Going Cuban in Asheville, NC at Hemingway's
Excellent cocktails at Hemingway’s Cuba to go along with the sunsets Courtesy: Cambria Hotel
AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER
GOING CUBAN IN aSHEVILLE, nC
AT HEMINGWAY’S CUBA
After taking in an exhibition at a local art gallery on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, my husband and I were in the mood for some good Cuban food. We did a little research and asked the locals where they went for this kind of edible fare and got the same response from all…Hemingway’s Cuba.
Located inside the modern Cambria Hotel in a popular area of Asheville, this spot offers some of the best sunsets on the rooftop in the entire city. Firepits with comfortable seating make for great gatherings and there were plenty there on the evening we decided to visit.
After ordering a few wonderful signature cocktails, we settled in to see the mountain views and enjoy the warmth of the fire in sweater weather while we studied the menu and waited on our table. It was already busy and seemed to be a popular spot for after work drinks. This post will give you all the reasons this restaurant needs to be on your radar next time you visit this fun artsy city.
Good info on what the restaurant looks like
SLEEK MODERN HOTEL
Overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains, the downtown Cambria Hotel is a little jewel in the Choice brands line-up. It offers sleek modern design with a sophisticated point of view. The rooms are large and spacious with rustic charm while the amenities offered are many.
Some great spots to pop in for drinks create that relaxed mountain vibe with comfortable sofas and contemporary fireplaces. Great to sit and read or journal about your visit. Authentic Cuban food is offered on the rooftop of course but they also have a sister restaurant right down the street that gives you an option for French bistro cuisine in the form of Isa’s.
Check out their website to see some of the menus offering vast choices for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. Grab yourself a nice Brasstown Steak Tartare or a soothing bowl of French Onion Soup to chase those winter blues away.
As I said above this seemed like a popular after work gathering spot so even though we had an early reservation (which I highly recommend), we still had to wait for our table to be ready. The bar was noisy so we chose to sit outside with some other folks.
It really was lovely with the last colors showing over the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance. The restaurant has glass all around the exterior to take advantage of those views so there is really no bad seat in the place. The interiors are contemporary in bright colors with dramatic black and white ceilings which somehow managed to remind me of all the vintage cars Cuba is so famous for.
SIGNATURE COCKTAILS & APPS
Naturally the cocktails menu was rum centered with some very interesting mixes of flavors. You could opt for a Hemingway Classic Daiquiri with rum, grapefruit juice, lemon, maraschino liqueur and syrup which was divine at $11 or try some of their vodka drinks like a Rudolph’s Shifty with cranberry vodka, cynar, lemon and honey at $15. Yes, a tad pricey but worth it.
Quite the list of cocktail choices
If you would rather have beer with your food, there was a good number on offer from craft, to draft to bottled in a range of prices from $4-6 which I thought was good value. My husband thought the New Belgium Fat Tire was great as a locally crafted beer from Asheville and I ordered a Spanish Mendoza red wine that was excellent with all our courses for $8 a glass.
Camarones al Ajillo with garlic, lemon and white wine
FIRST & SECOND COURSES
While we were sipping our drinks we looked over the menu which was broken up into several different categories: 13 or so choices in small plates, a good number of sandwich choices and 9 different large plate options. There were all the usual suspects on the side dishes from black beans and rice to tostones, maduros and maraquitas (all forms of plantains). We prefer the sweetened mashed and fried ones to the chips.
Masas de Cerdo Fritas were crispy, tasty and very tender
Enjoy this short video with more on this fantastic Cuban restaurant
AUTHENTIC SIDES
Our first small plate choice was Camarones al Ajillo which was sauteed shrimp in butter, garlic, white wine and lemon served with Cuban Bread which was delicious. The shrimp were tender but crisp around the edges with a good drizzle of lemon juice and a lot of garlic. This dish is just the way you want to eat fresh shrimp. My husband declared it the best dish of the trip.
Next up was Masas de Cerdo Fritas which is tasty tender fried chunks of pork and grilled onions served with a good wedge of fresh lime to squeeze over the top for pop in flavor. This has got to be served with black beans and rice which I mix together in the bowl making moros.
This is a mix made in heaven from a flavor profile standpoint. It just doesn’t get any better when preparing pig then this dish. When it is tender and crisped up correctly and the beans have heat in the background with the rich spices of Cuban cooking ….well just simply wonderful.
Our first small plate course cost us around $13 which we shared and our second large plate course was $19 and we also shared. This was plenty of food for both and I felt was very good value on the prices. You could also choose mojo marinated chicken wings, a classic Cuban Sandwich or a delicious Ropa Vieja which is the dish they are most famous for.
dessert
When in Cuba…what else are you going to order but a traditional flan; this one being served with fresh coconut and pineapple chunks and made on premises. It was smooth, creamy and bitter sweet with the perfect caramelizing of the sugar on top.
Fried churros, natilla and cake de ron for two were also possibilities that looked delicious as the plates came out of the kitchen. Any of these were on offer at $8 a piece.
Cuban flan made on premises was delicious
AFTER DINNER MUSTS
We opted for a Cuban espresso and a chocolate martini from their drink list as after dinner must do’s. The espresso was fresh-not stale as they sometimes can be in restaurants where it isn’t ordered very often. The martini was made with triple sec, vanilla vodka and chocolate liqueur with espresso beans on top.
Not only was it pretty but it had a delicious velvety smooth taste without being too sweet-a perfect ending for the night. We paid our check and drifted back out to the firepits with our drinks to finish up a lovely evening for our first night out in Asheville. I can highly recommend this spot for authentic food in a great location when visiting this area. Book a date night soon.
Some info on Hemingway himself & his connection to Cuba
CONCLUSION
I think you can see why we enjoyed our dinner at Hemingway’s Cuba. The atmosphere felt hip and modern with fantastic views all around. The drinks were imaginative and tasty while the quality of food was super high with the best ingredients and friendly service. Not what you always get in a hotel restaurant. Enjoy the video above which will give a little background on the writer himself and his connections to Cuba.
If you enjoyed what you read, you might also enjoy other posts under Edible Fare. There you will find restaurant reviews, recipes, foodie tips and best spots to eat in a variety of cities. I also put emphasis on food experiences in my travel posts under Explore the World. Look soon for an upcoming post from my adventure guide and pal with the 411 on his latest group trip to the Azores under Guest Bloggers. Until then…
Cheers!
ArtsyChowRoamer
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