New location but Cuban hangout keeps its soul

Cesar Hernandez left Cuba in 2005 for a better life and with a dream of opening his own business - something he was unsure would ever happen in his home country.

He landed in Kelowna and quickly found his way into the restaurant business. He started washing dishes at Olympia Taverna Greek Restaurant and then onto Hectors Casa.

Now, he holds many roles at his own restaurant, Soul de Cuba Café.

“I had to just jump into the kitchen and keep my business running with me in the kitchen and I’m still there cooking,” Hernandez told Kelowna10.

Since opening in 2009, it has been a staple on the Sunset Drive, providing food and live entertainment for an authentic Cuban experience.

In April, the restaurant moved to a new location in ONE Water Street.

The menu features lots of Cuban dishes, including Cuban sandwiches, Ropa Vieja (a traditional meat stew), and Picadillo a la Habanera (Cuban ground beef).

Beyond the traditional plates, they offer their own creations, such as a Cuban Scramble, and an El Cubanito breakfast sandwich.

Hernandez said there isn’t a large Cuban population in Kelowna, but there are Latin Americans in the city and around Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, who turn up to enjoy authentic food.

“I’d say we have between 17 to 40 Cuban people in Kelowna. But we have a lot of Latin people that support our business, too,” he said. “We have a lot of Mexicans, Columbians, Venezuelans. We have a lot from different countries but there aren’t as many Cubans as we’d like.”

Hernandez credits community support over the years behind the growth of his business after a tough beginning.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who supported our business. We have a lot of followers and we’re very busy,” he said. “Everybody was waiting for our new location to be open, and it’s been amazing with the support from the community.”