Cincy Talks v6 - Chacabanas
Chacabanas opened last year at 1809 Elm Street, right across from Findlay Market, and has wasted no time making a splash in the Cincy food scene! The menu at Chacabanas showcases classic Cubanos, croquetas, empanadas, yuca fries, tostones, as well as house-made tres leches and flan for dessert. Inspired by Chef and Owner Helen Ortega’s upbringing with Dominican and Cuban cuisine, the food here satisfies the city’s long-time craving for an authentic Cubano.
We tried the tostones, empanadas, Ybor City Cubano, and desserts. The tostones (crispy fried plantains) are tossed in a garlicky oil and topped with a sprinkle of la dama sagrada, a goat’s milk cheese with a bite very similar to parmesan reggiano. The Ybor City Cubano - which features genoa salami, roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard, all pressed between glossy buttered Cuban bread - embodies everything a Cubano should be!
The empanadas, loaded generously with a savory beef filing, are fried to perfection. The beef filling has a wonderfully rich, concentrated flavor that can only be achieved with fresh ingredients and lots of time. The empanadas are wonderfully complemented by their spicy house-made Habanero Mojo Aioli.
The flan and tres leches are exceptional. The tres leches is topped with torched whipped cream and garnished with an edible flower. The perfectly custardy texture and caramelized notes of the flan are on point. We highly recommend snagging both if you have a sweet tooth!
Chacabanas currently operates in a Findlay Launch storefront. Findlay Launch is a storefront accelerator program for restaurant start-ups in Cincinnati, meaning that their current location is temporary. However, Chacabanas is set to relocate to a new space in Downtown very soon!
Make sure to visit
@chacabanascincy for authentic Cuban and Dominican flavors!
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