La Bodeguita del Medio is a bar/restaurant that claims to be the birthplace of the Mojito.
Needless to say, there was a band playing.
La Bodeguita's real fame comes from one of its famous patrons, Ernest Hemingway, whose framed handwritten note is on display in the bar...
...along with several photos such as this one showing Hemingway shaking Fidel's hand.
Now, let's look at the famous drink being mixed at the bar counter:
And voila:
We went upstairs for a light lunch. The place was full with tourists (not that any Cuban would be able to afford a meal here).
Of course there was another band playing upstairs. Since they all sing the same songs over and over again to tourists, by then, we had heard all their repertoire and listened to "Chan Chan" for the umpteenth time.
Creole fish stew, tostones (fried plantains), Moros y Cristianos (black beans and rice). We also tried a Bucanero Malta.
After this meal, it became clear to me why Cuban cuisine was unknown outside the island: it seems to have limited options, oily & repetitive gravy base and heavy sides.
