Trapped in the middle of a series of eclectic or modern buildings that singles out the Cubanacan neighborhood in Havana’s west side, a typical countryside restaurant serves the tastiest and most genuine dishes of Cuban cuisine. El Rancho Palco is a peculiar spot of Havana, not only for the gourmet quality but also for the ambience the restaurant is perched on, hedged by lush foliage and a special touch of its own. Very close to the International Convention Center, the Palco Hotel and the School of Arts, and hidden behind a lavish patch of royal palm trees, yagrumas, ceibas and ciguarayas –the latter is a sacred tree for worshippers of Cuban-African deities- El Rancho appears to be the perfect place to stay away from the noisy city life and choose from an assortment of 80 Cuban and international dishes. Pedro Baez and Jorge L Valdes, the restaurant’s general manager and maitre respectively, explain Cuban red meat is the key to success at El Rancho, with special offers dominated by onion-seasoned beef steaks that come with rice, black beans and French fries. However, this plate may be combined –depending on individual preferences- with rice and beans, malanga, sweet potatoes or plantains, usually served with cheese-and-meat balls, malanga fritters, fish cocktail or croquettes as hors d’oeuvre. To wash it all down, patrons can pick all-Cuban beer, soda or mineral water, though a small extra charge will let you skim through a menu card of 100-plus wines from the world’s finest brands. This special offer comes at an amazing price, considering the quality of the helpings and the fact that you may eat as much as you can to quench your appetite.

Chef Raul Manuel Chao Bauta, 1962. Hailing from a breed of chefs and cooks, he graduated from the National School of Hotel ad Tourism and from the Course of Hotel Chefs in Spain’s Seville. He’s been in the gourmet business for 17 years and has worked at the Triton Hotel during the Sixth NOAL Summit back in 1979; the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games; the Orbis Project and other events. He’s also had stints at the Bello Caribe and Comodoro hotels, and now at El Rancho. He wrote 100 Plantain & Banana Recipes, a book that grabbed a prize at the 1998 National Science & Technology Forum. Though he excels in international cuisine, he admits he prefers Cuban food.

ONION-SEASONED BEEF STEAK

Ingredients 300 grams of beef (one helping) 5 grams of garlic 10 grams of onions 5 ml of cooking oil 3 grams of salt 2 grams of peppers vegetables

Preparation Slice and clean the meat. Season it with salt, pepper and garlic. Smear some cooking oil on a frying pan and cook the meat for five minutes as you add the onion to squeeze out the Cuban-flavored seasoning. The plate is garnished with tomato slices and diced vegetables –like parsley- and rinds of lemon. The dish comes with black beans, rice and French fries, as well as other accompaniments at the patron’s request.