04/20/09

Best spot I've found in Richmond

by CSMobileUser2

In town on business and I like to stay away from chains if possible. Kuba kuba was the best food I had all week in Richmond. The chorizo stuffed pork tenderloin was outstanding! If I were a local this would be regular stop for me.

02/09/09

dear garcia3

by gottaluvsales

How dare you imply that my wife doesn't know how to order cuban food! We both speak perfect English and were able to convey our order to our incompetent waitress just fine.

You know, after reading your response to my post, perhaps you aren't Cuban after all. You probably are from the other island, you know...Puerto Rico. You clearly are oblivious as to what Cuban food is all about.

• Pros: nada
• Cons: everything

02/02/09

EXCELLENT

by Arzul

I completely disagree with the people that did not like the food. Probably they went there in a bad day or they themselves were having a terrible week. However, the food was great, and yeah if you ask around for what you want (MADUROS), u ll get them. I'm Latina born and raised in southamerica, I know what real food taste like and this is similar, however due to the amrican ingredients they have to use, it will never taste like the real thing. But it was pretty much close!

NICE FOOD!

• Pros: Food, service
• Cons: american waitresses

09/08/08

It's not Versailles or La Carreta - Kuba Kuba is more like your abuela's cocina

by brunospapi1618

Just had to share my two cents after reading all of the whining and complaining about what "authentic" comida Cubana (Cuban food to you non-Latinos) really is. Have to say that the food at Kuba Kuba is not Miami Cuban, so if you are looking for something comparable to La Carreta, Versailles, or one of the other staples found south of the Broward County line, you will be in for a bit of a surprise. No baskets of toasted pan cubano, no Elena Ruz, no Ironbeer (although they do have Materva) and no walkup window where you can buy cafe cubano or your favorite pastelitos y croquetas. If you want the Americanized version of Cuban food, just take I-95 South to the Tamiami Trail exit.

That said, what Kuba Kuba does serve is its own vision/version of Cuban cuisine, just as if it came from the owner's abuela's kitchen. The pan de maiz (corn bread) is excellent, and fitting given that the restaurant is in Richmond and not Calle Ocho. Same goes for the black bean soup and the arroz con pollo. So what if the waitress didn't know what "maduros" were? If you needed translation, the cooks were within earshot, and they would have understood you in a minute. (I know, because I also asked for the same, and when the waitress looked at me without understanding, I just went over to the counter and talked to the cook directly)

The wait staff and manager were friendly, service was quick, and portions were generous. (My takeout order of arroz con pollo was enough for three meals) All in all, I am glad to have discovered this little gem of a restaurant in my new neighborhood, and will keep coming back.

• Pros: good food, great prices, and good atmosphere
• Cons: not enough pastelitos or croquettas, not open early enough for desayuno

03/02/08

Cuban Food

by Garcia3

In response to boogeyboyatu, we don't know where to begin either. Perhaps by saying we are Cuban, born in Cuba, of Cuban parents and we definitely know what Cuban food is supposed to taste like as well. First of all, the cornbread or as mami used to call it "pan de maiz Cubano", that she served at every Noche Buena, is a Cuban staple. We don't know which Province your parents are from but in Matanzas and Havana, pan de maiz was part of our meals. If you would like the recipe in Spanish we can provide that for you. The taste of the pulled pork is flavorful and everyone that I know that has eaten it has remarked that it is very good. As far as the plantains go, yes it's true that sometimes they are "maduro". However, plantains aren't as plentiful in Virginia as they are in Miami. When your wife asked the waitress for "maduros" since she was in Virginia, being served by an American who is accustomed to waiting on English speaking Americans, why didn't she say "ripened" fried plantains? I think the waitress would have understood that, don't you? Having lived in Miami, we can also attest to the fact that there are only a few Cuban restaurants that we determined were worth patronizing. After all, every Cuban knows that the best Cuban food is served at home. At least there is a good Cuban restaurant in this area that introduces Virginians to Cuban food and Cuban music in a nice atmosphere. If you want more than one real Cuban restaurant to choose from, then we would suggest going back in time to pre 1959 Cuba, the Cuba that we knew!

01/27/08

Not worth it at all

by sanacito

Plainly and simply put, this place does not serve authentic cuban food. Food is way overpriced and the staff was not exactly welcoming.

• Pros: none
• Cons: food, wait staff, food, food

01/21/08

Incredibly awful "Cuban" food

by boogeyboyatu

Wow, where to begin. Perhaps by saying that I am from Miami, of Cuban parents, and definitely know what Cuban food is supposed to be like. Sadly, this restaurant does not.

I ordered a Cuban sandwich. Said sandwich was nothing more than a chopped pork sandwich with a withered slice of ham and a small pickle slice. Needless to say, this is not exactly a Cuban sandwich.

My daughter ordered a platter of tostones which were soggy. I tried them and they were very sweet. Clearly the plantains that they were using went way over the point whereby they could have been made into tostones.

My wife asked the waitress for maduros. The look on the waitresses face was priceless. She might as well have been asked what the social security numbers were of every resident in Richmond. Her response was that they don't have maduros. Alright, a Cuban restaurant that does not know of or serve maduros...please!

Finally, to add insult to injury, my wife's dish was served with cornbread. My folks had never even seen cornbread till they came to this great country!

The bottom line is that if you are looking for a place with authentic Cuban cuisine, then keep looking. If you are happy with lots of Cuban stuff in a restaurant, Cuban music, a nice atmosphere, and food which hardly resembles any Cuban cooking that I am familiar with, then this is your place.

• Pros: cozy atmosphere
• Cons: the food

11/16/07

Great Cuban Food...

by dashfast

Kuba Kuba was a great dining experience. It's intimate, energetic, and the scents from the kitchen permeate the air in a wonderful way. If you're looking for good Cuban food (I had the roast pork & it was excellent), good portions, and a fun atmosphere, look no further. You may have to wait for a bit, but it's most definitely worth it. The only criticism that I have is that the Tres Leches cake was not a Tres Leches cake at all. It was just a regular vanilla cake slice (though generous) with overly sweet frosting on top and a few dallops of whipped cream. I asked the waitress about this and she simply replied, "Oh, mami and papi are out of town, that's probably a day old." What a bizarre comment, right? Well, I wish I had been told that it was a day old in advance or just not a Tres Leches cake because I could have put those calories toward something else...

• Pros: Atmosphere / Food (empanadas, black bean soup, roasted pork)
• Cons: Tres Leches Cake / Wait Time

03/27/07

My favorite place when visiting Richmond

by appstate98

I come to Richmond once every 2-3 months and ALWAYS make sure I dine at KK. It's a hole in the wall, small, bad seating, hot place and I love it. I travel most of the South East US (Carolinas/VA/TN/GA) and KK is by far the best Cuban food north of S Florida. The tres leche cake is awesome. The Cuban sandwich is great, and the specials are unbelievable. I'm from Charlotte NC and I wish there was a place like KK near home.

• Pros: Great food/cheap cheap cheap eats
• Cons: Average service.... but you get what you pay for!

12/18/06

We Felt Unwelcome

by terryfay84

I have always loved this restaurant. But when we showed up for brunch yesterday, we were waiting for one member of our party and the staff was refusing to seat us, even though the restaurant was over half empty. When we finally said that perhaps our final member was not coming, the waiter quizzed several of us, asking "are you sure he's not coming," and "will you be ready to order as soon as you're seated?" We were asked this last question THREE times before he seated us. So much for a leisurely brunch of chatting and catching up with friends. The service was fine once we were seated, but we felt frazzled and harrassed by then.

• Pros: food
• Cons: service, parking