Cuban Culinary Traditions at California's Raven's Nest

The inception of the Raven's Nest in Long Beach is somewhat of a history lesson. Consider Anna Aleman, 46, who made a mid-life decision to follow her passion in an effort to honor family tradition. She opened the quaint Cuban restaurant in costal Long Beach just 15 months ago. She is the loving daughter of Cuban Immigrants, who are still living; Gustavo, 85 and Violeta Aleman, 84 who met in Havana and fell in love.

Years later, Anna stayed with her grandparents for four months in South Beach, Miami and it was that visit which opened her eyes to the contemporary Cuban culture and food. She was inspired to recreate the vibe she experienced with her new venture, The Raven's Nest. And I can tell you she got it right, because the dining establishment's ambiance embodies the vibe of an authentic Cuban living/dining room as you wait for dinner to be served and are taunted, in a good way, by the fragrant aromas in the air.

Those Cuban influences are present in the decor, from the ceiling fans reminiscent of 1940s Cuba, to the eclectic collection of wall-to-wall artwork and the jazzy Spanish music gently playing in the background. There is a black and white family photo in the hallway to the restroom that dates back 60 years, they include a color tribute to Anna's pit bulls; her latest a black-faced pup, which was the inspiration for the restaurant's name. Ask her about the back-story on that when you go and dine, she will gleefully share it with you-it's guaranteed that she will be there as she works all six dinner shifts each week.

When we arrived at the location, I realized that the Raven's Nest occupies the former House of Madame JoJo, a local favorite since 1994, modeled after a bordello by the same name in London. When they vacated, Anna jumped at the opportunity to convert it, training the existing two in-house cooks in the art of Cuban cuisine. We were very excited to find out if they had successfully made the crossover.

The wine list is fairly limited, a modest Argentinian wine seemed to be the way to go. John had the Chenin Blanc and I chose the Merlot. As we pondered the origin of these particular grapes, it enhanced the South American mood. Anna brought us her Cuban take on chips and salsa, the translation being Toasted Bread Fingers, served in a Cuban cigar box with a tasty stew broth for dipping.

Our shared appetizer choice was the Coconut Shrimp which tasted fresh and home-made (like I've made them myself ). In fact, all of the food had a "estilo casero" sensibility, which translated means home style. The delectable homemade Empanadas were next-two flavors, one with a cream cheese/ guava paste filling combination; the other a picadillo Cuban ground beef topped with powdered sugar and served on a bed of palm leaves. They were not accompanied with a dipping sauce, once we tasted them it was evident why, as they held their own.

The salad portion of our meal was an enjoyable medley of organic mixed greens, carrots and celery topped with a light ranch dressing for myself and aged balsamic for John. For our entr�e, we created a surf and turf trio of three items off the menu, the Camarones Enchilados, large shrimp with a savory Creole sauce, super moist and flavorful Grilled Mahi Mahi, with lemon-cilantro-ginger-pepper sauce and Bistec Empanizado, Breaded top Sirloin seasoned with fresh garlic and lime juice garnished with fresh parsley and grilled onions, a wonderful rainbow of flavors for the palate and it was accompanied with excellent black beans, rice and different flavors of plantains.

Other interesting menu options include Lechon Asado, a traditional pulled pork Cuban-style, Carne Con Papas, beef tips and potatoes, Picadillo, ground beef and sofrito and a tempting vegan dish featuring grilled portabello mushrooms served with all of the traditional fixings.

A couple of the tables around ordered the Dinner for Two Special for $59.00 which includes a choice of appetizer, two salads, two entrees, and is served with rice, beans, and plantains and includes a bottle of wine of your choice!

At the end we shared a perfectly prepared Cr�me Br�l�e for dessert and if I hadn't been stuffed, I could easily have gone for tasters of each of the thoughtful sweet selections; Coconut Flan, fresh Lemon or Mango Sorbet and Tres Leche Cake.

After going over several great considerations for the May issue with the intuitive gentlemen who run The Rage Monthly's office, we ultimately came up with The Raven's Nest to review because the restaurant and Anna really deserve a shout-out. There is something admirable about an owner who has the tenacity to make a small restaurant survive in the current state of the economy. Just 15 months young, Raven's Nest is still in the "incubation" stage. If you want to have a true feeling of "estilo casero" with rich Cuban comfort food, head over for dinner!

Open evenings only Tuesdays through Thursdays 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays till 10:00 p.m. and Sundays till 8:00 p.m. Seating stops a half an hour before closing. The Raven's Nest is located at 2941 E Broadway, Long Beach. Reservations: 562.439.3672.