A Fixture in Union Square Is Closing at the End of April

Photo Credit:  www.havanacentral.com

Havana Central in Union Square is where my now-husband and I went on our first date back in May 2006.  It was a classic Cuban restaurant complete with a tropical ambiance that aimed to match what has been fixed in our minds as Old Havana.

On our first date, I ordered Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) with a side order of tostones (green plantains)  and a glass of Sangria.  He ordered the Picadillo, a ground beef dish that resembles a stew.  We spent a couple of hours talking and learning about each other's past.  He was from Brooklyn and I was from New Jersey.  He used to be in a band for 10 years, and is now working in sales after realizing that he needs to get his life together, and I told him that I was a fundraiser working for a Catholic University.  We were both volunteers at the annual Asian Pacific Heritage Festival, which takes place on the first Sunday of every May in Union Square Park.

At the end of the night, he took the bill and he walked me back to the PATH Station (I was living in Jersey City at the time).  We went on a few more dates, and after several outings to museums, parks and gardens in New York City, we became a couple.

A few years later, we have recently gotten married and while I am happy that Havana Central has become more successful than ever in opening new venues that can accommodate larger groups of people, I am also saddened to hear that the Union Square Location is closing.  Over the years, I've brought friends to Union Square for "Sangria Sundays" to catch up with old friends and occasionally, I would go to Havana Central alone whenever I needed to appease a craving for Cuban food.

In learning of the closure, I am literally scrambling to find time in my calendar to eat there one last time or two, or three times.  I've found 3 possible days and I hope to bring my husband there one last time, and have my last "Sunday Gathering" with friends.

Thank you so much Havana Central Union Square.  We look forward to eating at the new venue.

To visit the Union Square Havana Central location, visit 22 East 17th Street, between 5th Avenue and Broadway or call 212-414-4999. You may also find them online at www.havanacentral.com.

Havana Central Union Square will close on Monday, April 25.