Tien Tan, hidden at the end of Barrio Chino (Chinatown) in Centro Habana, serves what it calls “authentic Chinese food.” While the definition of authentic is as fluid as it gets, the restaurant is great, and a culinary reminder of Cuba’s sizable Chinese population (dating from the mid-19th century) and the inevitable intertwining of local ingredients and far-flung food traditions. So perhaps the best way to describe this two-story establishment is “the best authentic Cuban Chinese restaurant,” as our Cuban friend put it. The ambitious restaurant has a sprawling menu that covers different styles of Chinese food including Shanghainese, Sichuanese and Cantonese food, but its best dishes are always Shanghainese, cooked by Shanghai native chef Luo Shugui, who has been working here for almost two decades. Try the pan-fried beef with assorted vegetables, Gong Pao Chicken and spicy tofu. The Guo Tie, or fried dumpling is a miss. The stuffing tastes flat, like it has been left unattended in the fridge too long.
Address: Boulevard del Barrio Chino, C/Cuchillo No. 17 entre Zanja y San Nicolas, Havana, Cuba
Opening hours: noon till midnight
Tel: +53 7 8615478
Price: Moderate