A long time ago you went to Cuba to taste a chicken with the criolla served with the famous black beans and rice or take as an appetizer a mojito with plantain bananas? Well, in the absence of landing in the Che country, the only Cuban restaurant in the national capital invites you to come and sit down on one of the many stools along its vast counter.
Let's be clear. The Varadero will not win a prize for its decoration. Some truly naive paintings recall scenes from Cuban life; An image of Che overhanging the map of Cuba adds to the identification of places. And a long counter worthy of the Matou of Yves Beauchemin accompanies some tables. No, the charm of the Varadeo is elsewhere.
Opened three years ago by Eligio Baratute, native of Guantanamo, the Varadero recreates the Cuban flavors: rice, black beans, chicken, pork, beef, lobster and shrimp are on the menu.
For less than $ 14 - except for lobster -, the Varadero's Cuban menu includes a ropa vieja (beef with onion and bell pepper cooked in a slow cooker), picadillo de res (minced beef cooked with garlic, Onions, white rice, black beans and served with fried plantain), shredded pork, soups including a famous shrimp and Cuban sandwiches. But what do burritos, quesadillas and tacos come from the menu? "It's the latino portion of the restaurant," says Eligio between back and forth in the kitchen, while her only Yoana employee takes care of guests on the terrace. Note that in general, anything that is not part of the table d'hôte such as accompaniments is at $ 5 per serving.
We're not in a complete package!
By the way why a Cuban restaurant in Quebec City? "Because it was here that I arrived six years ago when I settled in Quebec," says the landlord. And Quebeckers like it? "Anyway, they're coming back!"
Those who go to Varadero - from Sunday to Saturday - to find essentially the cuisine they have eaten in the famous all-inclusive of Cuba will be destabilized. It's time to try more typical stuff like tamales, this fried corn dough, or yuca, fried cassava.
If there is music in Varadero? What question ! It would be unworthy of a Cuban restaurant.
Oh, I forgot (!), Mojito, free cuba or daiquiri are at $ 7.
But still the decoration Eligio? ... "It rolls too much, I do not have time to take care of it!"
The Varadero
189 St-Joseph Street,
Quebec, G1K 3A8
Tel .: 418-265-5491
fr-ca.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Cubain-Le-Varadero
