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    Food Review: Coco Cubano: A Taste of Havana

    Written by: Sadaf Shahzad
    Posted on: December 15, 2020 | | 中文

    The Beef Tacos (photo credits to Coco Cubano)

    Coco Cubano is the latest eatery to enter Lahore’s ever expanding food scene, with its bright, welcoming food. Centrally located on MM Alam Road, which some might say is the heart of dinning and shopping in Lahore, the restaurant takes inspiration from the zesty and flavorful tradition of Cuban cuisine. We decided to visit the restaurant one evening to check out the hype for ourselves.

    The restaurant itself has both outdoor seating and indoor seating, however, with the government’s recent Standards of Procedures (SOPs), only outdoor seating is currently available. The outdoor courtyard was bursting with color, and murals adorned the walls. It was refreshing to see a well lit setting with lots of plants, compared to the often dull and dark outdoor seating that most restaurants in Lahore have. In true homage to Cuba, the restaurant even has a Cigar Lounge for members that exclusively provides Cuban cigars.

    The Outdoor Seating (photo credits to Coco Cubano)

    Tired of the usual burger joints or Pakistani cuisine, we were really looking forward to trying something a little different, and Coco Cubano purported to be one of the few good taco places in Lahore. The menu itself was very colorful and had an assortment of Cuban Street Sandwiches, Tacos, Burritos, and mock-tail Mojitos. For those who feel less adventurous, the menu also offers the usual pizza, burgers and salads. It is not the most authentic of cuisines, but it has enough variety to reel in customers of all palates.

    Grilled Chicken Nachos (photo credits to the writer)

    For our party of two, we ordered grilled Chicken Nachos as our starter. I was incredibly apprehensive when ordering the nachos, because more often than not, restaurants here use store-bought, and often stale nachos with lackluster salsa. But to say I was pleasantly surprised, would be an understatement. The nachos were house made and fresh, the ratio of the salsa, cheese, creamy herb dip and chicken on top was perfect, while the portion size was enough to split between two people. It would not be a far cry to say that I would love to go back just to have the grilled chicken nachos.

    After the appetizers, my expectations for the tacos were at an all-time high. We ordered the grilled chicken tacos and the pulled beef taco. Each serving comes with two tacos, and a small side of plain nachos. Along with the tacos, we ordered the sweet potato fries, the chipotle mayo and creamy herb dip. For drinks, we ordered two classic Mojitos, which were a refreshing and delicious compliment to our meals.

    The Mojito (photo credits to Coco Cubano)

    The Pulled Beef Taco was encased in a soft corn tortilla with guacamole, spicy chipotle mayo, creamy coleslaw and capsicum salsa, with a generous toss of cilantro. For me, the flavors of the taco were very confusing, as it felt like they attempted a fusion between Cuban and Pakistani food. There was little to no sour cream in the taco, and overall it lacked that punch of flavors that one expects from Cuban cuisine. Overall, it seemed very bland in terms of both flavors. Since we had ordered the dipping sauces, we proceeded to add the creamy herb dip to the taco, which definitely improved its flavor, but was not enough to save the underwhelming taste.

    Similarly, the grilled chicken taco consisted of lime & pepper chicken with guacamole, capsicum salsa, chipotle mayo, creamy coleslaw encased in a soft tortilla. The flavors in the chicken taco were definitely more well balanced than the beef, but there was too much coleslaw for my liking. Again, the rich and creamy herb dip definitely improved its overall flavor. However, the real highlight of the dish were the sweet potato fries as the side. Not only were they perfectly crispy, but also a heavenly combination with the tangy chipotle mayo.

    The Tacos, Fries and Sauce (photo credits to the writer)

    In terms of price, Coco Cubano is a little above average, and is somewhere you go for special occasions with friends and family, or simply when you want to splurge a little! The ambience of the restaurant is warm, inviting and lively, encouraging diners to return and try more of its menu. While there are some improvements that need to be made in terms of flavor and getting a right balance of ingredients, Coco Cubano is an exciting new addition to Lahore’s growing food scene.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021









    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir



    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.