Caribeño: New Cuban Cuisine in CBD

Caribeño may not have the distinction of being Beijing's first Cuban restaurant (rest in peace, A-Che), but, for the moment, it can claim to be Beijing's only. It's a bit off the beaten track – tucked in the lobby of the China Overseas Plaza (between Guanghua Lu and Jianguomenwai Dajie, east of the World Trade Center) – but adjacent to CBD and Guomao, making it convenient for lunch or an immediate post-work dinner.

Cuban cuisine is a fusion, most notably of Spanish and African food alongside the indigenous Taino traditions and Caribbean flavors. You might recognize a number of the dishes from other Central and South American cuisines (empanadas, stuffed arepas, tamales, ceviche).

They've done a nice job with the space, which when filled will feel bright and lively with its large murals and thatched-roofed bar (which somehow manages to eschew out-and-out tackiness). The native Cuban chef is formerly of Solana's Casa Latina (now closed) and certainly imparts a warm, charismatic air to the place.

The menu is fairly large, running the range from appetizers like empanadas (stuffed pastries, essentially – RMB 38 chicken, RMB 28 vegetable) and papas rellenas (RMB 35) – a Cuban variation on the Peruvian dish with mashed potatoes stuffed with meat and spices, breaded and then fried. An accessible way to sample the variety is the Creole Combo (RMB 58) that includes a papa rellenas ("stuffed potato"), a chicken empanada, a ham croquette and a tamale. It comes with sour cream and the chef's version of mojo sauce which he has adapted for availability challenges in China by basing it on parsley. It is delicious.

Standard throughout South and Central America, arepas are flatbreads made of ground maize flour, often sliced and stuffed with different fillings. At Caribeño, an order of arepas (RMB 68) comes with four types – domino (fresh cheese and black beans), reina pepiada (shredded chicken, mayo and avocado), tumbarrancho (mortadella ham, cabbage, ketchup and mayo), pelua (fresh cheese and shredded beef).

It's a bit greasy of a dish as the flatbreads soak up oil from cooking, but if that doesn't worry you, the reina pepiada is excellent – lemony and fresh – and the tumbarrancho is what I have imagined Cuban cusine to be ever since my friend came back from a trip and described the street food – heavy on the mayo, mustard and lunch meat. Despite its great name, it wasn't a favorite of mine although a colleague quite enjoyed it.

The rest of the cuisine counters my friend's Cuban street food experience. The Creole Cuban soup (RMB 38) was exceptional and worth a trip for – a tomato-based broth with pork, chicken and thick bacon, plus soft carrots, pumpkin and corn.

The menu offers a big handful of Cuban specialties, and this trip, we tried the home-style ropa viejo (RMB 78). It's a poetic name ("old clothes") for a dish of shredded beef, seasoned rosemary, coriander, and red wine, that could resemble tattered fabric.

Other traditional mains include alijibe chicken (RMB 72) and Cuban-style pork chops (RMB 78). I'm certainly curious to return and try more of the menu. There's an interesting section with more contemporary Cuban cuisine, including a modern dish called "lobster coffee" which is described as a "delicious casualty of coffee and lobster" and includes a bottle of Chilean white wine (RMB 698).

Caribeño 加勒比人西餐厅
Daily 11.30-8.30 (kitchen). 1/F South Tower, China Overseas Plaza, 8 Guanghua Dongli, Chaoyang District (5977 2789) 朝阳区光华东里8号院中海广场写字楼一层

Photos: Cat Nelson

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