Cafe Habana: A Good Dining Choice in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan has no shortage of reliably tasty restaurants, but only a few truly stand out from the pack. Among the chosen few is Café Habana, Ann Arbor's answer to your Cuban craving. And I mean just that - while there are many good entrees and appetizers on the menu, the Cuban sandwich alone is worth a visit.

Before we get to that, it's worth noting that the all-important ambiance factor earns Café Habana an instant nod of approval. Upon entering the restaurant, which sits on the prime real estate strip of E. Washington St., you will be greeted by rich woodwork, bold, vintage posters, and what ultimately amounts to a space designed by a team with keen attention to detail; it is as if you have been transported out of Midwest University Town, USA. And, the booths are cozy, their backs high enough to partition you from your neighbors and ensure a private dining experience.

Lunch options top out at roughly ten dollars, with most in the $7-8 range. The baked goat cheese appetizer is heavenly. Goat cheese alone is heavenly, but imagine it warmed and laced with a roasted tomato topping. This is a lighter, if not tastier, creamy dip for tortilla chips than the yellow cheese variant so often listed on menus. In the mood for more starch? Try the arepas, which are more or less like large cornmeal pancakes with, yes, yet more warmed goat cheese sandwiched between them...and some sautéed spinach for good measure. The health nut among you might try the fish tacos - that is, the grilled ahi tuna preparation rather than the fried mahi-mahi. Having tried them myself, I can vouch for the freshness of the fish and jicama slaw, but would sooner order something else from the menu - say, the Cuban sandwich.

The Cuban sandwich contains mustard, mayo, roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and the added sour spark of pickle, all pressed between Cuban bread. The flavors work so well together that it's difficult to consider ordering something else. I even hesitate to order the smaller Cuban, as the cooks swap the Cuban bread for a sweet egg bread, which I fear may compromise the flavors. All sandwiches on the menu arrive at your table next to a heap of French fries, so don't anticipate a low-calorie meal. That said, I've never felt overly greasy or disgusted with myself upon leaving the restaurant, as I have waddling out of other chain restaurants which shall remain nameless. I think this is because Café Habana does not overwhelm its customers with food. You don't gnaw on bread while you wait for your entrée, and the entrees, though plentiful, have a pleasant lightness about them.