Appetizers average $6
Sandwiches $7
Entrees average $15
Soup $3-6
Three options for veggie lovers
Desserts average $6
I'd been meaning to check
out this restaurant ever since it opened a short while ago -- only blocks away
from my apartment -- and with the excuse of having to write this review I
finally followed through. Zafra is a BYO Cuban Latino restaurant located on the
corner of 3rd and Willow Avenue that welcomes you in from the outside with its
bright blue exterior and outdoor tables when the weather's good. Once inside
you can't help but easily settle in to your cozy surroundings: dim lighting
accented with a plethora of candles, Cuban music playing in the background
adding to the colorful Latin paintings on the walls and plastic floral
tablecloths that closely resemble that of a Hawaiian shirt.
I brought along two friends
as my second opinions and more importantly more people equals more food to
sample. Arriving Sunday night around 6:30 we were quickly seated (however note
that that will be the last time in this review that I use the word quick). This
is not a restaurant you should frequent if you are in a hurry and/or on a blind
date. Be warned the bathrooms have no windows to escape from and in the tiny
dining room sits a little more than half a dozen tables and a small bar in
which it would be hard not to notice you exiting through the front door. We
took our seats by the window and handed over our bottle of wine to the
waitress.
After deliberating on the
extensive starter options we selected the cheese platter ($14). It consisted of
a sampling of three Spanish cheeses, wild oak honey, and the option of an
accompanying side of nuts or olives. Slowly but surely our entrees found their
way to our table. I ordered the Anticuchos (Pinchos) de Pollo Peruanos
($16.95), an extraordinarily well-presented grilled skewered chicken morsels
marinated Peruvian-style, sticking out of a sweet potato, alongside of rice and
white beans. My friends ordered the Enchilados de Pollo ($15.95), a chicken
filled enchilada with a green tomatillo-hoja santa sauce, refried beans, and
grated cheese sprinkled on top, and Ropa Vieja ($14.95), a classic Cuban
shredded beef braised with peppers, onion, and tomatoes in a wine sauce.
Everything we ordered was
excellent, and I would know because I tried it all. Even in the middle of Lent and
the thought of eternal Hell looming over my head I succumbed to the waif of
shredded beef coming from my friend's plate and with my journalistic
responsibility in mind I forgot all about my promise to give up red meat for 40
days. No sooner were we done licking our plates clean and wrapping up
everything that we couldn't fit into our mouths that we were scanning over the
dessert menu.
Again for the authenticity
of a good review we forsake our worry about our waistlines and ordered a
dessert each. I chose the Bunuelos de Yuca con Miel de Panela ($5), a crisp
anise-scented yuca beignets, (similar to a donut) drizzled with syrup, and my
friend opted for my first choice, the Panqueques de Dulche de Leche ($6),
Uruguayan crepes filled with the most amazing caramel I have ever tasted. It
too was her second choice after she heard they were out of the Flan de Turron,
a hazelnut Flan ($6). And lastly was old reliable, the Flan de Vanilla de
Papantia ($4), Zafra's creamy Flan perfumed with vanilla. And take it from a
chocoholic at heart; no dessert is complete without Zafra's Venezuelan Hot
chocolate ($6). It comes in a mug but should have been served in a bowl, as it
was the consistency of soup, and the taste of pure heaven. One would imagine
that dipping any number of the warm and delicious desserts in it would be
ecstasy but that's just a guess, I wouldn't know anything about that.
But I would know that when
we left two hours later I was one happy customer. However, the next day when I
realized my leftover lunch was missing my barely touched sweet potato, happy I
was not. So be warned that not checking your takeout bag means taking the
chance that the hungry help might have helped themselves to your next days
delicacy.
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