Dinner @ Habana Libre Tues 3/25 @ 7 pm

Given the proliferation of events lately in the suburbs and the far North side (not that there’s anything wrong with that ), I thought it as good a time as ever to host a dinner at a little-known West Town Cuban gem, Habana Libre. Habana Libre has a way with frying and braising that has garnered it a following in these two threads:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=10707
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... ight=cuban

The date is Tuesday, March 25th, and the time is 7:00. p.m. Depending upon the number of responses, I’d like to plan a set menu (hopefully with a set price). I plan on asking the restaurant to accommodate a menu with at least the pollo frito, tostones and empanadas. So if you have a particular favorite on the menu, please speak up and I will see if the restaurant can accommodate it.

If you’d care to attend, then please post below. I’ll follow up with more details later.

[Habana Libre is located at 1440 W. Chicago Avenue. It is several blocks walk west on Chicago Ave. from the “Chicago” Blue Line stop. It can also be reached via the #66 bus, which runs from the Mag Mile west along Chicago Avenue. **The closest stop to HL on the bus is "Greenview."** Street parking is metered and parking is generally not a problem. Habana Libre is BYO. Entrees run in the $12 range, as that should give you an idea of the price point for the restaurant.]

**Edited to add bus stop information.

I'm in + 1 or 2, will specify soon.

Count me in for 1. March 25 also happens to be Greek Independence Day. Should I bring a bottle of ouzo to pair with the empanadas

I've been needing to try the pollo frito since I first heard about this place. Sign me up!

I'm in for 1

Jyoti

I'm in for 1, and maybe +2, but will confirm back on those additions.

I'll be there.

I'm confirming 1, +2 guests. Can't wait!

Great idea, please count me in for 2, long as we stay far away from the paella

G Wiv wrote:long as we stay far away from the paella

Wasn't planning on it, there's so many other good things there.

Even though this is a few weeks away, I'll start a count because I'd like to cap the dinner at 18 people.

[UPDATED GUEST LIST MOVED DOWNTHREAD.]

Can I get in here, please? This sounds great.

Brendan-

You're in - glad you can join us.

aschie-
Sorry for the delayed response, but I will be just + 1.

Jefe wrote:aschie-
Sorry for the delayed response, but I will be just + 1.

No problem, glad you can make it.

Please add me to the list.... I think that makes me #15?

Thanks!

tarte tatin wrote:Please add me to the list.... I think that makes me #15?

Thanks!

You're in.

Folks:

I talked to Ingri at Habana Libre, and I think we've agreed on a menu for next Tuesday:

To start, we'll split an assortment of empanadas (guava & cheese, beef, chicken), tostones, croquetas, fried yucca and papas rellenas. We'll split the Pollo Frito, the Ropa Vieja, Rabo Encendido (Oxtail in Cuban-style creole sauce) and the Camarones al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce) for main courses. We'll also have rice and beans and sweet maduros on the side.

I anticipate that, factoring in tax and tip, the cost will be approximately $24.00-28.00 per person. Keep in mind that HL is BYO.

It's probably too much food, but then again, this is an LTH event!

I look forward to seeing everyone next Tuesday!

Sorry I can't join you, but you've got a terrific menu. Glad you chose the ox-tails--not a lot of meat but very tasty, and if you've got a good cote du rhone as a byob it'll be a perfect fit.

Bon appetit.

Room for one more? My travel schedule for next week finally got settled.

threadkiller wrote:Room for one more? My travel schedule for next week finally got settled.

Threadkiller -

You're on the list.

Updated guest list for this Tuesday:

aschie30
Jefe +1
Hellodali
germuska
jygach
Gumbo Gal +2
nr706
GWiv +1
Cinny's Mom (verbal confirmation)
tarte tatin
threadkiller

total = 15

Room for 1 more. [After talking to HL again, we agreed that it would be best to limit the guest count to 16. I apologize for any confusion.] I'm glad you all can make it!

aschie30 wrote:Room for 2 more. I'm glad you all can make it!

Make that 3. Terribly sorry and awfully disappointed but I must duck out.

Have a great time and enjoy!

Any suggestions on an appropriate wine to pair with these dishes?

Thanks.

Jyoti

Jygach-
I'm no wine expert, but I would think that a Cotes du Rhone would be a good choice (as suggested above), but also medium-bodied Spanish reds like garnacha or garnacha blends would be good choices, or even an Australian Shiraz might do especially with the heavier braised dishes. With anything fried, I tend to enjoy a sparkling wine, the acidity of which helps balance the richness of the food.

I am also no wine expert, but I was planning on bringing a medium-bodied red such as a Malbec or a Tempranillo. I was also thinking about bringing some Cava just for fun.

And I'll be bringing fixins for mojitos.

Regretfully, I must take my name off the list for tonight's festivities.

I've been battling bronchitis for almost 2 weeks now and thought I'd surely be well in time to join you tonight. Unfortunately, that's not the case.... Oh, how I hate to miss this one! including those mojitos!!!

Have a great time, everyone!

Thanks to aschie30 for organizing such a wonderful event. Having a chance to sample such a broad cross-section of the menu was a real treat. I think Habana Libre may have replaced Cafe LaGuardia as my favorite Cuban restaurant. (The BYOB policy is a big factor.)

Hellodali proved herself an excellent mixologist, with mojitos all around the table.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening, though, was that GWiv showed up sans camera. But I was packing. So, I posted a few pix on the main Habana Libre thread here.

nr706 wrote:Thanks to aschie30 Habana Libre may have replaced Cafe LaGuardia as my favorite Cuban restaurant. (The BYOB policy is a big factor.)

LTH,

An enjoyable evening at Habana Libre, Aschie30 deserves kudos for organizing and orchestrating a perfectly paced and delicious meal. Habana Libre was firing on all 8- cylinders with empanadas, pollo frito and ox tail standing out.

Much as I love Habana Libre's pollo frito the easy going conversation was the highlight, with Hellodali's mojitos a close second. Habana Libre's draw is strong as first time LTHForum event participant Jefe and friend, who I had the conversational pleasure of sitting next to, and a couple of infrequent event goers such as the engaging ThreadKiller and quick with a smile Gumbo Gal, were drawn out.

As NR706 mentioned, I forgot my camera, no harm no foul as NR's took a nice series of pictures, found here.

Thanks again to Aschie30 for taking the initiative, Ellen and I had a terrific evening.

Enjoy,
Gary

And I'd like to add my thanks to Wendy for organizing a terrific evening. And it was my honor to mix mojitos for my wonderful dining companions. Thanks all for the wonderful meal and even more wonderful company.