El Chanchullero

After touring Centro Habana, we had lunch at El Chanchullero.

It opens at 1 pm but get in line by 12:45 or you won't get in for the first seating.

El Chanchullero is located on Teniento Rey between Cristo & Bernaza. The sign outside says that Hemingway was never here.

It's across the street from Iglesia del Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje, the Church of Good Voyage. The church sits on a nice square. There are many benches to sit and people watch.

El Chanchullero is a small restaurant with a few tables on the ground floor where you can see the action in the tiny kitchen. There are 2 more levels upstairs--the top level is a covered patio. The most interesting table was on the 2nd level--it's in a jail cell.

There was a $1 bill on the wall where Washington had been changed to Che Guevara.

The mojito was delicious--2 CUCs.

Jugos Naturales--1 CUC. This was a Guava smoothie and so good.

The other Jugos Naturales was frutabomba--tasted like mango.

Pollo Yosvany--4 CUCs. This was chicken stir fried with vegetables. It was served with a small salad and rolls. Delicious and so inexpensive.

Cordero Lomo Encebollado--5 CUCs. Lamb with onions, served with a side of cream sauce. Not sure what the sauce was. The lamb was a little tough.

Service was very slow. It took us over 2 hours to get through lunch and this was all we had. We tried to order flan but was told they were out. I think it was more like they couldn't keep up with the service. It was a good thing the food was good and inexpensive. Extra bonus--the restaurant accepted US dollars--$1 = 1 CUC exchange rate.

2017 03 06