Home ยป Culinary Connection
Culinary Connection
A TASTE OF CUBA IN NORTH HILLS
By Kathy Highcove
Upon entering Casa Don Rolando, my companion and I felt warm vibes in more ways than one. The comfortable Old World decor invited hungry newcomers to take a seat and break bread - literally, as it turned out.
We were spotted immediately by Chef Don Rolando himself. He warmly welcomed us, and then escorted his visitors into the kitchen to meet his son-in-law Gustavo Urbina, General Manager. Before long, we were seated at a dining table and given a glossy menu to study. So many interesting dishes in the Cuban cuisine. We asked for suggestions from knowledgeable Gustavo.
"Please give us a sampling of Cuban cuisine that your customers especially enjoy."
"Of course," he replied. "Chef Rolando is already making wonderful things for you--Cuban entrees made with fresh ingredients."
"Is Cuban food spicy?" I asked, thinking of my tender taste buds and North American digestion.
"Cuban cuisine is not spicy hot, but more like... favorable. We use cumin, garlic, garden peppers, olives, and onions in much of our food. The dishes are unique mixtures of fresh flavors, and local diners enjoy Cuban cuisine." As if on cue, two businessmen, departing from the next table, turned around to testify, "This place is the best! We come here three or four times a month."
We decided to let Gustavo and Chef Rolando plan our meal. We started with home made white bread, dipped in a mixture called Mojo - olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Before we finished our slices of bread, the first course arrived: triangles of homemade pastry stuffed with shredded chicken and beef - Empanadas Carne O Polo.
Soon more creations traveled out to our table. We sampled Ropa Vieja, finely shredded beef in a light tomato sauce also made with onions and peppers. A mound of white rice completed the entree.
Between bites, we asked Gustavo how Executive Chef Don Rolando came to North Hills. Rolando was born in Cuba, we learned, where his mother and grandmother gave him his first cooking lessons. Rolando traveled as a young man to Spain, and found a position in a Chinese Restaurant. Since those early days, Rolando has lived and worked in many restaurants as he perfected not only his skill in preparation, but also in the creative presentation of the dish. "What you see will make you want to eat - if the dish is beautiful," the chef told us, with a knowing chuckle.
Executive Chef Rolando has cooked, created and catered in many high rent areas of California. His culinary talents have attracted the notice of Hollywood personalities, as this quote from his website will attest:
"Before opening Casa Don Rolando on March 1, 2008 Chef Rolando partnered with Jennifer Lopez on her restaurant, Madre, which opened in Pasadena in 2000. Lopez had fallen in love with his food at a party and subsequently asked Chef Rolando, who is a long-time family friend of the actress, to open a restaurant with her. Madre was an instant success and he went on to prepare all the food at Lopez' wedding to singer Marc Anthony. Chef Rolando has cooked with Lopez on television, most notably on The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
The same special dishes that were noted and appreciated by J-Lo and friends were now waiting to be devoured by yours truly and friend. What's next? We wondered if we'd have room for more, and cleared our palates with smooth red wines from Spain and Chile.
A colorful dish arrived at our table: Imperial Rice, a special entree offered to regular patrons or included on a banquet menu. Gustavo told us that the chicken is marinated with a few different spices, red pepper, green pepper, olives and white wine. The bottom layer is yellow rice, then the seasoned shredded chicken, a layer of Mayonnaise, sweet plantain and then topped with layer of fluffy yellow rice. Imperial Rice is a recipe Rolando created while working as a chef in Spain. Impressive, in any language!
We worked our way through the layers and noted how the rich tastes of the chicken and rice were offset by the fried sweet plantains.
Finally, we asked for the black beans and rice dish that is basic to Cuban cookery. The beans were made with chunks of pork, more spices and garlic, a special Rolando recipe, in other words. We were directed to spoon the beans over another snowy hill of white rice. Again, a perfect blend of pungent spices and milder flavors.
We tried two deserts prized by diners familiar with Cuban cuisine. The Casco de Guayaba Con Queso dish consisted of chunky guava peel mixed into sweetened guava syrup. Large plugs of creamy cream cheese sat like round white islands in the red guava. Gustavo suggested that we blend the cheese into the syrup for an interesting combination of sugar, fruit and dairy. The second dessert sampled was the traditional Flan Cuban - golden custard on the inside, brown crust on the outside, topped with strawberries.
Our Cuban feast finished with demitasse cups of Cuban coffee. We contentedly sipped the dark espresso, sweetened with packs of brown sugar. We felt like we had just dined in Little Havana, not the North Hills of the San Fernando Valley.
For certain, amigos, Chef Rolando is no newcomer in the Los Angeles restaurant scene, but an accomplished Chef who gives L.A. the gift of his culinary experience. For a special meal of Cuban dishes, prepared by an excellent experienced Chef, try Casa Don Rolando.
Casa Don Rolano
Special Events
8755 Parthenia Place
Corporate Events
North Hills, CA 91343
Private Parties
Catering Tel - 818-920-2272
Live Music on Tues.: 7 p.m.
events@casadonrolando.com
Monday Closed
www.casadonrolando.com
Tu-Thu: 11a.m. - 10 p.m.
Parking lot behind restaurant
Fri., Sat. & Sun.: 11a.m. to 11p.m.