Hola, mis amigos de worldmappin. Que placer saludarlos. Hay una sensación muy agradable al poder unir lo util a lo agradable. Y precisamente eso fue lo que hicimos ayer mi marido y yo. Luego de comprar algunas cosas necesarias para la casa, nos lanzamos al Barrio Chino de La Habana con una misión clara, comer como dioses. Llevábamos semanas con el antojo de un buen arroz frito, de esos que huelen a cerdo ahumado y salsa de soya. >Hello, my friends from Worldmappin. What a pleasure to greet you. > >There’s a very pleasant feeling when you can combine the useful with the enjoyable. And that’s precisely what my husband and I did yesterday. After buying some necessary things for the house, we headed to Havana’s Chinatown with a clear mission: to eat like gods. For weeks, we’d been craving a good fried rice—the kind that smells of smoked pork and soy sauce.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmY2kVZp2kqfXuJcdXCMk3yhoa4fX1bEcK3fLgRXxe6jAy/1779992537841.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmP6LjNEzVFAnAqF4hVpzKyW6eyLqsNZEozF6CRJpYLbRB/1779992537960.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmfRcVwSNkWTwj1phYoh6h7xu8v2UheyYLWkZ8nEtWfGcH/1779992622008.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmdHS8beqgSoJL9znBFeU4GDoJRxGQb17TeWPpCJS5NuRw/1779992622124.jpg)

La entrada de barrio chino, ubicado en el municipio Centro Habana, está presidida por el arco de la calle Dragones. Llegamos pasada las doce, con un sol que partía las piedras. Nos pusimos a caminar la zona hasta llegar al sitio de nuestro destino. La calle Zanja es la principal de este barrio, pero hay en el barrio chino una pequeña calle que al entrar en ella es como si uno se teletransportara a China. El lugar está decorado y ambientado con toda intención, llrno de restaurantes, cafeteríasy tiendas con comida, adornos y útiles chinos. El color que predomina es el rojo. >The entrance to Chinatown, located in the Centro Habana municipality, is marked by the arch on Dragones Street. We arrived just after noon, with the sun so fierce it felt like it could crack the stones. We walked around the area until we reached our destination. Zanja Street is the main thoroughfare of this neighborhood, but within Chinatown there’s a small street that, when you step into it, feels like you’ve been teleported to China. The place is deliberately decorated and styled, full of restaurants, cafeterias, and shops selling food, ornaments, and Chinese goods. The dominant color is red.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQma6YFUgkWuUb82qSrqpmHYWs5jKNpS3xp6wrmUqHMkYnx/1779992753792.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmZ5KX4fnXJrfiSipbsKG3ZKMLV6HCPDdyXwStuLVMDi3v/1779992753909.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmYH5GX9HX49qxeCkV9qqk4pyAQ5yujmy2zgd5moX4Mxyj/1779992754148.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmWsyFmvF916rVuXP9nzeCEBGN4PnBXXYTGwop4m9j5xGD/1779992754368.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmR4QEDFrZ1Q9g4YbX466TvSFyYHn9yjRsFtmZsqcjqi8w/1779992754646.jpg)

A cada paso, nos encontramos con jóvenes con cartas en las manos haciendo las ofertas y promociones de sus respectivos locales. Finalmente nos decidimos por el lugar indicado y menos caro, por supuesto. Fue un restaurancito llamado "GUANG ZHOU", que es el nombre de una ciudad china y significa "Isla arenosa". >At every turn, we came across young people holding menus, offering deals and promotions for their respective establishments. Finally, we settled on the right place—and the cheapest, of course. It was a small restaurant called "GUANG ZHOU," which is the name of a Chinese city and means "Sandy Island."

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmQ26D6nqrD6bSLtJq1974HutNMuYnNJq4CiNbYhfV5mLc/1779992874869.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmQy7uH96nzjjEityUR2RsrfiGkJ88UyHpMLPJ3sXPxpjg/1779992875041.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmWaHDbh8SR3fakxMbrnNb92kTJmzqM3PcUCugPx3vEBP2/1779992875206.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmZFmQgajmnyYGbwfjspbpNSdqhZ89kSgWvUj4o7Yzbh8c/1779992875355.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmajWzfYRuhpm7nHaAdtS6XebfTDN5RC7MCUVCYEGbdGxx/1779992875678.jpg)

Nos preguntaron si preferíamos la terraza al aire libre o el salon con aire acondicionado. Imagínense ustedes, preguntarle a un perro si quiere hueso con aquel calor que hacía. Claro que nos fuimos al aire acondicionado. Para llegar tubimos que subir una escalera de caracol. El local no era enorme sino todo lo contrario. Un sitio pequeño e íntimo donde solo estábamos nosotros. El restaurante en general tenía su gracia: farolillos rojos, abanicos de papel en las paredes. Nos sentamos en una mesita para dos con mantel rojo y el olor que venía de la cocina era ignotizador. >They asked if we preferred the outdoor terrace or the air-conditioned dining room. Can you imagine? Asking a dog if he wants a bone on such a scorching hot day. Of course we went for the air conditioning. To get there, we had to climb a spiral staircase. The place wasn’t huge—quite the opposite. It was small and intimate, and we were the only ones there. The restaurant had its charm: red lanterns, paper fans on the walls. We sat at a little table for two with a red tablecloth, and the smell coming from the kitchen was intoxicating.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmSXz6x93DMDifgKdsYGbrwVVYNUuKRAVcCviSWmPBYQt3/1779992975664.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmZ2pE6sCCH7LVGBi9kcbzNstqNDpiFUie4eHek8XDoyiv/1779992975838.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmSX8PXVUJZre6MJv6jCNyRqgsjZSYkrtHq8dCruQVyRR4/1779992975997.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmU9YoqiYK2Z6d4SGS9NKC1GxX2M9cG1qyksGrgD2Xesvb/1779992976182.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmeSRsoJn6JNqpPVwh1VJWRe1r4yHYPiJ7D1GM4hKjwuyw/1779992976395.jpg)

El mesero, un joven chino-cubano, nos recomendó la especialidad, pero nosotros preferimos el cerdo. Sin pensarlo mucho pedimos el clásico arroz frito y bistec de cerdo a la plancha. Y de acompañamiento, boniato asado y ensalada de col y pepino. Para beber una cerveza bien fría para mi marido y para mí un refresco de limón, de esos que te despejan hasta el alma. >The waiter, a young Chinese-Cuban guy, recommended the house specialty, but we preferred pork. Without much hesitation, we ordered the classic fried rice and grilled pork steak. On the side: roasted sweet potato and a cabbage and cucumber salad. To drink, an ice-cold beer for my husband and a lemon soda for me—the kind that clears your very soul.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmStbRn5igZgjRA3kMxvqzrs82bEJmPLz5mjngo5sKGWSM/1779993116223.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmPYpukoRSvpuvPrREaDhYu3qKedFWdJg8VCYTJfhEiu8q/1779993116405.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmNUYEbRpLqxauEizyFU35ZPvAeUbaaSjvg2u6vxiy3pmZ/1779993116710.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmWswxRWrrP452k7GMJoTBqkRDypDzFE6iaBrnaLNDGr9C/1779993116921.jpg)

Cuando llegó la comida, casi me da algo. La cazuela de arroz humeaba como una caldera. El bistec de cerdo estaba dorado por fuera y jugoso por dentro, con ese punto justo de ajo y comino. El boniato parecía caramelo, y la ensalada, crujiente, con el pepino cortado en láminas finitas y la col bien fresca. >When the food arrived, I nearly had a heart attack. The bowl of rice was steaming like a boiler. The pork steak was golden on the outside and juicy on the inside, with just the right amount of garlic and cumin. The sweet potato looked like caramel, and the salad was crunchy, with the cucumber cut into thin slices and the cabbage nice and fresh.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmRfhihH44aBm7iF8o7rNtbHDWf1QdCy5KxHLJaBQv1xQ1/1779993177526.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmWswxRWrrP452k7GMJoTBqkRDypDzFE6iaBrnaLNDGr9C/1779993177689.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmareerwJP9ZaxB8bo1km5NDQWnCS7CrXNdL1fkXYEEEr3/1779993177764.jpg)

Mi marido probó el primer bocado y puso los ojos en blanco. “Esto está para chuparse los dedos”, dijo con la boca medio llena. Yo le seguí con el arroz, que tenía trocitos de cerdo asado, camarones y cebollino. La salsa de soya le daba ese toque salado perfecto. Y cada vez que intercalaba la ensalada, era como un respiro fresco entre tanta felicidad. >My husband took the first bite and rolled his eyes back in sheer delight. "This is finger-licking good," he said, his mouth half full. I followed with the rice, which had bits of roasted pork, shrimp, and chives. The soy sauce gave it that perfect salty touch. And every time I had a bite of salad in between, it was like a fresh breath amidst all that happiness.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmap9WiUb6hJJT4zjx2vVC6edtuFf2etkaFihU6Z1ZRHiy/1779993279199.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmQ9CyifYzz6MH8ogsUt9TsepnWiJ7EjgU1vHRF4Dp5GKR/1779993279358.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmUiC9SQWamNRWutT4P7vQStk7SE97g3BeVJNARtsMBQyR/1779993279513.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmVn388aCD3yYnexcSUsqKEJY7Ld5dtHUBCUS4o5UGBvKt/1779993279662.jpg)

Lo mejor de todo fue mezclarlo todo. Un pedazo de bistec, un poco de boniato, un cuchareta de arroz y un pepino encima. Eso es la gloria con servilleta de papel. Nos reíamos porque no hablábamos, solo comíamos y hacíamos ruidos de aprobación. Hasta el refresco de limón, que parecía hecho a mano, tenía ese equilibrio entre dulce y ácido que te limpia el paladar. >The best part was mixing everything together. A piece of steak, a bit of sweet potato, a spoonful of rice, and a cucumber slice on top. That is glory with a paper napkin. We laughed because we weren’t talking—just eating and making approving noises. Even the lemon soda, which seemed handmade, had that perfect balance of sweet and sour that cleanses your palate.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmQxYff6N5NJcqZXar2TLVfAk7pLCxAeGAn8R3BduSLJHn/1779993387825.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmbB5SEhgK3kRimaZ52Ycwzn4wJpugpc9Rr3jkQdimeK1d/1779993388162.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmVmEDy7itbEpaxcEW5vudE5kFDZqLquJV2yg8DLtxmJZ7/1779993388494.jpg)

El barrio alrededor es otro viaje, letreros en mandarín, tiendas de abarrotes con productos rarísimos, abuelos jugando dominó en una esquina. Pero dentro de ese restaurante, el tiempo se paró. Fuimos felices por un par de horas, en una mesa pequeña, con la panza llena y las manos aceitosas. >The neighborhood around is another journey: signs in Mandarin, grocery stores selling the strangest products, old men playing dominoes on a corner. But inside that restaurant, time stood still. We were happy for a couple of hours, at a small table, with full bellies and greasy hands.

![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmUvpyrXHccv4S6rgPXrY4vVnXF9FUYERB7rh3GLbpYTp6/1779993473396.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmbYsFGa14VocV4tx2ZqBsEkvp2kmYr1dDnL1yZm8cXHkL/1779993473576.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmQ3Vp8dfkiS2LJvJ2cZbMj8dsp7cyNp8zJ2xKRD8bqRZC/1779993473859.jpg) ![](https://i.ecency.com/DQmZvWRR2UQKeKHusj6fJtgk7MR1GRD726QBQidhFuDPe3Y/1779993474176.jpg)

Cuando salimos, ya con el sol en la nuca, mi marido me miró y dijo: “Volvemos, no se cuando, pero volveremos. Yo sonreí. Ese almuerzo no fue solo comida, fue un pedacito de La Habana que supo a China y a Cuba, a sudor, a risas y a sartén bien caliente. Se los recomiendo de primera mano si algún día visitan el barrio chino de La Habana. >When we left, with the sun now at our backs, my husband looked at me and said, "We’re coming back. I don’t know when, but we’ll be back." I smiled. That lunch wasn’t just food; it was a little piece of Havana that tasted like China and Cuba, like sweat, like laughter, and like a sizzling hot pan. I highly recommend it firsthand if you ever visit Havana’s Chinatown.

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