Cuba Cuba Restaurant in Denver

Cuba Cuba serves up delicious Cuban food in a relaxed atmosphere, and offers Denver's best mojitos.

Cuba Cuba is hidden away on a side street in the Golden Triangle district. The unobtrusive facade of a frame house conceals one of Denver's best-kept secrets.

Founded by Kristy Socarras Bigelow, a Miami native who keenly felt Denver's lack of a Cuban restaurant, Cuba Cuba offers traditional Cuban fare such as Ropa Vieja. While the literal translation of Ropa Vieja as "old clothes" does not sound appetizing, the meal of shredded beef creole proves quite delicious.

Other entrees on the menu include paella, pan-seared duck, and black tiger shrimp. Most dishes are served with black beans and rice as well as plantains, a type of small banana served fried. The dessert menu offers flan, tres leches and key lime brulee. The heavenly flan, a rich custard, melts in your mouth.

The only downside to Cuba Cuba is the somewhat indifferent service. The wait staff has a tendency to disappear for long stretches of time if you do not place your order right away, especially when it's crowded on weekends. Finding available street parking can also be a bit of a challenge because Cuba Cuba does not have a parking lot.