Last updated: June 16, 2024

In the Weeds

by Travis Mullis

Whenever I hear the word Azúcar, I instantly think of Cuban music legend Celia Cruz. If you find yourself walking through the doors of the restaurant Azúcar just north of downtown Huntersville, you may well hear her hit song “Azúcar Negra” playing throughout the restaurant. There’s live music on the weekends, so if you’re coming for dinner on a Saturday night you could request the song in person. Azúcar’s soundtrack goes a long way in helping to play up the restaurant’s tropical speakeasy vibe.

Azúcar’s interior seemed too dark for purposes during my first visit. This is partially due to the fact that the restaurant’s windows are wrapped in UV blocking window film. I was a bit perplexed until I looked up at the ceiling and took in the beauty of the clean, shiny tin ceiling. Then I noticed the emerald green tufted coaches, velvet ottomans, cabaret lamps, and exposed brick walls, and immediately understood the concept. Azúcar is a modern Cuban speakeasy trying to evoke a tropical evening in Havana before Castro and Guevara shut down the infamous nightlife of the city, and Azúcar is doing it well.

The menu at Azúcar is definitive, covering Cuban classics like ropa vieja, paella, masas, tostones, and the Cubano sandwich. In addition are some other favorites from across Latin America, like arroz con pollo, papas bravas, and a unique yucca gnocchi served alongside a ribeye steak. I was pleasantly surprised to see a branzino and a salmon wrapped in puff pastry on the menu as well, two items you don’t see on many restaurant menus anymore. As obvious as it might be, I was immediately drawn to the Tampa Cubano on my first visit. The fact that it was made with bread from La Segunda — the oldest Cuban bakery in America, founded in Ybor City in 1915 — made the decision that much easier. Filled with shredded pork, ham, salami, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard, this order is more than enough for one person, and perhaps enough for three. It’s complex in its flavors, too, as each layer of pork builds upon the others, adding additional texture and finally being mellowed out and snapped back into focus by the acidity of the pickle and heat of the mustard.

The papas bravas are certainly a go-to starter for any meal at the restaurant. In a twist on the traditional Spanish dish, which are usually small, deep fried squares, Azúcar serves their papas wedge-style and positively drenched in garlic aioli and the bravas sauce, which is heavy on the Spanish pimenton picante. The key to a good papas bravas is a deep fry that is long enough to make sure the potato can hold up under all the weight of those condiments, and these wedges do just that.

Ropa vieja, literally old clothes in Spanish, is given all the respect Cuba’s national dish deserves at Azúcar and is the best dish I’ve had at the restaurant. Believed to have originated among the Sephardic Jews of Spain to be served as a Shabbat meal, it’s a slow cooked flank steak simmered in sofrito until it’s tender enough to collapse with the simple prodding of a fork. Azúcar’s ropa vieja is only slightly different in that they use braised short ribs instead of flank steak and serve it over a cauliflower mash (you can opt for the excellent mashed potatoes instead), a healthier option than the traditional black beans and rice. More tender than Texas brisket, more complex tasting than Mexican barbacoa, and lighter than Mama’s pot roast, ropa vieja is quickly becoming one of my favorite beef dishes.

For me, no meal is complete at Azúcar without two things: a cocktail and a Cuban coffee. Cuba is known for rum, and the ultimate rum cocktail is the mojito, which was born in Havana and many consider it, officially or not, the national beverage of Cuba. Azúcar has a classic mojito and five variations that are exceptionally well-made, fairly priced, and suited to a Saturday night of dancing to live music, a romantic night out with a loved one, or simply getting together with friends to experience a new cuisine. My favorite of the mojitos is the cojito, made with coconut rum, mint, lime juice, and sugar and served with a charred coconut rim. It goes down easy, you can actually taste more than just sugar as the mint, coconut, and lime juice take hold of your palate, and the charred coconut rim adds both a layer of texture and a hint of smoky, caramel flavor. Azúcar has more than just mojitos, though. There’s the simple yet satisfying Cuba libre, the Hemingway daiquiri, and several cocktails that show off the spirits and flavor profiles of Mexico, the best of which is the piña del fuego, a deeply rewarding blend of mezcal, jalapeño and pineapple reduction, and lime juice, served with a tajin rim. Azúcar may not have a formal cocktail program like other restaurants, but it doesn’t need one and what it lacks in creativity and pomposity, it more than makes up for with cocktails that take off the edge and light up your tastebuds.

I like to finish every good Cuban meal with a cortado, which is equal parts espresso and steamed milk. In Cuba, they tend to blend it with sugar or substitute with sweetened condensed milk. It’ll provide you the energy you need to get out there and dance to live music at Azúcar or maybe even power you through one of the dancing lessons or rumba sessions they offer on Thursday and Friday nights.

Celia Cruz had a late-career mega hit with the song “La Vida Es Un Carnaval.” The song’s lyrics insist that “Anyone thinking that life is unfair/Needs to know that’s not the case/that life is beautiful, you must live it.” I can’t help but think of those lyrics every time I visit Azúcar. The restaurant brings a much-needed dose of laid-back fun, sophistication, and appreciation of a culture that knows how to get through hard times.