Cuban food with a mix of Spanish and Carribean influences has always intrigued me. I am a fan of the fusion of flavors. Cuban restaurants are hard to come by however and so when I heard of Habana Vieja in Torrance, California, I knew I had to check it out.

The meal here starts with some compimentary pan cubano and their version of a frijoles dip. The bean dip is amazing. It’s smooth in texture and added plenty of flavor to the Cuban bread.

For the main entrees, I got to try two of their specialities here.

First up was the Pollo Asado. The Pollo Asado is a roasted half chicken with orange, garlic, herb and mojo sauce. The mojo sauce truly defines this dish. The sauce is sprinkled on top of the roasted chicken and also around it! It compliments the chicken very well, bringing a bit of creaminess to the chicken. On the outside the chicken itself is wonderfully crispy and the main meat on the inside is tender. The chicken practically falls of the bone.

The next entree, I tried was the Rabo Encendido. It is USDA tender ox-tail braised in red wine sauce. Similar to the pollo asado, the mean was so soft and easily separated from the bone. The red wine sauce was on point. It was rich and savory and just right when mixed with the white rice.

Both entrees came with rice and the famous Cuban plantains. The sweet fried plaintains are a favorite of mine. They are perfectly sweet and a good offset to the savory dishes.

I also tried their tamales here. The tamales are a little different because most of the meat is on the outside. It is also topped with lots and lots of garlic and cilantro.

Last but not least, I got to try the mango agua fresca! I am a fan of mango and of any kind of fruity drinks. This drink was so refreshing! It was sweet, cool and such a treat. This is a must for any one who is a fan of mango!

Habana Vieja offers amazing Cuban food! Everything I tried here was full of flavor and cooked just perfectly. I was plenty of smiles at the end!

For more smiles, please see my Yelp review on Habana Vieja.