La Jolla’s first Cuban restaurant almost didn’t happen when family patriarch James Torres fell ill just before its soft opening recently.
But thanks to James’ two daughters, Sofia and Alianna, and his wife Dianne, who all are pinch-hitting for him while he recuperates, Havana Kitchen at 1055 Torrey Pines Road is now up and running. Their new converted retail space was previously both Thai and Mexican restaurants.
This is the family’s second Cuban eatery. The first was begun by James in 2006. It started out as a small commercial caterer in an industrial park in Murrieta in Riverside County. Later, it moved to a commercial space in Old Town Temecula.
“There’s nothing more important to my dad than opening this second restaurant,” said Sofia Torres. “It represents everything our family has worked so hard to achieve. It’s a testament to every family who has come to America with a dream.”
The Torres family immigrated to New York following the Cuban revolution in the 1950s and 1960s before the whole family moved to Los Angeles years later.
Sofia Torres said their family had no experience in the restaurant business before James, a natural entrepreneur, decided to test the field. “He’s an amazing cook and he’s the one who’s responsible for all our recipes,” noted Sofia. She added, “He could have cooked any kind of cuisine and made it delicious. But he chose Cuban because the culture is such a vibrant and beautiful thing, and it was really important for my family to bring that knowledge and culture.
“The food community here is so well done and you have such a variety,” said Sofia about why they chose to locate in La Jolla. “James had a vision and it (remodel) just turned out super beautiful. People here are so well traveled, they’ve been to Cuba, they’ve been to Miami, and they tell us our food is so reminiscent of there. We’re really happy to bring real authentic Cuban food.”
The walls of Havana Kitchen display Torres’ family photos and their business logo in a large airy space with high ceilings and comfortable seating.
Of Cuban cuisine, Sofia Torres noted it’s distinctly different than Mexican cuisine. “Cuban food is inherently not spicy,” she said. “There are no ingredients in Cuban food that make it spicy, unlike elements in Mexican cuisine like jalapeno peppers. Cuban cuisine doesn’t have any of those sorts of things.”
What can newcomers to Cuban cuisine expect from it? “Rice and beans, which here are homemade: It’s an incredibly complex recipe,” answered Sofia pointing to their Cuban shredded meat dish as just one example. “Cuban flan, fried plantain, and Cuban empanadas with fillings are also popular. We do the best Cuban sandwich that you’ll ever have. It’s slow-cooked Black Forest ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and pressed with Cuban bread. It’s just divine.”
Added Sofia: “All of our dishes are slow-cooked in low heat until all the oil and everything has been integrated with all of the flavors. And then we put more protein in. Our kitchen staff is robustly trained and prepares our food with just precise and intense consistency. All of the recipes are to a T, to the ounce, to the pound.”
She added one of their signature recipes is cooked for 12 hours. “Everything is made with a lot of detail and a lot of intention, and that really comes out in our food,” Sofia said.
Havana Kitchen La Jolla is presently open for lunch and dinner but plans to also open for breakfast soon.
HAVANA KITCHEN
Where: 1055 Torrey Pines Road.
Hours: Soft opening hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.
Contact: 858-230-6424.
