Experience Cuba at the Havana Club

From the spacious parking area of the Villar Sipag Commercial Center, a sign that says Havana Club shines brilliantly and attractively,  as if calling people to enter its premises -- which I gladly did.   From outside, the Latin vibe is very apparent, especially from the design and concept of the edifice and the wide windows which open to an airy lounge where guests can dine and watch the performances on the mini-stage.   .       

The Honorable Senator Cynthia Villar who owns the place and the over-all president of the Villar Sipag Foundation, said that Havana Club became her project because she acquired so many paintings from her trip to Cuba, so much so that she needed a location to display them, thus Havana Club was born.  When you step into the hallway going to the main entrance, paintings that reflect Cuban art and culture are already displayed.  

Attentive staff in Cuban-inspired attire greet and welcome guests and accompany them to their seats of choice.   A bar that serves mocktails, cocktails, and other alcoholic drinks is situated in the furthest area.  This is well-designed, and guests who chose to stay in the bar have their backs facing the main lounge.  

Havana Club is open from 5:00 to midnight, but plans to serve lunch is an option that the management is considering in the near future.   Aside from regular dinners and service, it is open to accepting events like mini-parties or mini-reunions as long as reservations are made prior to the date of the event.  So, if you are from the Las Pinas area,  you can now start holding your parties here, guys.   

If you're a fan of latin music and bossa-nova sound,  just order your favorite drink, choose a seat, slowly sip it and just enjoy the live performance.  The musicians will delight you with their repertoire of standard bossa-nova tunes making the ambiance just similar to a hotel lounge, yet less expensive.  The SIPAG foundation did not spare any centavo to create an authentic Cuba to the smallest detail.  

To complete the authentic Cuban experience, you can order their food like the one above, which is a common Cuban fare.  You might be very familiar with it as it's the Cubana meal without the regular rice partner.  Instead it is replaced with corn and the sliced plantain banana.  

Hors d'oeuvres offered during the soft launch of the bar:  french fries and calamares.   During this time, Senator Villar updated the press regarding the SIPAG Foundation or  the Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance.   It is situated in a 3-hectare property located in C-5 Extension Pulang Lupa Uno, Las Pinas.  The property has a few establishments as of now and a hotel, Mi Vida, is currently being constructed.   This hotel will have 140 rooms and is expected to boost income and tourism in the area.   Incidentally, the foundation gets its funding from the income it generates from the lessees in the SIPAG foundation property such as the Mushroom Burger, Jollibee and others.  

What is Latin-Spanish cuisine without paella?  Paella is like, the adobo for the latinos and when in Havana, you should not miss the seafood marinara paella.  It is a must-try.  If you are not a fan of paellas, this will really convert you.  Their serving is ideal for a company of five.   It's filling and more importantly, it's G-O-O-D!   

More hors d'oeuvre:  This one is baked mussels, but what sets this apart from the others is the fact that each mussel is covered with generous portions of cheese that really melts in your mouth because of its softness.  You'll never get enough of this...

mocktail for the mild drinker.

                    A wall covered with paintings from Havana.  

While looking at this wall, Barry Manilow's hit song "Copacabana"  started playing in my imagination and it completed my picture or Havana.