If there was ever a perfect medium for telling the story of a people, a culture, a society, that medium would be food. Through food there is an unspoken language that doesn't try to hide the goodness that can be found in every culture.

A short visit to Cafe' Habana City on Bertrand Drive in Lafayette will take you to the mysterious island of Cuba. For most of us in the United States Cuba is a place that has always been off limits because of political issues between our country and the Cuba dictatorship.

Raphael Garcia and his family managed to leave Cuba to come to America, Lafayette in particular, to pursue their version of our American dream. It's a great story and Raphael was very kind to share personal memories, observations, and the truth about his homeland and his newly found home.

The food at Cafe' Habana City is the real deal. I have been blessed to travel extensively in the Caribbean and these recipes and flavor combinations are spot on. If you've never experienced a Cuban sandwich from Cafe' Habana City I do hope you'll give it a try. The combination of slow roasted pork, pickles, ham, and that incredible custom baked bread will make you a fan for life.

Be sure and ask your server about a Mojito made with Sweet Crude Rum. The Mojito is a Cuban specialty drink that is very refreshing and Sweet Crude Rum is a locally produced rum that has a flavor that is so smooth and clean you could drink it by itself.

Remember Cafe Habana City is just one of over 90 locally owned and  operated restaurants that are participating in Eat Lafayette. Each restaurant has specialty items they'd love for you to try and they all have a chance for you to do a little traveling in the Caribbean too. You could win a Cancun vacation from Travel Machine so make sure you're signed up to win while you Eat Lafayette.

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