We all know Michigan winters can be harsh. Days upon days of below freezing weather, snow, and ice make colder months difficult to swallow. There are some places, however, that want you to forget the cold and journey to a warm place where the food is spicy and the mojitos flow like water.

Cafe Habana specializes in Cuban cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients. Nearly everything on the menu is made in house and with new head chef Robert Young at the helm, the menu has some old favorites intermingled with new delights.

Before we talk about the food, let's discuss the space. Cafe Habana is a warm, intimate spot just off Main Street on Fifth. That same warmth carries over to the attentive servers who are more than willing to offer suggestions on both food and drink. The lighting is always low creating a romantic setting especially when coupled with the Cuban music playing in the background. Cafe Habana is ideal for a first date or for a couple trying to rekindle the flame. Families are welcome, too, as well as people just looking for a good time, especially when you consider the impressive selection of cocktails.

Mojito Madness

Whether you're starting your meal or finishing up, do not leave Cafe Habana without trying a mojito. The traditional Cuban cocktail is made with light rum, soda, fresh mint, lime and house made mint syrup. Sweet, sour, and refreshing, mojitos are a perfect summer drink. Cafe Habana shows off the mojito's versatility by offering around a dozen different speciality mojitos. From watermelon to peach to pineapple, there's a flavor for all tastes and, if you can't decide, a mojito flight is available. Four half-sized mojitos for $14 – can't beat that deal.

Aperitivos

Fried calamari is as universal an appetizer you can find. It shows up on all types of menus and is usually served the same way – deep fried with a side of marinara. Habana's version, Calamare Fritos ($9), takes calamari to another level. Battered calamari strips are fried and covered in sweet & spicy citrus sauce.  The sauce is misleading because it is tomato based, but that's not a bad thing.  More of a calamari stew than anything else, this dish sticks to your bones.  

Many times a salad will look pretty, but the flavors will be lacking. Ensalada Cubano ($7) looks pretty and packs a flavor punch. Three things make this salad special: herbed goat cheese, roasted corn relish and jalapeno-chive vinaigrette.  The combination of the goat cheese's creamy tanginess with the sweetness from the corn and the slow, steady burn of the vinaigrette is inspired. You can add meat if you desire, but this salad is pretty hearty without additional protein.

Platos Principales

Cafe Habana's menu is balanced. Plenty of options for lovers of seafood, beef, chicken and pork. Vegetarians are well represented, too.  

The most popular dish on the menu is carne asada ($15). Mojo marinated grilled hanger steak over chimichurri served with yellow rice and sauteed spinach. Mojo is an authentic Cuban marinade made with orange juice, olive oil and spices. Marinating hanger steak is useful because it is a tougher piece of meat. Using mojo is particularly smart because the citrus helps break down the protein therefore making the meat more tender. This carne asada is perfectly tender with pleasant citrus undertones and hint of heat. Chimichurri adds brightness and cuts the citrus a bit. 

If you're looking for more heat, try the Adobo pork ($13). Pork loin marinated in spicy adobo sits atop a scoop of boniato with sauteed spinach on the side. Chargrilling the pork makes this dish special especially when flavors from the adobo take hold.  Adobo packs a smoky, spicy punch reminiscent of barbecue sauce but with no sweetness. There is a definite sweet component to this dish, however, in the form of boniato. Boniato is a member of the sweet potato family. Less sweet, but fluffier, the mashed boniato is sweet relief from the adobo's spiciness.

We started with steak, then moved on to pork so it makes sense that shrimp gets a chance in the spotlight, too. Like the previous dishes, the shrimp are prepared in an exciting fashion - on sugar cane skewers.  Sugar cane skewered shrimp ($17) are topped with sweet chile mango glaze and served with boniato and sauteed spinach.  Of the dishes sampled, this was probably the most disappointing. An interesting presentation to be sure, but the mango glaze was a little too thick and overpowered the shrimp.  It could be a good dish with less glaze and a little more spice.  

Los Postres

Dessert is definitely worth the calories at Cafe Habana. Although both of the desserts we tried were totally different in terms of flavor, they were both classic Cuban desserts with a new twist.  

Tres leches cake is traditionally yellow cake that has been saturated by three milks. Habana's version also has Kaluha and chocolate covered hazelnuts.  More of an upscale tres leches, this version is dense and creamy with a mild coffee flavor from the Kahlua.  

Churros are a traditional street food served in Latin American countries. Similar to a doughnut, pieces of dough are deep fried and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Habana's Pineapple and banana fritters are cousins of churros. Lightly battered chunks of pineapple and banana are deep fried and rolled in cinnamon and sugar.  There's something particularly excellent about deep frying fruit, i.e. taking something healthy and making it unhealthy. A simple dark cane sugar syrup is served along side the fritters, which immediately made me think of breakfast. These fritters would be a super breakfast food.

Speaking of breakfast, Cafe Habana serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings and it is open late (until 3 a.m.) on Friday and Saturday nights. Not only is Cafe Habana unique in its ethnicity, it is also unique in its hours. Being open for brunch and after bars close is usually reserved for coney island type diners, but not in this case. Next time you're near Main Street, swing by Cafe Habana to add a little spice to your life.