Take Me Out // Cocktails at La Cubana
Hello lovelies! Welcome to ‘Take Me Out’, a new blog series collaboration between Random Acts of Pastel and Bicyclette, where I take my favourite Bicyclette pieces on adventures, and bring you along!
Toronto is such a massive city filled with seemingly endless cute shops and tasty restaurants, but even with all the choices out there, it’s impossible not to pick favourites now and then! Since moving to Toronto, I’ve been subconsciously compiling a list of favourite spots all around the city, many of which I’ll be introducing you to here!
Because I have so many favourites already, it gets harder and harder for a new spot to make it onto my list. I’m the kind of girl who likes her routines and traditions, and has a hard time breaking away from them. But all my skepticism of the new and unfamiliar was blown out of the water when I visited La Cubana for the first time.
La Cubana is a quaint Cuban Diner located near the top of Roncesvalles in the west end. Decorated with patterned tile, crisp white shelves filled with mango juice and rum, and hints of mint, this bright cheerful spot feels like summer year round inside. Open for lunch, dinner, late night snacks, and weekend brunch, I’ve adopted La Cubana as the perfect place to escape the polar vortex, if only for a meal.
Working from home can get a little cabin-fever inducing, especially in this cold, so I took myself out for a bite to eat and a mid-day mojito in an effort to break out of my computer screen trance. Eager to take a vacation from the drab parka and heavy boots I’ve been sporting for the last 4 months, I decided to play dress up for the afternoon.
I paired my go-to booties with some darling heart-knee tights I ordered online from Korea in an effort to stay semi-warm. Next, I matched up a mint embroidered baggy crop top that perfectly matches La Cubana’s mint tile walls with a polka dot full-volume bell skirt. I accessorized with my Falconwright watermelon clutch, and a glittery silver Ban.do hair clip. It was the perfect outfit for a mid-day holiday, even if I wasn’t really leaving the city!
Once inside the big white doors, I made myself comfortable at a tiny table and ordered up some food. I’ve become a bit of a regular, so I’ve tried almost every veggie option on the menu and can safely say everything is delicious! This time I opted for some tasty empanadas, a mojito, and a pineapple upside down cake, and as usual, La Cubana didn’t disappoint.
The service was cheerful, the mojitos were strong, and the smell of summer was in the air. If I closed my eyes for just a moment, it was almost as if I’d been magically transported to a warm sunny beach town in Cuba.
[Photos by Brianne Burnell ]