{"id":4172,"date":"2012-12-14T15:34:54","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T13:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flyingcigar.de\/?p=4172"},"modified":"2012-12-14T15:35:17","modified_gmt":"2012-12-14T13:35:17","slug":"gourmet-dining-in-havana-lazaro-lachi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/flyingcigar.de\/startseite\/gourmet-dining-in-havana-lazaro-lachi\/","title":{"rendered":"Gourmet Dining in Havana – Lazaro “Lachi”"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"You lose some, you win some, you never know what’s next.<\/p>\n

That might be the culinary motto in Havana where Paladares will open and close and cooks make a place tall or fall.<\/p>\n

My greatest disappointment this trip was the down fall of La Moraleja, a paladar that I loved for its atmosphere, the food, the service, basically my favourite of them all.<\/p>\n

But as soon as I stepped inside the charmed garden locale this time I knew the magic was gone.<\/p>\n

The lush flowery screened roof was gone and replaced by a timber rood that stifled the patio.<\/p>\n

Worse : Ernesto, the genial cook no longer works there.<\/p>\n

Their signature octopus salad came drowned in grated cheese and the octopus was hard to find.<\/p>\n

And I also received negative comments about the place from long-time Havana residents where I look for new addresses and advice.<\/p>\n

So : I rather eat my earlier words of praise and not eat there again.<\/p>\n

La Fontana and El Templete maintain their high standards along with La Carboncita. Another fine new place is Riomar, a seafood based place at the end of 3-rd Ave.<\/p>\n

But the most amazing discovery I made, guided by my good friend Luis and his wife, was a place I would not have considered entering, never mind given eating there a second thought. I’d have left the place rather quickly had I been on my own.<\/p>\n

A garishly painted locale that would give you eye cancer, quite standard in its “Italian” ambience, with red-white and green painted pillars, a basic Italian menu, music that won’t let you have a conversation and an owner who basically just sits glued by the cash register smoking fags and wearing clothes you wouldn’t bring your trash down to the bin in – and one of the most talented young Cuban chefs I’ve met so far.<\/p>\n

In his early-forties Lazaro, or Lachi as he is fondly called by his friends, wants to “make it” in Havana.<\/p>\n

He has left the state run restaurants in Varadero where he was well known for his creativity and accepted a short term contract in this trattoria just to put his foot into Havana.<\/p>\n

Serious, straight, informed, knowledgeable, creative, inspired, humble, intelligent, approachable and a fellow cigar smoker – he should be every restaurant’s center-piece artist and be sought after.<\/p>\n

Let’s hope his dream comes true – he certainly deserves it.<\/p>\n

We had three dinners with Lazaro – one where we tested the starters and where he startled us with different octopus salads.<\/p>\n

A second more serious “surprise us” dinner, where he put his emphasis on texture and left us amazed and a last dinner with the group of German friends from Hamburg that I’d consider serious gourmands.<\/p>\n

All of these dinners were complete and finger-licking successes and we could see how much potential Lazaro would have if he’d be in a proper gourmet restaurant able to realize and implement his huge creativity.<\/p>\n

I certainly will follow Lachi in his search to make a name in Havana and I certainly hope and wish he makes it.<\/p>\n

All my gastronomically interested friends who have had the chance to let Lachi offer them a menu have been enthusiastic about their culinary experience.<\/p>\n

If necessary I’ll just put on some dark sunglasses next February, endure the paintwork and just concentrate on what’s on the plate.<\/p>\n

After all, that’s where the proof is.<\/p>\n

Nino<\/strong><\/p>\n

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