Habana
2930 Bristol St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.556.0176
Atmosphere
For those who have never been to the Costa Mesa Anti-Mall, it’s a really neat one-of-a-kind spot. It almost looks like it was a 5th year Architecture student’s Thesis project. Located in the far back corner of the Anti-mall is Habana. It’s a very small and quaint restaurant and has a very nice feel. The interior has earth tones, and it goes well with the whole Anti-Mall feel. Interesting thing is that, as pretty as the interior was, everyone was outside in the back patio enjoying a nice lunch in the sun. (that photo was not an arranged shot, it was lunch time and the inside was completely empty because everyone wanted to sit outside)
Food
What can I say? I love my Latin food, Cuban being no exception. I really wish I could have ordered everything on the menu. They all sounded amazing. Well, I know for sure this is a place I’ll be updating from time to time. It’s close by, not too pricey, and the food is damn good.
Chicken Empanadas
I love Empanadas. I’ve tried many types of Empanadas from different types of restaurants and I have to say Habana’s Empanadas are pretty up there. It comes with veggies and dressing on top, which is partly the reason why the empanadas are up there in my ranking. Most of the empanadas I’ve had were just a plate of empanadas, but this dish was boosted with the veggies and the sauce (Banana-habanero ketchup) that came on the side. It comes with four pieces of empanadas and small enough to enjoy before a meal without feeling heavy or full.
Seared Ahi Tuna
I know it sounds weird. Seared Ahi Tuna? in a Cuban restaurant? That’s what I thought too, but that’s also why I HAD to get it. First off the bat, the herbs and spices that the Tuna was covered with before searing was enough to make the dish Cuban. While I was eating the dish I did not think I was eating a fusion dish or Japanese dish at all. The herbs and spices were not overpowering but helped the Tuna from tasting bland or too fishy. The seared ahi sits on a bed of roasted-garlic mashed potatoes, made from red potatoes. The mashed potatoes had a purple color to it which made everyone look twice, but it’s just due to the skin of the red potatoes. It also comes with a side of sauteed veggies and corn, which balanced the dish well with the spices. It also comes with a bed of sauce right next to the mashed potatoes. It tasted like a very sweet chili sauce, (not spicy at all, just very sweet; almost like a sweet and sour sauce), and although it was a little too sweet for me, just a little dab of the sauce with the fish was amazing. I just wish the sauce came in a separate bowl or sauce pan so we can control how much sauce touches the mash potatoes.
Overall
I am so coming back here, maybe for dinner to enjoy a nice mojito with my meal. Very nice place to take a date and get away from the Los Angeles/Orange County atmosphere. I feel like I’m back in San Luis Obispo eating at a mom & pop restaurant and just enjoying my time with no worries.
Food Lover Chronicles 