Rated the top bar in Miami, Cafe La Trova takes you to a world gone by
By Kylie Wang
In Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, you can’t walk a block down Calle Ocho without running into a Cuban restaurant serving up dishes of ropa vieja and platters of lechón. Cafe La Trova could be easily confused with any of these, with its old-style Cuban décor and cafeteria-style environment, but its live trova music and standout cocktails elevate it above the rest of the pack.
The concept – recreating the atmosphere of a vintage Cuban night spot – was contrived by Miami’s most famous food and drinks trio: James Beard-awarded chef Michelle Bernstein, her business partner-husband David Martinez, and internationally recognized cantinero (Spanish for bartender) Julio Cabrera, who first tied his name to Bernstein’s about 20 years ago. Bernstein, Martinez, and Cabrera are the powerhouse behind some of Miami’s most iconic restaurants (Michy’s, Sra. Martinez), including Cafe La Trova, which was recently ranked No. 21 in the world and No. 6 in North America for bars by William Reed, the global food & beverage media company. It’s also gained recognition by GQ, Esquire, and other publications for its contemporary Cuban dishes and traditional cantinero cocktail culture.
The interior is dominated by a stage where the band Salsa Mayor plays the popular trova music that originated in Santiago de Cuba nightly until 11 pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. A wall made to look like the dilapidated exterior of an old Cuban building stands behind them while a clothesline strung with laundry hangs from the ceiling and a 50s-era car prop, perfect for photo ops, sits in the corner, setting a Havana-esque scene.
As band members beat on bongos and pluck an upright bass, patrons can sit at the bar opposite and sip the cocktails that have made Cafe La Trova famous. The Buenavista cocktail ($16) is the most popular, consisting of Bombay Sapphire, sugar, and a slightly zesty yet light mixture of cucumber, mint, lime juice, and elderflower liqueur. The sugar offsets the tartness of the lime and liquor, leaving a smooth finish that lingers; the cucumber is subtly refreshing, also added as a garnish with a dainty mint leaf. The toppings here come courtesy of Filthy Foods, a revolutionary garnish company that uses the freshest ingredients, sourced globally and processed naturally (see page 36).
The other must-have is the Magic City Daiquiri: Bacardi Superior, lime juice, sugar, and a mysterious mix of homemade liquors that Cabrera calls “the elixir of life.” Forget what you think you know about daiquiris; Cafe La Trova will introduce you to the real thing. This isn’t the frozen adult slushie you’re apt to get on Miami Beach. This is an iteration of the simple three-ingredient recipe invented in 1898 in Daiquiri, Cuba – rum, lime, and sugar with chopped ice – supposedly by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, but clearly perfected by Cabrera and his team of cantineros a century and change later.
And if you’re looking for the full Cuban experience, try the Trio Matamoros. With Flor de Caña 18 rum, a cafecito, and a cigar, this tray of delights is meant to be indulged in on the restaurant’s outdoor patio over a game of dominoes, about as close to Havana as you can get in the states, both geographically and culturally. Bienvenido.
