there are 2 type of restaurants in Havana – the state run restaurants and the paladares – these are family run restaurants, usually in a room in the house or in the garden. we went to two different types of paladares, very different in style. the first, la fontana was in a upmarket suburb of havana – in the garden of a 50′s style house, and the second, la guarida was in a crumbling palatial mansion in centro habana, on the 3rd floor in 3 tiny rooms. la guarida served fine food, immaculately presented – everything from the decoration to the glasses had been pre thought and set out in an arty way – it was definitely a whole experience from entering the building, finding yourself in a mansion subdivided into bedsits and then eating fine cuisine. la fontana equally offered great home cooked food, but in a more rustic way – it was an insight to another way of cuban life. these new enterprising schemes, introduced in the 90′s, allows cubans to make a bit of extra money – of course they are taxed highly on this income and there are strict rules that they have to adhere to. apparently, they are only allowed to serve 12 people at any one time in these paladares.
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