I’ve had tamales and mofongo before, 
but never Cuban style. So it was a pleasant surprise to find a Cuban restaurant – Casual Habana – in Hackensack, not too far from the county government buildings on Main Street. We started off with Cuban tamales, which look a lot like Mexican tamales, but have tasty bits of garlic on top (not as much as in the picture but you get the idea). Mexican tamales tend to be bland (which I guess is the reason for their liberal use of hot sauces); the Cuban versions need no sauces or condiments.
Next we ordered mofongo de camarones and picadillo . At $9, the mofongo was the best deal. Mofongo is basically mashed fried plantains that are used as a kind of stuffing. It’s served in a little mound with the cooked shrimp inside. I like the crispy plantains at the bottom of the mound. The mofongo is good for two people. Marita and I couldn’t finish it and we barely touched the picadillo.
Casual Habana is a nice place, with friendly waitresses from El Salvador and Costa Rica. I have a cigar afficionado friend who has visited Havana twice. I passed up a chance to go during one visit to Cancun. I’d really love to visit one of these days.
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