Havana Restaurant & Gallery

Havana Restaurant & Gallery

Update (March 2014)

I was looking for a good brunch place with my buddy on commercial when I remembered that Havanna supposedly has good Brunch. So I finally decided to get over the bad service and food experience from the last time I visited, and give it another shot. We almost missed the cut off time for brunch (2:00 PM is the end of brunch-time) but they were kind enough to let us do brunch.

I ordered the French Toast which is described below, just because it sounded so rich and decadent.

 And boy, it did not disappoint. So scrumptiously full of goodness (not the healthy kind), I was truly satisfied. But remind me not to have so much sugar during the day again, leaves me craving more for the rest of the day.

The service was not rude like last time, it was just average. However, I have to give them points for allowing us to do brunch even though we were hitting it close to the end of brunch.

Havana Restaurant & Gallery

Update (March 2014)

I was looking for a good brunch place with my buddy on commercial when I remembered that Havanna supposedly has good Brunch. So I finally decided to get over the bad service and food experience from the last time I visited, and give it another shot. We almost missed the cut off time for brunch (2:00 PM is the end of brunch-time) but they were kind enough to let us do brunch.

I ordered the French Toast which is described below, just because it sounded so rich and decadent.

 And boy, it did not disappoint. So scrumptiously full of goodness (not the healthy kind), I was truly satisfied. But remind me not to have so much sugar during the day again, leaves me craving more for the rest of the day.

The service was not rude like last time, it was just average. However, I have to give them points for allowing us to do brunch even though we were hitting it close to the end of brunch.

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Visited this restaurant with a couple of friends as we needed a change from our regular Jamaican place - The Reef which has become a regular for us all. 

I ordered the following as I have had a good experience with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches from other eateries, (especially from Burgoo Bistro).

Beer Battered Grilled Cheese			$13.95
	French bread stuffed with cheddar, provolone and caramelized onions in a crispy amber ale batter with housemade Yukon gold potato salad

Unfortunately, I found this sandwich to be a huge disappointment. I was tempted to replace it, but the waiter already had a poor attitude, so I didn't want to deal with him.  

The bread and the coating was a bit too tough and had too strong of a beer taste which just didn't work this sandwich. There was no recognizable cheeziness in the filling which was too sweet when accompanied by the beer-battered bread. The filling by itself was good, but in this so-called grilled cheese sandwich, it just didn't fit. I think they should change the name of this dish, because it fools you into expecting something completely different. 

Presentation was acceptable and I really like the ambience of this restaurant-unique and interesting. If it weren't for the waiter with the bad-attitude, I would've given this place another try, because I have heard good things about their breakfast. For now, I'm probably not going to return, but who knows. 

Return to The Reef

So I went back to The Reef to finally give the Mo-Ca Burger with Jerk Tofu a shot, and boy was it worth it. I was a little hesitant to try a tofu burger because although I'm a vegetarian, I have never tried a satisfying tofu dish. The Reef's Jerk Tofu Mo-Ca Burger was an exceptional burger and I can't believe it was made of tofu.

 

The tofu itself was marinated in jerk seasoning and topped with cheddar cheese, a grilled pineapple, jerk mayo and salsa and a side of plaintain chips.

The Burger: The cheese and pineapple takes the tofu burger to a tantalizing new level. It was sweet, cheezy and had a light spice. I myself preferred this burger with a little bit of their special hot sauce that you can ask for.

The Plaintain Chips: These are no ordinary chips, they are thick jerk-spiced chips. I wouldn't call them wonderful, because I thought they were softer and not as crispy as they were the last time I came, but they were a compatible pairing to my Mo-Ca Burger. They got this combo just right, with the not-too filling and flavourful chips.

And of course the Johnny Cakes which they serve right before every meal. This time I went they were way better than the last time. Gosh, I just can't get enough of them Johnny Cakes!!!

The Reef really has the Caribbean-Western fusion down right. And it's so exciting to come here because every one of their dishes is an exciting new experience.

The next time I go, I'd like to try their appetizer called "Doubles" which is basically a chana sandwich...interesting! Hoping for the best!

Stats:

Rating:

Food = 4.5/5

Service = 3/5

Value = 4.5/5

Ambiance = 3.5/5

Overall: 4/5

Cost of my meal: $14 + TAX

4172 Main Street,
Vancouver, BC, V5V 3P7

Contact:

Tel: 604-874-JERK (5375)

Price: $$ ($15 - $30)

Hours: Mon - Fri: 11AM - 1AM, Sat - Sun: 10AM - 1AM

The Reef

So I went to The Reef the other day for dinner with my friends after a hike up Stawamus Chief. Upon ordering our food, the waiter brought us complimentary Johnny Cakes which were sooo soooo good!

This is how they look:

After asking our friendly waiter about the item, he offered us some more Johnny Cakes :).

For the main, I ordered the Trini Roti with the Ital (vegan) filling with a side of coleslaw, which was served promptly.

Trini Roti:


 The filling is basically a chickpea and potato curry and the roti is kind of like a soft tortilla. I found the dish to be very filling but it wasn't anything special. I felt that the roti did not go well with the filling. My friends who ordered different versions of the Mo-Ca Burger, really enjoyed their meal. I also tried my friend's side -spicy, crispy Plaintain Chips - tasty.

Although I didn't like my main dish, I will definitely return to try out different items on their menu - my eye is on the Mo-Ca Burger with the tofu patty. This restaurant is definitely vegetarian-friendly. They offer vegetarians a variety of options. I've already been back to order a dozen Johnny Cakes for take-out for my family, and they loved it.

                                    ... Great Atmosphere, Enticing Menu, Friendly Service ...




Stats:

Address:

4172 Main Street
Vancouver

(604) 874-5375)

Price Per Person: $15-$30

Cost for this dish: $10 + TAX (as of May 17, 2012)
Hours: Mon - Fri: 11AM - 1AM, Sat - Sun: 10AM - 1AM