Slideshow

Take a Peek at the Dishes Guillermo Pernot Is Previewing at Cuba Libre

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Long before Douglas Rodriguez blew into town with a young chef named Jose Garces under his tutelage, Cuba Libre chef Guillermo Pernot, one of Food & Wine’s ‘Best New Chefs’ in 1998, brought Philly its first tastes of Nuevo Latino at Manayunk’s once celebrated, but now long-gone Vega Grill and later at dearly departed ¡Pasión!. For the past five years he’s led Cuba Libre kitchens here in Philly, Atlantic City and Florida and Washington D.C. This week Pernot has been previewing a new menu at Cuba Libre’s Old City flagship, offering it up to customers for 50 percent off. The menu makeover is the result of extended field trips the chef made to Cuba in recent months.

While there, he visited dozens of “paladares,” the off-beat and under the radar pop-up-like restaurants tha Cuban chefs are opening in their homes to showcase a more modern approach to the island nation’s traditional cuisine.

Jokingly, Pernot says this week’s half-off discount is an apology for any glitches that may occur as the new menu is integrated. Tomorrow and through next week that price cut will be scaled back to 25 percent off. Check out the slideshow we put together of dishes from Cuba Libre’s revamped menu.

Coctel de Camarones, Cuban style shrimp cocktail with Latino coctel and avocado salsa; Carne de Cangrejo, jumbo lump Maryland crab, smoked cheddar cheese, tomatillos and candied peanut salsa; Atun Fire adn Ice, Big Eye tuna, jalapeno coconut-ginger suace adn red onion escabeche; and Callos con Pomelo, citrus-marinated sea scallop, ruby red grapefruit salad and orange-passion fruit sauce.
Purple taro root, garlic and culantro fritters with tamarindo ketchup.
Salted cod fritters with housemade lemon mayonnaise.
Crisp marinated chicken, skirt steak, pork masitas, Cortez chorizo and toston with Mojo picante.
Truffle and citrus marinated grilled baby octopus with Haitian eggplant salad.
African adobo-rubbed charred tuna, pickled cucumber salad, avocado salsa and Meyer-lemon-curry oil.
Roasted calabaza squash, goat cheese and mascarpone filled ravioli, with caramelized pearl onions, baby spinach, and a sherry vinegar reduction. 
Adobo marinated grilled sirloin steak, caramelized shallots, steamed black kale, and Cuba Libre steak sauce.
Take a Peek at the Dishes Guillermo Pernot Is Previewing at Cuba Libre