When I began researching all the restaurants that Lexington had to offer one thing stuck out. Where were all the Cuban restaurants? Having lived near Louisville, I had of course ate at the incredible Havana Rumba, an experience that left me wanting to explore more of this cuisine. It was much to my delight that I had found out there was a new Cuban restaurant that was just about to open its doors in the little strip right across from the Kroger on Richmond Road.

While this review was written in January, I must admit that I have already visited Hola Havana last November before I had the idea to create this website, and thus I don’t have any photos from that first visit though I will try and include my thoughts from that visit in here as well.

As soon as you enter you are greeted by walls of bright orange and light teal simply adorned with decorative crates and signs in Spanish. On one wall is a hand-painted “Greetings from Havana Cuba” but the main attraction, no doubt, is the giant map of Cuba with a cute but perhaps out-of-place crocodile with maracas next to it.

There is a mixture of booth seating alongside the window and table seating throughout the restaurant. On the back wall of the restaurant sits a small bar with seven seats and several TVs above. The space itself is somewhat small but it allows the owner and wait staff to spend more time interacting with customers giving it a more warm personal feel. The sort of place that if you ate there a handful of times you’d probably be treated like a regular.

For an appetizer, I ordered ham and chicken croquettes served with a creamy chipotle sauce ($7.99). The mixture of ham and chicken was a bit too fine and never really allowed one meat’s flavor to stick out. I would have liked it if there were noticeable pieces of diced ham or shredded chicken both for texture and taste. That being said, the croquettes were perfectly fried with a crust that wasn’t too heavy but still able to keep everything together. The chipotle sauce provided some needed flavor back up making for a passing dish. I will also add that the menu said that these orders come with three croquettes and I received four which was a pleasant surprise. (5.5/10)

The main course was one that I was particularly excited to try out. My first time here I had ordered the Vaca Frita, fried beef, which was excellently prepared, but I was eying the Lechón Asado on the menu the whole time. This was the first Cuban dish at Havana Rumba that I had ever had, outside of the Cuban sandwich, and it was quite incredible. I felt even more sure of my decision when the person taking my order told me that it was one of their best dishes. To break up the timeline of events a bit here, while I was eating my meal I over another waiter talking to a customer that they prepared their Lechón Asado by marinating the pork in a Mojo marinade for two days and then slowly roasting it for 12 hours.

When my plate arrived it featured the same cast of characters that I enjoyed my first time at Havana Rumba: roasted chunks of pork, Moros rice (a mixture of seasoned black beans and rice), and yucca served with pickled red onions and a sauce. ($16.75)

First the Lechón. It was perfectly marinated with sour citrus and garlic which gave it a bright almost vinegary taste that balanced well with the warm roasted taste of the pork. There was a good assortment of cuts of pork, some more lean and others more fatty, that helped the dish. The one downside I would say was that it felt like perhaps the meat was cooked just a bit too long in some parts leading to me needing to use a knife to cut pieces apart that were slowly becoming a bit dry over time. I felt that most slow-roasted meats should be able to be eaten with a fork alone and it was a small disappointment that I needed the knife to help. Overall, the lechón was good, and perhaps a second try at it would give different results (7.5/10)

The yucca plant is one that I’m not at all familiar with so I can’t say I know all its intricacies. Both times I’ve had it, it reminds me of a mix between the starchiness of a potato and the earthy flavors of a root vegetable. Aided by the pickled onions it’s a good side dish. (6.5/10)

Moros rice, sometimes also known as Arroz Congri, is a simple yet delicious mixture of onions, bell peppers, black beans, and rice. The oregano and cumin help make this more than just beans and rice. It’s a side that I could easily see myself eating by itself at home. (7/10)

While I didn’t order desert this time, I highly recommend the Catalonian Custard ($5.99). It is like a mixture between a coffee-flavored flan and a crème brulée. (8/10)

Hola Havana is the much-needed and exciting addition to the multi-cultural food scene in Lexington. There is clearly a lot of love and passion put not only into the food they cook but also in the way that they interact with customers. I definitely recommend that people give this restaurant a try, I know that I’ll be returning.