Review: Havana

It was birthday a couple of months back (ok, so I started this post before I went away on holiday). My parents offered to treat us to dinner and I chose Havana, a bit of an institution in Wellington. It's situated inside two historic and colourful workingmen's cottages just off vibrant Cuba Street in the city. It's a great place for cocktails and music but despite having whiled away many an evening in the dimly lit garden terrace over drinks and bar snacks, I've never eaten in the restaurant.

We arrived early, as they don't take bookings for small groups on Friday and Saturday night, and the restaurant is quite small. We were seated straight away and even moved to a slightly bigger table when we requested it. It was dark, but a nice, cosy atmosphere which hummed as it filled up with more people. Unfortunately dark also means terrible lighting for mobile phone photos.

It's a tapas style menu so we ordered several things to share - four each of the smaller and bigger tapas and a couple of sides, which was plenty for the four of us...we may have also had dessert, just to tip us right over the edge.

Crisp haloumi on grilled bread

I won't subject you to everything we ate, to save your keyboard from drool but instead give you my favourite choices of the night. Of the smaller tapas, the crisp haloumi with sweet red pepper relish and rosemary oil on grilled bread and the slow roasted crispy chicken wings with a coriander and green chilli chutney were top choices. Who doesn't love haloumi, and the sweetness of the relish went so well with it. I don't normally go for chicken wings, as they are often a bit too much hard work for not much reward, but the coriander and green chilli chutney was off the hook - not very spicy, and really fresh tasting - a bit like a salsa verde.

Chicken pie

Of the larger tapas, the pan fried fish with bouillabaisse sauce, croutes and rouille was excellent - the fish was cooked beautifully. The chicken pie with fino sherry, house puff pastry and herbed baby carrots was comfort food at its best and special mention goes to the char grilled aged beef fillet skewers with a smokey red pepper and bay marinade, which were potentially the most tender beef skewers I have ever had.

For dessert, we managed to fit in the apple, feijoa and peanut butter crumble with a lemon bay cream. This was enjoyable, but it wasn't really anything special. I really like peanut butter and crumble, but just not together - the peanut butter flavour just didn't work with the fruit as well as I'd expected.

I washed it all down with a sloe gin fizz to start, followed by a glass each of the Pretty Paddock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Explorer Central Otago Pinot Noir. Pretty safe choices, I know.

The food was delicious, the atmosphere warm and intimate and I loved the tapas style of eating - a nice way to enjoy a family dinner. I'd love to go back, but it was fairly pricey so it's definitely a place to be saved for a special occasion - or maybe just next time mum and dad are paying!

Apple, feijoa and peanut butter crumble

Havana Bar
32a-34 Wigan St
Te Aro
Wellington, New Zealand