Café La Trova
What started out as an homage to the fabulous supper clubs, music, and cocktail culture of pre-Castro Cuba by master mixologist Julio Cabrera, became an even more fabulous spot when Cabrera’s bestie, James Beard award-winning Miami chef Michelle Bernstein brought her modern Cuban kitchen skills to the party. Trova, btw, is a style of music born in the eastern provinces of Cuba by traveling musicians well versed in guitar, vocal harmonies and poetic lyrics. That’s important, because nightly live music is a big part of the appeal here. As are such classic Cuban cocktails as the Magic City Daquiri, the Mojito Criollo, and the Hotel Nacional, a fruity fiesta of pineapple rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple juice and lime juice. Creative tipples range from the Maduro Old Fashioned (plantain-infused whiskey, Demerara syrup and chocolate bitters) to the award-winning Buenavista, a fusion of gin, cucumber, mint, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and sugar. For food, start with the sweet corn and chicken empanadas with fermented garlic and charred scallions, some Cuban sandwich empanadas, and spinach and feta croquettas before moving on to the mains. We’re partial to the oxtail stew, a savory symphony of its own juices, mascarpone, and pecorino over short, thin and twisted trofie pasta, and the arroz con pollo. For vegans, there’s plant-based beef—it tastes like chicken! Kidding, it tastes beef-ish: picadillo with spices, tomatoes, peppers, onions, with tostones and white rice. There’s a daily happy hour at the bar from 4-7pm so you can see why this place constantly wins “Best Bar” awards around the world.
What started out as an homage to the fabulous supper clubs, music, and cocktail culture of pre-Castro Cuba by master mixologist Julio Cabrera, became an even more fabulous spot when Cabrera’s bestie, James Beard award-winning Miami chef Michelle Bernstein brought her modern Cuban kitchen skills to the party. Trova, btw, is a style of music born in the eastern provinces of Cuba by traveling musicians well versed in guitar, vocal harmonies and poetic lyrics. That’s important, because nightly live music is a big part of the appeal here. As are such classic Cuban cocktails as the Magic City Daquiri, the Mojito Criollo, and the Hotel Nacional, a fruity fiesta of pineapple rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple juice and lime juice. Creative tipples range from the Maduro Old Fashioned (plantain-infused whiskey, Demerara syrup and chocolate bitters) to the award-winning Buenavista, a fusion of gin, cucumber, mint, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and sugar. For food, start with the sweet corn and chicken empanadas with fermented garlic and charred scallions, some Cuban sandwich empanadas, and spinach and feta croquettas before moving on to the mains. We’re partial to the oxtail stew, a savory symphony of its own juices, mascarpone, and pecorino over short, thin and twisted trofie pasta, and the arroz con pollo. For vegans, there’s plant-based beef—it tastes like chicken! Kidding, it tastes beef-ish: picadillo with spices, tomatoes, peppers, onions, with tostones and white rice. There’s a daily happy hour at the bar from 4-7pm so you can see why this place constantly wins “Best Bar” awards around the world.
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