Cuban food gets modern, stylish touch at new cafe
When Roberto and Esther Diaz came to Houston last spring, they embraced the diversity of the city’s dining scene but also saw an opportunity for Cuban cuisine.
In a little over a year, the husband-and-wife team quietly debuted Buena Vista Cuban Cafe, 4601 Washington, last month ahead of a grand opening scheduled for this weekend.
“The Cuban food we love and want to share with everyone is here at Buena Vista,” Roberto Diaz said. “We believe there’s a need for it.”
Houstonians can find a smattering of restaurants serving hearty beef stews and pork sandwiches, but the Diazes opened Buena Vista with the goal of showcasing Cuban food in a more refined, modern style.
The couple, who keep homes in Miami and New York City, moved here part time to follow their daughter, Sarah, who decided to take a finance job locally after graduating college.
It was only a matter of time before they opened a restaurant in Houston, the Diazes said. They own Casa Taqueria, a fast-casual Mexican spot, and partnered in a few other restaurants, including a Cuban one, in Manhattan. For a few years, they operated the District in Miami until the pandemic contributed to its closing.
Buena Vista’s airy, 3,600-square-foot space is anchored by tropical plants, a 20-seat bar and artwork by Spanish artist Jordi Molla. There’s a large wrap-around patio off Washington Avenue where customers can lounge and sip mojitos or sangria.
While Cafe Piquet in Bellaire may be the most notable Cuban restaurant in town, the Diazes still felt there was room for a refined-yet-relaxed establishment that presented their native cuisine in a refreshing way.
They tapped chefs Yankiel Rodriguez, who they say graduated from a top culinary school in Cuba, and Pedro Garcia, a 16-year veteran of a River Oaks steakhouse, to develop a menu that balances some of their favorite dishes with modern touches.
Ropa vieja, the national Cuban dish made with shredded beef in a tomato-based sauce that’s been slowly cooked for hours, is more or less presented in its classic form.
But the kitchen takes liberties elsewhere. A trendy charcuterie board is presented as the Cuban Board, with bites of croquetas, empanadas, tostones, yuca fries and more. There’s also four different ceviche options available, from shrimp marinated in citrus juices to a mix of seafood served in a cocktail glass.
The Afro-Cuban pork dish is one that Roberto Diaz ate growing up. Here, the slowroasted pork shoulder is served with a white bean puree and Creole tomato salad.
“Roast pork is expected at holidays instead of turkey,” Esther Diaz joked about how often porcine is on the menu. “It’s served during special occasions, but it’s also a taste of something that brings me back home.”
The Diazes also want to create a sense of dining out in Havana, which they describe as being frozen in time, with old cars and even older buildings, by bringing in live music and a cigar roller on certain nights.
They hope to open more than one restaurant in Houston, but for now, they’re focused on fine-tuning their recipes as they have in the past month, Roberto Diaz said.
The restaurant is named partly after the Buena Vista Social Club, an album that was released in 1997 and became a blockbuster hit with its vintage Cuban songs performed by older musicians. It harkens back to the memories of Cuba for the Diazes, before they immigrated to the U.S. and eventually ran a supermarket prior to going into the restaurant business.
“We’re introducing people to a new experience through food,” Roberto said.