The Old Havana tends to lean more toward cheap eats and street food than upscale fare, with such options as chicken soup, cod fritters, beef patties, empanadas, an avocado salad, steak and tuna sandwiches, a grilled chicken breast stuffed with shrimp, shredded beef in Creole sauce, fried pork chops, deep-fried whole red snapper, and seafood paella. The bathroom here, by the way, conjures up visions of Strip T’s in Watertown, where you walk down a staircase, wind through a basement area, then walk back up a bit to a “throne room” where, if you’re tall, you will definitely need to watch your head. Much like its predecessor, the Old Havana has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with two rooms of dining that include both high-tops and regular tables, mirrors along the walls that make the space seem larger than it is, televisions that are tuned to Spanish-speaking programs, and a fascinating old RCA Victor system in the middle of the place that has a record player, TV, and radio. Many in the Boston area may be familiar with Centre Street, as the lower section of this road cuts through a bustling part of JP with a number of very popular restaurants, but the section of road around Hyde Square is equally busy but less known to people outside of the neighborhood, with both the restaurants and shops reflecting the close-knit Latino community, which includes people of Cuban heritage-and is reflected in the dining spots such as this one, as well as El Oriental de Cuba and Miami Restaurant. The Old Havana resides in a homey-looking space on Centre Street that was once home to Tacos El Charro, a marvelous spot for Mexican fare that had been around for 30 years or so.
And such is the case with the Old Havana, a four-year-old Cuban eatery that was recently discovered and is one of those restaurants that might leave you kicking yourself, saying, “Why didn’t I know about this spot earlier?” If you’ve never heard of the place, welcome to the club, because even media people and industry folks don’t really seem to have heard of it.
Usually, “first looks” that are done here are of new (or newish) restaurants in and around Boston, but sometimes a dining spot is so little-known that it almost feels like it must have recently opened even though it has been around for awhile. From chicken soup to empanadas, a miracle under the radar
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