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This is the first in a series of posts I’m writing about all the best places I’ve gone out to eat in my new home town of Austin, Texas.

Both on Friday and on Sunday the last weekend in August, we went to a restaurant called Habana, which is located on 6th Street, in downtown Austin, where all kinds of partying happens. Exact location: 709 6th Street, Austin TX.

The first time we went, I had the Chicken Fricassee, which is an entree featuring Chicken of course, stewed in a tomato sauce. I have to tell you, as an African I have my own recipe of Chicken stewed in a tomato sauce that every last one of the friends I’ve made it for adores.

So when I say it was Delicious, I’m in no way exaggerating. It takes a lot for me to even admit someone else’s stewed chicken was good, not to mention outstanding, so if you want a healthy dish that’s also tasty and different, try that. It was well spiced without being overwhelming.

With the Chicken Fricassee came spanish rice and potatos. The potatos I didn’t expect, but they were still quite delicious. I asked that it be served with a side of Maduros, which is what they call their disk of thickly sliced, ripe fried plantains. This pulled the meal together for me, so I’m quite surprised they don’t actually serve them together.

A side consisted of an entire plantain, from the looks of it, which is quite filling. I had to take most of my food home with me.

Also interesting were their drink selections and the decor. I’ve never been to Cuba, but the inside of the establishment was quite convincing, that’s it in the picture above I’ve lived in a couple of different tropical places and from that standpoint, it gave off the right feel.

This palm tree ceiling fan was also quite charming – though as hot as it was, I wish they’d turn it on!

Palm Tree Fan - Habana's

Again, I’m not some fancy restaurant critic, this is from my own impressions.

The service on Friday afternoon was quite good as well. That’s a bit surprising because that’s one of the busier nights on that side of town.

Sadly, on Sunday that was not the case. I decided to have something different, since I knew I’d be writing about it. Some of my food choices were a mistake. As was, perhaps, the time of day we chose to come by. We got a slightly dizzy waitress who was instrumental in screwing up the experience for us.

To start, we both got drinks and appetizers. I had the absolutely perfect Habanatini. It’s Mango juice and rum basically. If you like Mango juice it’s quite tasty and awesome.

Where we truly went tragically wrong were the “Thinly Sliced Fried Plantain Chips”, which on their menu are called Mariquitas. Especially at the price of $4.25, if you like traditional plantain chips, avoid them at all costs. They were not thinly sliced, nor were they at the stage in which you make plantains into chips. They weren’t cooked all the way through, and tasted like bad banana chips.

If you like plantain chips, you’re better off buying the ones in the green bag from the Latin American or African store. You know the ones I mean.

And I hate banana chips.

I’ll spare you the rest of the sad issues, as I am pretty sure I didn’t like the rest of the meal because I was trying something new that I didn’t like. It seems like it was a perfectly prepared something that I didn’t really want.

And yet.

The experience and ambiance of the restaurant made up for even our silly minded waitress. Enough so that I’m willing to try Havana again…

When you folks come to visit me during SXSW, we’ll have all sorts of fun eatery hopping at the places in this category.

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