places. She speaks English, and can show you the sites that we love.

Hit me up on Facebook if you want the info.

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I don't want to derail this thread from it's focus so I'll message people privately for extra info as needed.

Went to an estate sale this past weekend in Foster City. A lot of the items belonged to a previous general manager of Trader Vic's. Among the items was this binder:

It's food recipes (not drinks). They were asking $195 for it, which was too rich for me. They did however let me photograph every page. :) So I have a record of the whole thing! I have it saved it as a 20M PDF. If anyone is interested in a copy, PM me.

On 2018-02-13 14:12, TQTQTQ wrote:
Went to an estate sale this past weekend in Foster City. A lot of the items belonged to a previous general manager of Trader Vic's. Among the items was this binder:

It's food recipes (not drinks). They were asking $195 for it, which was too rich for me. They did however let me photograph every page. :) So I have a record of the whole thing! I have it saved it as a 20M PDF. If anyone is interested in a copy, PM me.

PM sent, thank you for your generosity. Hope yahoo lets me receive that large of a file.

Thanks again,
howlinowl

PM also sent.

Hell of a find! I wonder if they still have it??

I have seen photos of the Cocktail companion book to this one from the Havana Trader Vic's, which is in possession of Trader Vic's corporate

What a find. Odd they would ask so much for it at an estate sale with such a limited audience and time table to sell. But super cool they would allow you to photograph the entire thing free of charge. I expect they'll list it on ebay after the sale is over and it remains unsold. PM sent.

With the help of TQTQTQ, I was able to get more information on the book. It did not sell at the estate sale and a son of the deceased family member ended up taking the book with him back to Texas. No additional information, or offers of more information, were made by the person(s) who ran the estate sale. I'm thinking of asking more questions which might lead to the son in Texas, but the way these estate sales often go, the operators just want to move on to the next gig and avoid guys like me who ask questions after the fact.

Fun stuff. Great find though. It's worth some additional effort.

Thank you TQTQTQ for sharing your laborious PDF.

Those of us that have perused it now know that the food ingredient "Mai Kai" (as if you were wondering!) is a code word for... ________.

I'd share it here but I'll leave it to someone else to divulge. Guesses are welcome.

"I'd share it here but I'll leave it to someone else to divulge. Guesses are welcome."

There are many what the heck is that Ings in these recipes.

What is thick Soy sauce, that sweet soy sauce maybe.

This book is so cool I think I would have ended up buying it.
Can you imagine how many hours went into putting it together.

I had to sign wavers saying I would not steal recipes from places I worked at, of course I did anyway.

Thanks for posting this Tanya!!!

On 2018-02-15 14:39, tikiskip wrote:

This book is so cool I think I would have ended up buying it.

I'm with you there, Skip. I didn't realize how dense this thing was til I opened the PDF. Wow! 200 bucks is steep but most estate sale companies go half off on the final day or atleast take offers. I wouldn't have hesitated to own this one of a kind item for 100 bucks. $200 would have me conflicted but ultimately I would have caved.

Ace, I say do your damnedest to track its current whereabouts and try to get it into the community.

Thanks Mike, I am continuing with my efforts. The sale organizer has not yet replied to my last follow-up message and I'm trying to keep this moving forward.

In seven trips to La Habana since August 2016 working on a book project about the cars of Cuba
when they were new, I must have walked past the Polinesio two dozen times, always waiting for
the right moment to stop in. It finally happened last month, and what an experience!

Upon entrance you are transported back to another era, with a mood that can be best described
as ultra-swank, and I felt the urge to see if Fulgencia Batista and Conrad Hilton were seated
in one of the comfy booths in the bar, plotting their next grand project. It's that cool. I was
instantly reminded of my first Trader Vic's experience, in 1973 at the International Marketplace
in Waikiki while we were visiting my brother who was stationed on Oahu.

Batista was all smiles viewing this model, in a photo sourced from a Cuban friend.

Press photo of an architectural model of the Habana Hilton from my collection.

A photographer friend and I arrived at 2:30 for a couple of drinks and a late lunch, and we
had the place all to ourselves. Seated by the large window-walls on the far side past the bar,
the view of bustling Calle 23 was stellar and our server, Ramon suggested we try Mojitos,
"the best in La Habana." Walking around taking in the joint's fabulosity while waiting for
the food, I saw that Ramon was also the bartender and he was correct, the Mojitos he prepared
were killer! (This from one who generally dislikes Mojitos). The Pollo Ahumado a la Barbacoa
Polinesio (roasted half-chicken) was served with brown rice topped with grated cheese and ham,
and rates as the best meal I've had yet, priced at 8CUC ($8US). The chicken was perfectly-cooked,
moist, slightly smokey and even the rice was memorable.

Finally, as a few more diners began to arrive, Ramon explained in his excellent English that he
works 12-hour shifts every other day, and told us about the happy hour from 4-8pm daily, with 1CUC
Mojitos, Cuba Libres, Daiquiris and Rum Collins drinks in shorty glasses (the regular cocktails cost
3CUC). We came back a couple of days later for happy hour (the DJ's boombox music was loud and fun,
and the bar was crowded with locals hanging out), and then once more for dinner in the incredible
time-capsule.

The Polinesio is my "new favorite place" in a city that is becoming more and more familiar with
each visit, and I'll take more pics on my return later this year. Travel to Cuba is still relatively
easy even with the recent restrictions, as long as you have a well-scheduled plan in Support of the
Cuban People, or one of the other 12 official authorized categories. I go there as a free-lance
journalist and photographer, and research keeps me near archives and ephemera vendors in La Habana;
I'll venture out to the rest of the country on future trips. In addition to the book project, two other
photogs and I have a gallery show of our Cuba work this September.

I was well aware of the restaurant's Trader Vic's past before venturing in, but what a thrill to
discover this Tiki Central thread (and others) to learn so much more here. Thanks!

A circa-1959 photo from the Sierra Maestra Panoramic room.

Here are a couple of tips....When you're at the Habana Libre, take the elevator to the
Sierra Maestra Panoramic room on the 25th floor and get a wide shot of the city.
You'll be glad you did!

...And if you don't like Mojitos, Daiquiris or Rum Collins, have a Cuba Libre!

1955 Chrysler Windsor on Calle 23 seen from our table.

Salud!
Tom Gibson

Welcome, Tom! Excellent post, mate! Lovely pics.

On 2018-02-28 21:02, LaHabana57 wrote:
In seven trips to La Habana since August 2016 working on a book project about the cars of Cuba
when they were new, I must have walked past the Polinesio two dozen times, always waiting for
the right moment to stop in. It finally happened last month, and what an experience!

Upon entrance you are transported back to another era, with a mood that can be best described
as ultra-swank, and I felt the urge to see if Fulgencia Batista and Conrad Hilton were seated
in one of the comfy booths in the bar, plotting their next grand project. It's that cool. I was
instantly reminded of my first Trader Vic's experience, in 1973 at the International Marketplace
in Waikiki while we were visiting my brother who was stationed on Oahu.

Batista was all smiles viewing this model, in a photo sourced from a Cuban friend.

Press photo of an architectural model of the Habana Hilton from my collection.

A photographer friend and I arrived at 2:30 for a couple of drinks and a late lunch, and we
had the place all to ourselves. Seated by the large window-walls on the far side past the bar,
the view of bustling Calle 23 was stellar and our server, Ramon suggested we try Mojitos,
"the best in La Habana." Walking around taking in the joint's fabulosity while waiting for
the food, I saw that Ramon was also the bartender and he was correct, the Mojitos he prepared
were killer! (This from one who generally dislikes Mojitos). The Pollo Ahumado a la Barbacoa
Polinesio (roasted half-chicken) was served with brown rice topped with grated cheese and ham,
and rates as the best meal I've had yet, priced at 8CUC ($8US). The chicken was perfectly-cooked,
moist, slightly smokey and even the rice was memorable.

Finally, as a few more diners began to arrive, Ramon explained in his excellent English that he
works 12-hour shifts every other day, and told us about the happy hour from 4-8pm daily, with 1CUC
Mojitos, Cuba Libres, Daiquiris and Rum Collins drinks in shorty glasses (the regular cocktails cost
3CUC). We came back a couple of days later for happy hour (the DJ's boombox music was loud and fun,
and the bar was crowded with locals hanging out), and then once more for dinner in the incredible
time-capsule.

The Polinesio is my "new favorite place" in a city that is becoming more and more familiar with
each visit, and I'll take more pics on my return later this year. Travel to Cuba is still relatively
easy even with the recent restrictions, as long as you have a well-scheduled plan in Support of the
Cuban People, or one of the other 12 official authorized categories. I go there as a free-lance
journalist and photographer, and research keeps me near archives and ephemera vendors in La Habana;
I'll venture out to the rest of the country on future trips. In addition to the book project, two other
photogs and I have a gallery show of our Cuba work this September.

I was well aware of the restaurant's Trader Vic's past before venturing in, but what a thrill to
discover this Tiki Central thread (and others) to learn so much more here. Thanks!

A circa-1959 photo from the Sierra Maestra Panoramic room.

Here are a couple of tips....When you're at the Habana Libre, take the elevator to the
Sierra Maestra Panoramic room on the 25th floor and get a wide shot of the city.
You'll be glad you did!

...And if you don't like Mojitos, Daiquiris or Rum Collins, have a Cuba Libre!

1955 Chrysler Windsor on Calle 23 seen from our table.

Salud!
Tom Gibson

[ Edited by: Hakalugi - Inserted Tom's post as I didn't want to see his great post/photos drop to the previous page! - 2018-03-01 11:08 ]

Wow, great post! So sad I didn't know about the Sierra Maestra Panoramic room. What a treat that would have been.

I still daydream of Havana all the time and wish we could make another trip out there and explore the countryside. On a different Cuba thread I posted a bunch of Polinesio pics that I feel should be shared here as well. Here's an excerpt from my trip log...

On 2017-05-04 11:44, mikehooker wrote:

The Habana Libre (formerly Havana Hilton) was directly across the street. It had some amazing design aspects including the 16 million tile mosaic.

And fun ceiling.

But our motivation lie elsewhere. Down in the basement.

We sat at the bar and Oswaldo greeted us with menus. Hey, those look familiar!

We got to talking and before you know it he brought out a bunch of goodies from his collection to show us.

The self proclaimed "Tiki Man" gave us the grand tour, showing off his "son," this Barney West carved tiki that is signed on the bottom.

The former Trader Vic's is an immaculate time capsule with so much wonderful eye candy.

And of course the Chinese ovens.

We had three rounds of drinks. Everyone's favorite was the Pirata, which is a twist on a Pina Colada and served in a newly manufactured skull mug.

I forget what it's called on the menu, but their equivalent of a Fog Cutter was pretty good as well. You might want to avoid the Mai Tai which comes out red.

The secret ingredient of the Pirata is the coconut liqueur which is very fragrant. We scoured the city endlessly in search of a bottle. We saw every other flavor variation imaginable from Mulata and had finally given up the search until alas, in our final hour in Havana, sitting on the shelf at Duty Free...

For the sake of non-redundancy, here are a few more pics I never posted...

Glorious, unscathed interior.

And some pre-Revolution pics of pics from Oswaldo's scrapbook of fancy free folks imbibing. I know some major celebrities frequented there in its short existence as Trader Vics. Recognize anyone?

I want one of those coconut mugs. They appear to be different shape and size than the ones you commonly see. Wonder if they are stamped Havana.

Wow, LaHabana57, I wish my first post had been half as incredible as yours was. Welcome! I hope you’ll share more about your book, too.

Wow, great post! So sad I didn't know about the Sierra Maestra Panoramic room. What a treat that would have been.

I still daydream of Havana all the time and wish we could make another trip out there and explore the countryside. On a different Cuba thread I posted a bunch of Polinesio pics that I feel should be shared here as well. Here's an excerpt from my trip log...

Thanks Mike and Hamo. It's great to see so much info and detail shots of the Polinesio.

I'll add a bit more to bigbrotiki's post and the 21 Club seen in "I Am Cuba."...

This is the Twenty One Club's listing in the 1958 Havana telephone directory.

The entrance for the 21 Club was directly across from the arched entrance to the Hotel Capri.
On the far right, we can see the "S-a-l" of the Salon Rojo, the former Casino de Capri,
in which the actor George Raft had a stake before the revolution.

George Raft is seen here in 1958 acting as a greeter at the Casino de Capri's door.

I'm very familiar with this corner, as my friend Bill Rush and I took this Chaika M14 limo to Habana Vieja,
my first ride in one the cars left behind when the Russians left Cuba. Same price as a regular taxi, 10CUC,
and something everyone should do at least once.

Before piling into the Chaika, we had a couple of cervezas at the new club, Havana's 21, at left under the
blue awnings. I've marked the entrance to the 21 Club where the scenes from "I Am Cuba" were shot.

The Mid Century Modern apartment building "21 y N" was designed by the firm of Lanz-Del Pozo.
http://www.arquitecturacuba.com/2008/12/vicente-lanz-y-margot-del-pozo-ii.html

While having those cervezas, this 1957 Imperial stopped in front of the Salon Rojo to drop off passengers,
and I raced out of Havana's 21 to get this cool shot of it. Close your eyes, and imagine George Raft
standing in the doorway, welcoming gamblers into his chic casino...

Tom Gibson

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2018-03-02 09:27 ]

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2018-03-02 09:32 ]

Update on the Polinesio...

Tonight a circa-1958 image of three Habana Hilton bartenders popped up on one of the Cuba Recuerdo pages on Facebook. I immediately recognized the gentleman (thanks to bongofury's 2012 post) on the left as Enrique Sainz, the father of current Polinesio bar manager Osvaldo Sainz.

Last October I went back to the Polinesio (the Habana Libre is three blocks from my casa particular) and met Osvaldo Sainz, who's been discussed at length here. I wanted to see the cool picture album with the Trader Vic's opening night pictures, the images of Conrad Hilton, Mitzi Vera-Ellen, Hedda Hooper and the other luminaries in attendance that glorious evening. I mentioned that I'd seen the images of his padre, and he delighted in sharing the album as I sat at the bar during Happy Hour.

In no time he lined up some of the old mugs for the specialty drinks for a photograph...
(The legendary blue photo album is at far right on the back bar).

As the evening progressed, so did the photographs...

I had a gift for Osvaldo, as back in June, 2018 the Buick Club of America published a special Buicks In Cuba issue of their monthly magazine, the Buick Bugle. They gave me 22 pages(!) including the cover for my photography, writing and history of Buicks on the island, and Osvaldo beamed as I signed a copy for him. Here's a link to it if you feel like some light reading, including some travel tips...
https://issuu.com/buickclub/docs/bugle_june_2018_web

Over the three weeks I was there, I spent a number of Happy Hours at the Polinesio, and Osvaldo is now a good friend. He works 12-hour shifts every other day so, if he's not there one day, he will be the next. The entrance, more like a time portal, to the Polinesio is on La Rampa (Avenida 23) in the photo below, where the two cars are in the middle of the block. Lunch and dinner are great, and Happy Hour is from 4-8, featuring 1CUC shorty Mojitos, Daiquiris, Cuba Libres and Rum Collins. Get there early as the booths fill up quickly, usually with locals and nary a turista in sight.

Make sure you ask mi amigo Osvaldo to show you the photo album!

Salud,
Tom Gibson

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2019-04-10 20:04 ]

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2019-04-10 20:08 ]

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2019-04-11 08:21 ]

[ Edited by: LaHabana57 2019-04-11 08:53 ]