After more than 20 years of serving traditional Cuban food in Lafayette, Cafe Habana City is still a close-knit family affair — and you can taste it in everything from the flavorful rice and beans, to the restaurant’s signature hot sauce.
Owner Rafael Garcia doesn’t keep Tabasco on the tables. It’s not that he isn’t willing to play to the mores of Cajun country — Cafe Habana’s Cubano sandwich is made with fresh bread from Poupart Bakery and has won two awards at the Acadiana Po-Boy Festival.
But, while Cuban food is admittedly delicious with a dash of hot sauce, it’s not traditional to the cuisine. So they make their own “friendly” hot sauce for guests to complement the dishes; a bright green blend of jalapeño and herbs with a balanced yet assertive heat.
“We do not use hot spices in Caribbean cuisine, whether it’s the Dominican Republic, Puerto Ricans, Cubans — we use a lot of bell peppers, oregano, cumin, but not jalapeños or chiles…