eating in cuba

[Ken Gargett]

from the food republic website

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2015/03/30/how-eat-well-cuba-challenging-subject

[JohnS]

Love that pig! Also, option 6, a motherly lady willing to cook home-made food reminds me of my Garandmother's homestyle meals when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing, Ken.

[Ken Gargett]

in truth, the one thing that you do not go to cuba for is the food.

[moryc]

in truth, the one thing that you do not go to cuba for is the food.

Actually it really depends where you go. We found a couple of gems where the food is amazing.

1. Royalton Cayo Santa Maria - All the restaurants are a la carte. The chef is from Canada so the food at the restaurants is on the level you would at restaurants that I have been to locally. The breakfast is also a la carte with eggs, bacon, pan cakes, french toast etc made to order. The only buffet there is, is more of a 1/2 buffet for breakfast and that is the deli meats, cheeses, fruit etc. I am sold on this resort any day. The service is amazing, probably some of the best I experienced at any resort.

2. Melia Buenavista Cayo Santa Maria - same type of deal, although I must admit the food is not as good as Royalton. The breakfast is buffet style and that is where I would say Royalton beats it any day with the quality. The dinners are amazing as well. I spoke with one of the guests there and he told me that his wife is a celiac and the chef made sure that her meals were all gluten free.

I know that Cuba is brutal for the food at resorts, but these two places stand out.

[Baldy]

Actually it really depends where you go. We found a couple of gems where the food is amazing.

1. Royalton Cayo Santa Maria - All the restaurants are a la carte. The chef is from Canada so the food at the restaurants is on the level you would at restaurants that I have been to locally. The breakfast is also a la carte with eggs, bacon, pan cakes, french toast etc made to order. The only buffet there is, is more of a 1/2 buffet for breakfast and that is the deli meats, cheeses, fruit etc. I am sold on this resort any day. The service is amazing, probably some of the best I experienced at any resort.

2. Melia Buenavista Cayo Santa Maria - same type of deal, although I must admit the food is not as good as Royalton. The breakfast is buffet style and that is where I would say Royalton beats it any day with the quality. The dinners are amazing as well. I spoke with one of the guests there and he told me that his wife is a celiac and the chef made sure that her meals were all gluten free.

I know that Cuba is brutal for the food at resorts, but these two places stand out.

Exactly. Like anywhere else you get what you paid for. Of course everybody knows that there is NO crappy food in Canada and/or Australia....anywhere...ever. Having never been on a resort vacation but have been to Cuba many times; my worst food experiences in Cuba is still better and much cheaper than any McDonald's in Canada.

[moryc]

Exactly. Like anywhere else you get what you paid for. Of course everybody knows that there is NO crappy food in Canada and/or Australia....anywhere...ever. Having never been on a resort vacation but have been to Cuba many times; my worst food experiences in Cuba is still better and much cheaper than any McDonald's in Canada.

Plenty of crappy food around, McDonald's must top the list. I will pick a mom and pap shop any time over a chain. I find that the crappiest looking places around here (hole in wall) have the best food, but that is anywhere. When you are served by the owners, it is their livelihood and they put their heart and soul into it and most of the time this means quality amazing food.

If you ever choose to go to a resort I would definitely recommend Royalton. We usually go off season because that place gets pretty expensive during the season. There isn't too much to do in CSM, but Santa Clara is pretty close and they have excursions to Havana. I think its a 40 minute flight, leave in morning and come back in the evening. 200 CUC in season but off season you can go for 140 CUC