Sunday Brunch at Little Havana
May 29th, 2008 by Alex
To make it really short, the Sunday brunch at Little Havana is a blast. Beware however, without a reservation you can expect up to a two hour wait (especially if its a holiday weekend). As far as reservations go, make them early. If the weather is supposed to be nice, ask for an outside table. Ours was made 11 days in advance and we walked in and were seated immediately at our table. We had a excellent view of the harbor and skyline. That was good, since the tables on the other side of the deck overlook the parking lot an industrial area beyond.
For $14.95 per person, the Sunday brunch involves any entree off the brunch menu (PDF), bottomless refills of Bloody Marys or mimosas, coffee and juice. No complaints about the mimosas. The pitchers keep on coming, as evidenced by countless Federal Hill residents getting obscenely drunk before noon. I can’t speak for the Blood Mary’s, but I’m told that the coffee is top notch.
I ordered the Cuban Scrambled Eggs. Based on the consistency I’d guess that the eggs were scrambled in bulk from a mix, perhaps fresh or perhaps not. No complaints, but nothing to write home about. The sofrito was a nicely blended pepper and tomato-based sauce with a little bit of warmth, which I liked. Heat lovers will need to add Tabasco (provided) or bring their own hot sauce. The muffin was small, vanilla flavored and surprisingly full of flavor considering its size. The Cuban toast is actually bread slices, not usually burnt or too soft. The fresh watermelon and crispy bacon were delicious.
The daily special isn’t advertised, but make sure you ask. After talking with a friend about the stuffed crab sandwich special he’d had the last time we did brunch, I decided to inquire about the day’s special. It was a tomato, avocado and swiss sandwich on Cuban bread, with brunch potatoes (or plantain chips) and muffin. Needless to say a couple of avocado-loving people at our table changed their orders afterwards.
Some critics argue that the food isn’t authentic. I don’t think that’s the point, at least that’s not how I see it. The food is decent and the atmosphere is noisy. Normally it wouldn’t be my scene at all, but when you’re seated at an outside table, basking in the sun and talking the morning away with friends over a few pitchers of mimosas, it’s worth every penny.
One last logistical thing… the on-site parking doesn’t handle near the amount of patrons that Little Havana handles on Sunday, but most of the meters on the adjacent stretch of Key Highway aren’t in service on Sunday.
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I’m one of the ones that knocks it for being inauthentic. Their Cuban sandwich was terrible. Babalu Grille is a lot better.
yellowjkt: I think they might be confused about what they’re serving, at least when it comes to food. Their web site advertises “traditional Cuban cuisine combined with modern innovations” but their menu offers Cuban-inspired dishes fused with American style. I still see it at a bar first.