I had been in Havana just two nights and already my feet were begging for a rest. At this tiny club in the old quarter of Habana Vieja, a heady mix of mambo, salsa, rumba and even timba (think salsa + hip-hop) kept me and my Cuban friends in constant motion. I simply had to sit down, rest and refuel.

My companions signaled the waitress and ordered for me. I wasn’t certain just what the dish was when it arrived, but ever the adventurer I dug right in. After one astounding mouthful I asked “What is the meat in this?” My friends just laughed. It wasn’t meat at all, but an amazingly rich mix of black beans and Cuban spices.

“So now I, master of the mini-burger, am eating like a true vegetarian,” I laughed in return. “No,” they replied in all seriousness, “Now you are eating like a true Cubano.”