Paladar Estella is undoubtedly the best place to eat in Cuba's Trinidad. This family house and attached paladar is what an authentic Cuban foodie experience should be. Proper home-cooking done by the boys in the kitchen and served by the girls at front of house all set back from the street in their leafy garden. You'll find the Paladar just up from the top left side of the main square. Start heading up there and ask for directions, everyone knows them. Be careful to not let a 'restaurant' tout trick you into the wrong doorway. This Paladar is (as they all should be) in a family home. You enter through big wooden doors into their living room and are then lead through into the restaurant.
I had the pleasure of eating at Paladar Estella three times whilst I was in Trinidad. The first time was with some Italian friends I had made on the beach who had met the Señora de la Casa that morning and had been invited to try Cuban food vs. their native Italian. Needless to say they were very impressed - nearly as impressed as I was with the ease that we communicated in Spanglish and Italian the whole evening through.
Each time I went to Paladar Estella I watched the family warmly welcome people through their doors, talk them through the menu, recommend their very special stewed lamb which comes with all the cuban sides: plantain, banana, sweet potato mash, vegetables and salad before tempting them with their homemade coconut ice cream for desert. Families were delighted, couples were enchanted. I was deeply touched. So touched that I wanted to give them their own blog post.
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| The famous lamb stew - cooked for 8 hours |
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| Activity in the kitchen. |
The family at Paladar Estella are amazing. If you make it, please send them my love.
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