Decamerón

CA3
Style of food: International
Cost: Moderate
Type of place: Paladar (private)
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for: Extensive collection of grandfather clocks and great blue cheese steak
Worst for: Can feel a little claustrophobic inside
Línea No. 753, entre Paseo y 2, Vedado
(+53)7832 - 2444
Open noon-midnight
  • Located on the corner of Línea and Paseo (park by the gas station on Línea), from the outside this place looks pretty nondescript. This is an indoor place, no view, and no terrace. Non-smokers beware that it can get a little smoky. Decameron is most known for the collection of grandfather clocks. This is tropical baroque heaven with beautiful porcelain water filters vying for space with old musical instruments while there is always somewhere that a cuckoo calls out the passing of another hour.

    Years ago, I used to regularly come here to eat. The food was always excellent (blue cheese steak), yet somehow the whole place seemed a little off-kilter. Perhaps the forced employment of relatives strained the family harmony. In any event, having reopened in January 2011, the owner/manager, Niuska Miniet is fully in charge and has employed a professional staff.

    Niuska is a graduate of literature and chose the name Decameron from a 14th-century Italian collection of stories about the circle of life. She seems happy now that she is firmly in control. There are two chefs, Gabriel Alfonso & Efraín Díaz who have worked with Niuska to develop the menu, which is another mixture of Cuban Creole and international food. The specialty of the house is Pargo a lo Principeño (grilled marinated red snapper with crushed red tomatoes, capers and virgin olive oil). The Filete al queso azul (filet with blue cheese) remains excellent and the large menu includes Seviche de pargo (red snapper seviche), Carpaccio (paper thin slices of beef dressed with olive oil and parmesan cheese), pulpo templado con escabeche de papa (octopus with marinated potatoes) and all the meats. The wine selection is amongst the best of any paladar and you can expect to find something you really like.

    This is a place to get a good meal, well-made quality dishes served in an efficient and discrete fashion. For me, it does lack a little warmth and I prefer not to eat in an enclosed air-conditioned space, but it is well worth checking out for yourself.

    Tuna and vegetable tartlet at Decameron: This is a longstanding “up” in one of the older paladares in the city, located right on Linea, almost at the corner of Paseo. The place is nice, unpretentious and with a beautiful collection of antique wall clocks. The service is usually very friendly and the prices are reasonable. The food is usually good but the star of the menu is the tuna and vegetable tartlet, listed as an appetizer. This small dish is just fantastic, the crust is flaky and the filling is flavorful and topped with melted cheese. Last time we were there we just had to keep reordering tartlets, we couldn’t get enough!

    
  • La California

    La California  LH 5+

    La California Restaurant For quality food, impeccable service & intimate ambience Superb Cuban-Creole/International menu Dine in a beautifully restored 19th-century colonial building just one bloc …

    Opera

    Opera  LH 5+

    – Best for Homely & Intimate enviroment Quality food in a beautiful setting. – Fresh pasta, vegetarian dishes  and quail.

    Nazdarovie

    Nazdarovie  LH 5+

    I never really knew the Cuba from the days of Soviet support. My first memories of the island belong to a time that is very close to the Great Change, when we were already starting to see that what ha …

    La Casa

    La Casa  LH 5

    La Casa is more than just a restaurant; it is the crucible of the Robaina family, from the 91-year-old great grandmother to the latest great grandson and everyone in between. Located on the ground flo …

    La Fontana

    La Fontana  LH 5

    La Fontana is quite simply one of the very best places to eat in Havana. Great food, a good atmosphere, efficient and unobtrusive service for a reasonable price make this a real Havana institution, th …

    Habana Mia 7

    Habana Mia 7  LH 5

    HM7 is not the nickname of a famous athlete or some secret code name. It is, though, a symbol of tranquility and relaxation—a newly discovered, little known formula for a perfect evening. HM7 is one o …

    Ivan Chef Justo

    Ivan Chef Justo  LH 5

    There is only one problem with Ivan Chef Justo and that is describing to people how to get there. Actually it is not that complicated, opposite the Museum of the Revolution on the Old Havana side. Con …

    La Guarida

    La Guarida  LH 5+

    Enrique and Odeisys Nuñez first opened what has become Cuba’s most celebrated paladar on July 14, 1996. During 2009, it closed its doors out of what may be determined as an abundance of caution before …

    El Atelier

    El Atelier  LH 5

    Atelier keeps getting better, recent renovations have improved the place while the food remains excellent. Atelier is run by Niuris Higueras who has a passion for creating food. She is the driving for …

    Otra Manera

    Otra Manera  LH 5

    Best for Beautiful modern décor and good food. Don’t miss Pork rack of ribs in honey. Sweet & sour sauce and grilled pineapple

    1 of 14 pages »