Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar began celebrating Mojito Mondays last month by offering pitchers and half pitchers of their house-made mojitos, no-jitos (non-alcoholic mojitos) and sangrias at half price.
The mojito is a traditional Cuban highball consisting of white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint. Cuba Libre’s version is made from a combination of freshly pressed sugar cane (called guarapo, which is pressed in-house), fresh lime juice, mint, Cuba Libre branded white rum and a splash of soda and is one of twelve handcrafted mojitos available at the restaurant. In addition to Mojito Mondays, here are 5 reasons that make Cuba Libre a must-see, must-experience dining destination.
Authentic Cuban Food
The menu at Cuba Libre is full of comfort food and fresh seafood. One of the great things I enjoy at a Cuban dinner table is a good Paella a la Cubana surrounded by a lot of smaller plates on the table and having a bite of this and a bite of that. If you’ve been following my blog or Instagram for a while, you know that’s my absolute favorite way to eat!
We ordered: the tuna ceviche (my favorite appetizer), crab guacamole, the abuela’s chicken croquetas, coconut crab fritters, Octopus a la papilla, levanta muerto seafood soup, the seafood paella and arroz con frijoles. And as if that wasn’t enough, we ordered the tres leches, chocolate torte and Cuban flan to sample for dessert. To get a glimpse into our Girls Night Out, head over to my Instagram and click on Cuba Libre under Highlights.
All of the flavors play off each other. You have a bite of the tuna, which is light, fresh and raw and the coconut crab fritters, which is crunchy and sweet and then you move to the earthy levanta muerto seafood soup. Just like in Cuba, the chefs at Cuba Libre create very modern twists on traditional cuisine. It is so good!
The Cuban Coffee
I’ve been drinking coffee for less than year. Cuba Libre has some of the most delicious coffee I’ve ever sampled. I drink it straight without any added sugar, cream or milk. I have no idea what the caffeine content is, but the coffee kept me up for hours upon hours.
The Ambience
I’m all about the open-air setting, tropical ambiance, vintage décor and upbeat Latin music of Cuba Libre. The restaurant transcends you into a classic yet contemporary Cuban setting—giving you the feeling that you’re on vacation.
The Location
Cuba Libre is located between Chinatown and DC’s famous City Center. The walkability to other restaurants and retail make this area an ideal spot for shopping and restaurant hopping.
The Night Club
Cuba Libre becomes a bustling nightclub after pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The staff removes the tables and chairs to open up the dance floor and a DJ plays an amazing mix of Spanish Dance and Salsa music til 3 AM. If you’ve ever been to Miami or Cuba and would like to re-live that experience in DC, this is your spot!
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