Week: Thur. October 12th 2006
Cuban cuisine is sorely under represented in Atlanta, especially for those who reside in the suburbs. On the flipside there are a litany of Mexican restaurants that shamelessly serve bastardized versions of their own cuisine.
But when it comes to food, Cubans seem to exemplify more pride than our neighbors directly to the south of Texas. And that pride is widely evident at From Havana to U on Highway 9 in Alpharetta. Just don’t let the Philly cheesesteak on the menu scare you away.
Rafael (owner) and his mother-in-law represent the cuisine of Cuba with heart and soul. For starters, a small plate of ham croquettes arrive as four lightly fried nubby sticks with a doughy yet meaty interior, served over razor thin strips of ham.
Beef empanada — little pocket pastries, are so skillfully prepared and impossibly flaky you will swear on your left eye there is a Frenchmen in the kitchen.
Some Cuban dishes have a tendency to get a tad bit too big. I nearly shot the buttons of my pants across the room after just 4 forkfuls of the breaded beefsteak Milanesa. Think veal parmesan to the tastebuds but concrete to the intestines.
From Havana to U prepares traditional Cuban specialties and does them well. Deep-fried pork chunks are slightly sweet and pleasantly greasy. Ropa vieja, which literally translates to “old clothes,” is a robust stew that strikes at the heart of West Indian cuisine.
Many judge a Cuban restaurant solely on the Cuban sandwich. If that’s the case, From Havana to U should fair well. Though not quite as good as Kool Korner’s, it does hold its own. For those nearby, it sure beats the hellish drive to Midtown.
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Beef empanada
Type of Cuisine: Cuban
Address/Tel:
6300 Highway 9, Alpharetta Tel: 770-475-7344
Recommended: Ham croquettes, empanada, deep-fried pork chunks, beefsteak Milanesa, Cuban sandwich
Pricing:
Everything under $15
Hours:
Mon - Thur:11am - 9pm
Fri & Sat: 11am - 10pm
Sun: noon - 6pm
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