Actually, I was at Havana Central West End location at 2911 Broadway (113th Street)  for New Years Eve 2009 as it turned into 2010 -the best place I could imagine for a New Years celebration and the food was fantastic.  Wish my iPhone camera has built in flash, but it doesn’t so the photos were a little darker than they should have been.

At #hcnye10 having Chicken Lollypops!

And here’s the Cuban Rib Eye Steak with Green Rice and a Fried Egg – that was so, so good.  Company of other bloggers and Havana Central employees around me was great and got me thinking about the history of the Havana Central on West End – it seems to have a story all of it’s own, connected to the Beat Generation, back, 60 years ago.

#hcnye10 Cuban rib eye steak with green rice and a fried egg at Havana Central

Then, I had one of the 4 special sauces on my rice that made my tongue tingle and buzz – it was pretty darn hot, I think it was called the Triple XXX Hot Sauce.

#hcnye10 Mango Salsa at Havana Central, there's 4 special sauces, XXX Hot Sauce is one of them ... Mouth tingling

There’s a whole story about the 4 Havana Central Sauces that could be a blog post in itself, but the art on each bottle is a masterpiece, and as an artist, I noticed it.  Turns out the pictures of the beautiful Latin Woman were drawn by a former employee at Havana Central – and the sauces are a unique blend that you can’t buy anywhere else.

Havana Central Yucateco Habanero Pepper Sauce with Mango Salsa in the background

I digress.   I was encouraged to order the Chocolate Rum Cake and while I planned to have a fruit salad, so as to not over indulge – but … it was New Years Eve, the best NYE I’ve ever had, with great people around me, and great food in front of me – what could I do but give in to it.

I am having a classic Mojito and Chocolate Rum Cake while waiting for hot coffee at Havana Central #hcnye10

I’ve been at all 3 locations of  Havana Central and had lunch and dinner at them – and enjoy the music, and I admit, the Mojitos are excellent, and I’ve had the classic and the blueberry Mojito.

What's Happening at Havana Central

The best New Years Eve I ever had, and the best meal on New Years Eve that I ever had, plus great company and a great location on the upper West Side.