Cana’s bright, colorful exterior
There’s not enough Cuban food in the Bay Area. No, this is (thankfully) not Miami with its close proximity to Cuba and, therefore, plethora of Cuban food. But I wouldn’t trade the vibrant cuisines we are swimming in for anything.
It’s with joy I speak of a new Cuban cafe, Cana, in Oakland. Pretty much a walk-up counter with one table inside plus patio seating, Cana scratches the Cuban itch with winning pastries (try a flan-like, guava tart – Pastry de Guayaba, $4.50 – or a Chocolate Ancho Chile Cookie, $2) or lunch and dinner items, like a hefty Cubano ($8.50), loaded with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, crunchy with pickle, contrasted by hot mustard.
Chandelier over Cana’s counter
It’s satisfying, affordable food, filling a needed niche. They custom-grind beans for coffee and espresso. I ordered a classic Cafe Cubano ($2.50), robust but ultra-sweet, as tradition demands. It accompanied a read-through of one of their books on Cuba (I enjoyed one on Havana’s heyday of bar, cocktail and music culture pre-Castro).
In the other half of the space, currently papered over, they are preparing to open a parlor, or essentially a bar/lounge focused on rum & agricole cocktails, with an in-house cane press (!), cigars, their cafe menu, and live music. If it’s as good as it sounds, this will be one special cafe.