exploring Cuban cuisine in Baracoa
In my previous post, I shared with you the excitement and trepidation of journeying along La Farola as we headed toward Baracoa. It was indeed worth the fear of facing the countless hairpin curves that led us to the Baracoa, Cuba’s first European settlement. In this post, I’d like to give you a taste of Baracoa, to overthrow the myth that Cuban cuisine is dull and boring.
Don’t miss the statue of explorer Christopher Columbus on the Malecon in Baracoa, Cuba.
Cuba had been settled by the Tainos indigenous people who called their settlement Baracoa (meaning “beside the sea.”) Christopher Columbus landed on this site in 1492 and dubbed the site as “Porto Santo.” It was later renamed “Our Lady of the Assumption” by the Spanish in 1510 but the indigenous name took precedence when Cuba achieved its independence.
This map of Baracoa shows the site of La Punta fort that protected Eastern Cuba from pirates.
La Punta is the site of an 18th century fortress, and now, Restaurante La Punta, a place where you can enjoy good food and live or recorded Cuban music while in Baracoa.
A view of the Bay of Baracoa from La Punta, with El Yunque off to the right, the landmark table-top mountain of Baracoa.
One of the must-see attractions in Baracoa is La Punta, the site of an 18th century fortress located on the Bay of Baracoa that is now run as a seaside restaurant where I enjoyed a lunch and dinner while in town. The views from La Punta are breathtaking, and the food is good, too. I enjoyed a lunch of roast pork, a dinner of sautéed shrimp, and a fabulous dessert that featured a dark chocolate leaf and a burnt sugar bowl filled with chocolate ice-cream that was a chocolate lover’s delight.
This dessert at Restaurante La Punta was a chocolate lover’s dream, with a dark chocolate leaf, a burnt sugar bowl, and chocolate ice-cream that were a delight to admire, and even better to enjoy.
enjoy authentic cuban cuisine at any of the casa privalos (privately owned and operated restaurants)
Another independent restaurant (paladares) that I thoroughly enjoyed in Baracoa was Restaurante Calalú where I experienced some local cocoa cuisine. Restaurante Calalú offers grilled chicken or roasted pork with a cocoa sauce (salsa de cacao) featuring pure cocoa powder mixed with water. I really enjoyed the grilled chicken served with the salsa de cacao at Restaurante Calalú in Baracoa. It was tasty, savoury, and not sweet at all. This is one of the best and busiest restaurants in downtown Baracoa (7-8 pm is the busiest hour) so be sure to consider that in your plans.
Restaurante Calalú is one of Baracoa’s finest restaurants and features cocoa cuisine.
Calalú is a regional specialty of Eastern Cuba that is a vegetable stew somewhat like ratatouille. The one we enjoyed at Restaurante Calalú featured teti (a tiny seasonal fish) on the left hand side of the dish and was especially delicious.
I appreciated both the artistry and the freshness of the salad I was served at Restaurante Calalú.
I hope this post has helped dispel the myth that Cuban cuisine is not worthy of your attention. It truly is. But you must remember that to experience it, you have to get away from the beaches and buffets of the tourist resorts and get yourself to one of the paladares located throughout Cuba. Or stay at one of the fabulous casa particulares such as Villa Paradiso Baracoa, where I also enjoyed some tremendous–and authentic–meals during my stay.
Thanks so much to the Cuban Tourism Commission for covering the costs of my travel and providing me with an amazing guide and driver for the duration of my stay.
Doreen, your post Exploring Cuban Cuisine in Baracoa is a delightful journey through one of Cuba’s culinary treasures! You’ve beautifully captured the vibrant flavors and unique dishes that make Baracoa so special. The way you highlight local ingredients and traditional cooking methods provides a wonderful insight into the culture and history of the region. It’s clear that food is not just sustenance here; it’s a celebration of community and heritage. Thank you for sharing such a rich and flavorful exploration—I’m inspired to try my hand at some of these dishes.
Intriguing exploration, Doreen! *Exploring Cuban Cuisine in Baracoa* promises a delicious journey through local flavors. What standout dishes or culinary experiences did you discover there, and how do they reflect the region’s unique cultural heritage?
What an enticing exploration, Doreen Pendgracs! Exploring Cuban Cuisine in Baracoa showcases the rich flavors and unique dishes of the region. What are some must-try dishes you discovered, and how do the local ingredients contribute to the culinary experience?
Exploring Cuban cuisine in Baracoa sounds like a foodie’s dream! From traditional dishes to local flavors, it must have been an amazing culinary experience. Can’t wait to hear more about all the delicious dishes you’ve tried in your travels.
Doreen, this is a great post. Baracoa is truly a delightful place. What I love about it is that it’s not on the typical tourist beach slate, so it has remained so authentically Cuban. One day while there, we drove to a beach not far from Che’s chocolate factory. We were the only ones there. I feel asleep–I adore sleeping on the beach–while Paul was snorkelling. When I woke up, he was having discussion with a young man who was very interested in Paul’s snorkel and mask, and thought it would be great to have such a thing so he could spear fish and catch other sea creatures to take home for his mother to cook. Well, that snorkel and mask stayed in Cuba–as did some of Paul’s shirts and other items of clothing. I teased him that this was great; he wouldn’t have to check in any luggage on the flight back home. And about Cuban cuisine, as you know, we’re vegetarian. I can honestly say that I have never eaten such delicious food as that cooked for us by the hosts in the casas we stayed at the many times we travelled through Cuba. We convinced my brother and his wife to come with us on one of our trips. They are seafood lovers. and they said they have never eaten such delicious seafood as that cooked by our casa hosts in Cuba. To those who have been to Cuba but have only been to the resorts, go back to Cuba, but this time stay in the casas (private homes). To those who have never been Cuba, forget the resorts; travel around by car and stay in casas. That’s the real Cuba that you will go back to again and again.
Right on, Cynthia! It is quite incredible strolling along the small natural beaches that are not connected to the huge resorts. Although I must admit that the beach at Varadero is one of the very nicest beaches I’ve ever stayed at. You are right that the food cooked in the small places — whether they be casas or the tiny independent restaurants known as paladares — is true, authentic, and filled with flavour. How I would love to go back and continue my exploration of this amazing country.
This post about Baracoa, Cuba is very helpful and informative. I am really happy I found it.
Great! All these dishes look tempting and very flavourful. I love that grilled chicken with cacao sauce looks and sounds delicious!
Thank you for sharing. It helped me understand much more about Cuba and know Cuba’s culinary culture. If I have the opportunity to visit this beautiful country I will try the dishes that you introduced. I hope you have more stories to share so that people can learn.
I come from Vietnam. I love the cuban country. I am proud of this country during the war years. I want to visit your country and especially want to enjoy some great food.
Wow! All these dishes look tempting and very flavourful. I love that grilled chicken with cacao sauce – looks and sounds delicious!
It was good to read about the history of Baracoa. And the food surely looks amazing. Being a chocolate lover myself, I would love to have the yummy dessert. The picture itself looked so tempting!
Wow, the food does look really interesting! 🙂
I wonder if I’d be able to find much vegetarian fare here, though.
No problem finding sufficient vegetarian food in Cuba. They eat a lot of vegetables and rice.
What a perfect Cuban experience you had Doreen. I love all the dishes that you sampled with cocoa. I have to say that we also had so many wonderful meals in Cuba when we went a few years back. It’s a wonderful destination I hope we get to return and experience Baracoa one day.
Thanks for your comment, Sue. Yes, Cuba is amazing. I have quite a bit more to tell about it, but thought I’d take a break and include one or two other topics before I get back to it. Being foodies, I know you would enjoy the Baracoa region. 🙂
I didn’t get to that part of Cuba, but I loved seeing the off-the-beaten path places. We rented a car, and while there were some challenges with lack of signing and directions, getting lost was part of the adventure!
So true, Patti! Sometimes getting lost is just as much fun as getting there! 🙂
I never thought Cuban cuisine would be boring, but I’ve never been to Cuba! I imagined a cross between Latin American and Caribbean influences, and lots of seafood. Anyway, the meals you describe and show here look amazing! That savory cocoa sauce, though … it somehow doesn’t seem right to have chocolate that’s not sweet!
Hi Rachel. Cacao (or cocoa) cuisine is becoming quite a trend as people come to realize the health benefits of this powerfood. Start looking for it on menus and you will see it more and more.
I love the sound of the cuisine at Restaurante Calalú … the salsa de cacao sounds amazing
It was truly an unexpected surprise, Michele. Restaurante Calalú is truly a gem offering delicious and authentic Cuban cuisine.
The dessert with chocolate ice cream looked delicious as did all the fish dishes. I am so glad you have shared all these culinary delights with your readers. For any of your readers planning to travel to Cuba, your article has offered valuable ideas about food choices while visiting Cuba. Thankyou.
I really want to try some savoury chocolate cuisine! That vegetable stew looks pretty good too…
Cocoa cuisine is amazing, Karen. Quite a surprise to those who have never tried it. In the UK, you can find some in the cafe of Hotel Chocolat in London.
Cuba is on my list of countries to visit next year and with all that delicious food to try. This post will make me keep in mind what foods to try.
Greetings and thanks for your comment. My post only touches on some of the regional Cuban dishes you might like to try. Just keep in mind that everything is seasonal, as they try and import as little as possible. So as long as you order things that are fresh and in season, you can’t go wrong. 🙂
With that bevy of former Canadian colleagues resounding in my head, I heard all about the delicious food of Cuba.Your pictures have me absolutely salivating. Yum!
Hi Rosemary. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. 🙂 I don’t quite understand what you mean by this statement: “With that bevy of former Canadian colleagues resounding in my head, I heard all about the delicious food of Cuba.”
Can you say RM needed more coffee that morning? Or chocolate! I meant that all the time I worked in Guelph, those Canadian folks told me about the glory of Cuba and the delicious food–and Michael raved about the beer & rum. 🙂 It seemed so odd to an American!
Thanks for the clarification, RoseMary. I didn’t know you had worked in Guelph!
The dessert with chocolate ice cream looked delicious as did all the fish dishes. I am so glad you have shared all these culinary delights with your readers. For any of your readers planning to travel to Cuba, your article has offered valuable ideas about food choices while visiting Cuba. Thanks, Doreen, for another fascinating article about Cuba.
Thanks so much for the endorsement, Bev. I hope you are doing well.
Wow, that chocolate ice cream and pork with cocoa sauce sound delish! And so do most of the other items.
Thanks, Carole. I am really a foodie at heart, and take great pleasure in exploring food cultures around the world.
I had never heard of privalos. Are they all small and quite modest?
Hi Irene. La Punta is quite a large restaurant and very nice. Calalu is much smaller and a bit more standard in its offerings. So I suspect there is quite a range in what you might get when visiting a privalos.
Oooo, that grilled chicken with cacao sauce looked really good. I’ve enjoyed your Cuba series and put it on my list for 2019 to make it happen — not sure how we’ll get around the US restrictions, but I’m determined. That good food awaits! 😉
Terrific, Lori. I do hope you make it to Cuba as it is quite a unique country. 🙂
One of the best meals I had in Cuba was in a casa particulares, fish as fresh as could be. What you’ve said is so true. If you get off the tourist track, there is plenty of good food to be found in Cuba!
Thx for your comment, Alison. Yes, the fish in Cuba is amazing, too. In all honesty, I never had a bad meal the whole time I was there.
Hi Doreen: I remember remarks years ago from tourists who wished they had ventured off their beach resorts with the endless, boring chicken . Had they only known about Baracoa !
I also imagine things have changed in Cuba since they were there. In those days I don’t recall hearing about privalos and paladares. (I just love trying to pronounce Spanish languages.) Thanks for this.
Hi Linda and thanks for your thoughtful comment. Yes, I think things have opened up as far as tourism options go in Cuba. There are now options for every interest and budget and I’m very grateful in having had the opportunity to try them out. 🙂
Calalu sounds so enticing and healthy. It sounds like a Filipino vegetable dish called pinakbet served with a tasty fish on the side. I don’t know if I will like the salsa de cacao in my pork though.
Carol, trust me. I’m pretty sure most chocolate lovers and lovers of fine cuisine would like the salsa de cacao. I’ve been enjoying cocoa cuisine for quite a few years now and really love it. 🙂
Funny, I have heard only fine things about Cuban cuisine. We have a small, family run Cuban restaurant here in town. I’ve often wondered how authentic it is. I’ve never seen any of these cool dishes that you featured on their menu. But their food is good. Lots of pork, black beans, plantains, and I think they have something made from cactus on the menu. But I don’t remember for sure. That chicken with cocoa looks incredible, as does the mixed vegetable dish.
Indeed, Linda. Authentic Cuban food nearly always includes plantains, beans of various types, rice, and pork or chicken. But always grilled or seasoned nicely. It is the food at the tourist resorts that often leaves much to be desired, as so often it is sterile and lacks character. Eating at the independent ‘paladares’ changes all that. 🙂
Is that half an old ship? Do you have any info on the boat?
Hi Janet. No it’s an old ship in the harbour, but I don’t know details of its history. I think it’s just the angle that makes it look like it’s just a half. 🙂
Thanks for this great post, Doreen. Baracoa has quite a special culinary scene, indeed – from the peasant families with their incredibly tasty authentic dishes to the most-creative-yet-grounded-in-tradition chefs. The range of ingredients and spices used in our region is not found anywhere else in Cuba and we are really glad that you were able to sample some of the delightful local cuisine. Thanks as well for having mentioned us as a place to enjoy good food here in Baracoa – hopefully you don’t mind if we leave here a link to our blog post regarding our cuisine. All the best from Baracoa and thank you again! https://villaparadisobaracoa.com/en/villa-paradisos-cuisine-tradition-innovation/
Thanks for your comment, Roberto, and for linking to your post on Baracoan cuisine. I meant to do that when I included the link to your site.
The name of the town kept making me thinking of Barbacoa… so food was already on my mind. That cocoa sauce looks kind of fascinating.
Hi Donna and thanks for getting the conversation going on Cuban cuisine. I don’t know Barbacoa, but Google certainly does, as when I do a Baracoa search it always asks me if I mean Barbacoa!