Hemingway's Habana Vieja (The Old City) located at 626 S. 5th St. is the new restaurant venture for Jose Zarate of La Fuente fame. The Cuban eatery has been under construction for several years now, and the final product is breathtaking; Papa would be proud.
Few will believe Hemingway's once housed a simple tool and die factory; but Zarate's passion for the country of Cuba is apparent in this transformation. Sharing the same old meets new architectural beauty that Zarate's long-time friend and architect Luis Barbosa brought to La Fuente's additions, Hemingway's is truly one of the most beautiful restaurants in Milwaukee.
Natural woodwork looks as though it has been in the building since the late 1800s and lines the walls, the bar, even the bathrooms; custom stained glass windows decorate the back dining room, and lovely chandeliers complete the picture of this elegant tribute to Cuba and the famed American author who was a father figure to the people of the country.
We started dinner at Hemingway's at the bar with a trademark Mojito ($5.50), their version of the traditional Cuban delight that kicks all other Milwaukee versions to the curb, and the ceviche ($6.95), a traditional Latin American fish dish in which the fish is cured, or "cooked" in a meld of citrus flavors and fresh herbs. In Hemingway's case, the tilapia marinade is a marriage of fresh lime juice and flavorful cilantro, tomatoes and onions.
The croquetas de jambon (ham croquettes, $5.95) were also melt-in-your-mouth delicious, with smoked ham and manchego cheese lightly breaded and fried. Empanaditas (light turnovers, $5.95) came in combinations of chicken, pork, or beef with red bell peppers, spinach and manchego cheese, and ground beef and cheese and were lightly crisp and golden brown.
For entrées, we sampled the camarones al vino blanco (shrimp in white wine, $16.95), which featured perfectly cooked shrimp in a light garlic and white wine cream sauce with traditional Cuban yellow rice. The dish was good, but we preferred its specialty counterpart, the camarones borrachos ($18.95) which featured the same healthy serving of shrimp in a flavorful marinara, beer and rum sauce.
Parilla mixta Cubana (which literally translates as a mixed culinary plate of grilled meats and seafood, $17.95) offered a combination of thin grilled sirloin steak, chicken, tilapia and mixed vegetables that could have easily fed two people. The star of the mixta was by far the tilapia, which had been blackened and broiled to flaky perfection, and was topped with roasted tomatoes and onions.
Service at Hemingway's was impeccable and unobtrusive. Our water glasses were never empty, and our plates were delivered and whisked away with a studied timing that only comes with expert servers and kitchen help. We were truly impressed with the ambience, quality of food and service, and the nuances of the menu.
If Hemingway's keeps up the pace, it will quickly become known as one of the best restaurants in the city. Perhaps we have found our own Finca Vigia hideaway right here in Milwaukee, quietly nestled right across the street from the best margaritas in town.
Hemingway's is open Monday through Sunday, 5-10 p.m. Hemingway's is non-smoking, and vegetarian selections are available. The phone number is (414) 273-6000.
