"Hey, what's yuca?" I hear a customer at the table behind me ask a server. It's one of those perfect Vancouver spring middays, with the ideal amount of sun for a patio lunch, and the patio in question--Havana, on Commercial Drive--has been a local favourite for over 20 years.
But the food questions are new. That's because in November 2017, Havana was taken over by the same team behind the Settlement Building Collective (aka Postmark Brewing, Belgard Kitchen, and the Vancouver Urban Winery), as a part of their focus to bring more restaurants into the fold. Much of Havana is the same, but there's a lot that's fresh and new, including the menu.
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Known for their pitchers of sangria, Latin American food, and that oh-so-awesome patio, Havana has now been infused with even more of the spirit of, well, Havana itself.
Getting to Havana--the restaurant--wasn't necessarily how the team planned on adding a new space to the portfolio, explains Brand Director and Partner Steve Thorp. He and business partners Wayne Holm and Reuben Major were in search of a spot for about two years. Thorp says they wanted to move into a spot that would fit with Settlement's brand, and they were drawn to the quirkiness of Commercial Drive, home to several longstanding businesses with loyal followings.
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Thorp says he joked with their real estate agent that Havana would be a great pick and to reach out to the owners to see if they would been interested in parting with their business after 21 years.
As it turns out, the answer was yes.
Though the new Havana partners took over a few months ago, they didn't immediately rebrand and renovate, but rather took some time to run things as-is. Just about all of the staff opted to stay on board, which means there are familiar faces all around in addition to the new faces that have come on board the growing team.
In early 2018, Havana closed and underwent an impressive 19-day renovation. Fear not--the walls with all the names carved in remained intact, and are now uncluttered and a true focal point.
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Thorp and his team traveled to both Miami, Florida and Havana, Cuba to soak up as much Cuban culture, flavours, and colours as possible, bringing home memories, influences, and treasures that made their way into the restaurant.
Take the vibrant painting of the cigar-smoking man on the back wall; Thorp came upon the piece while popping into the artist's Havana gallery one night, and took the canvas off the frame to roll it up and get it home safely. Just above the paintings are a series of woven light fixtures Thorp collected to create a retro-chic installation for the back dining area.
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
More hints of visiting Cuba come in the form of vintage travel posters, which adorn another wall inside. Just on the other side is the open, revamped bar area, infused with tons of light that angles in from the street-facing windows in the other room. An open kitchen adds to the overall freshness of the space.
For the menu, Managing Partner (and one of Belgard's former chefs) Major and Havana Executive Chef Andrew Hounslow worked to meld the authentic flavours and dishes of Cuba with a West Coast sensibility. Gone were the French Fries from the previous Havana menu, subbed out for yuca fries with a spicy aioli for dipping.
Yuca is a traditional root veggie used in Cuban cuisine; for their fries, Major says they do a triple-fry method that gives the end result of a fry with just the right snap on the outside with a creamy interior.
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Havana offers a daily lunch/brunch service, packed with everything from a Cubano sandwich to rice bowls, fresh tacos, burgers (Cuban Hamburguesas), and skillets, like the Cubano Completo, Havana's nod to the "full English" breakfast starring braised beans, chorizo infused with Postmark beer, poached eggs, tomatoes, and a side of Cuban fry bread--perfect for sopping up all that savoury sauce.
On the weekends, Havana bumps up the brunch offerings, and they also do a daily dinner service, with dishes like elote (street corn), ceviche, roasted chicken, grilled octopus, a squid-ink paella, flatbreads and tacos, salads, and more.
For drinks, you bet there are sangria selections by the pitcher or glass, plus custom house cocktails, like their mojito that comes in a tin can. They're also pouring from an all-B.C. wine lineup, and, of course, Postmark beers.
Oh, and don't forget to order some of those yuca fries. They're the real deal.
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome
Havana is located at 1212 Commercial Drive in Vancouver.
