Atmosphere: Like the Philly original, this outpost makes you feel like you’re stepping into a Hemingway or Graham Greene novel. The well-loved wood bar, the ground-floor seating area rich with its faux-tropical atmospherics, the weathered flag hanging from the ceiling, the balcony tables overlooking it all, the sweeping staircase and the soundtrack of propulsive, rhythmic Cuban beats all add up to a charming, sexy space that somehow manages not to feel like Epcot’s Cuba exhibit.
Crowd: A recent weekday visit saw the place peopled by a surprisingly “mature” clientèle, some of them old enough, it seemed, to remember all of Che’s exploits firsthand. But that was unusual, as other evenings at Cuba Libre have benefited from the youthful, mojito-fueled energy that you’d expect from its crowd.
Service: Serviceable. Just as seems to be the case at so many of the higher-end restaurants in A.C., the service staff here is mainly filled out by cutesy perma-tanned girls with ready smiles showing off lots of leg and uber-bleached teeth. That’s great for the overall vibe, of course, but there have to be some service standards to back it up. And there are, for the most part. Unfortunately, a recent meal at the bar was enjoyed under the watchful—and well-mascaraed—eyes of a bartender chewing brutally minty gum the entire time. And no, it did not add to the enjoyment of my mojito.
What to Get: Fire and ice ceviche might be one of the most dramatic presentations in the region. Cubes of tuna, creamy with the addition of coconut milk, fragrant with ginger and cut by hot-pink pickled red onion, arrived in a split coconut shell, which was itself set in the center of a large plate gurgling away and overflowing with the “steam” from dry ice. I hate describing food as fun, but this dish can be summed up in no other way. And guava barbecue ribs were tender, slathered in a sweet-and-spicy sauce and utterly addictive.
What Not to Get: I normally find myself enamorado con los mojitos de Cuba Libre, but this one stepped just over the sweetness line at the expense of the other ostensible flavors. Yucca fries were oddly mealy, and not in that good fried-yucca way that you’d expect.
Verdict: The Atlantic City outpost of the Center City favorite isn’t quite as impressive as the original, but it still packs enough punch to make it a worthy down-the-shore destination. ¿Viva la revolucion? Maybe not. But those ribs are pretty damn good. The Pier Shops at Caesars, 1 Atlantic Ocean, 609.674.0100, http://www.cubalibrerestaurant.com
AroundPhilly Staff
