Sitting right at the waterfront in Caye Caulker Belize, is a little restaurant called La Cubana. It called to our hungry bellies with its colorful signs and enticing food options, so in we went. We sat halfway between inside and outside, it was still covered on top, but we had sand at our feet and open sides to enjoy the breeze. I can't lie, when we went in here I was cranky and hangry after a long bus ride from Placenia to Belize city and then a choppy boat ride that felt like it would never end. I just wanted to sleep, but my rumbling belly won the battle here, as it usually does.
I'll be honest, my first food impression was...not good. I didn't even take a picture of it. My pork sandwich was so unappealing and had very little flavor. If I remember correctly, it was also quite dry. However my travel partner, Christina, was having a completely different experience with her tacos and boy was I envious. Being the sweet lady that she is, she gave me some of her meal and my attitude towards La Cubana did a 180 VERY quickly. Wow. The marinade on the meat was perfect and packed with tons of flavor, it was like night and day between the two dishes. Those tacos brought me back to life. In fact, this dish is the only reason we decided to give them a second visit, and possibly the killer drink special going on as well...I do have a soft spot for rum drinks.
The second time we went back I knew to look for something on the menu that had more descriptors to, hopefully, indicate more flavor. I did NOT want a pork sandwich repeat. This time I opted for the Chicken Paella, which is a dish I have been attempting to recreate the magic of, but still can't get it right. I don't know what they did to it but I was in love. The seasoning, the garlic, the fluffy rice, the tender and juicy chicken, the whole dish was a symphony of flavors that had me singing right along. I still crave that dish to this day, actually I want it right now after all this talk about it! Christina's curry was also delightful, but I think she preferred my paella, I'm telling you, if you're in Caye Caulker go to La Cubana and eat all the paella you can!
Overall La Cubana seems to be hit or miss with their reviews, depending on what the person had. When these guys get it right, they really get it right and it's definitely worth popping in and trying out. I'd just steer clear of the sandwiches, personally!
If you want to see some other reviews and insights on foods we didn't eat, especially in regards to seafood, check out their Trip Advisor page: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g291963-d2436847-Reviews-La_Cubana-Caye_Caulker_Belize_Cayes.html
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