On the central intersection of Infanta and San Lázaro streets, in the Cuban capital, a non-agricultural cooperative stands out for its service and the quality of its gastronomic proposals.
According to many experts on the subject, much of the success of a business lies in its location. So it’s safe to say that since opening its doors, El Biky has had much of this path covered.
Located on the central intersection of Infanta and San Lázaro streets, in the Cuban capital, this gastronomic complex grabs the attention of national and foreign passersby due to its colossal dimensions.
Almost 4 years ago, this non-agricultural cooperative changed the image of this Havana corner, breathing new life into the commercial establishment known in the 1960s as La Taberna Checa (The Czech Tavern).
Other businesses had previously established themselves here, each with more woes than glory: in the 70s it was transformed into a pizzeria, and in late 1990 became a vegetarian restaurant, as part of a chain of establishments of the same style which didn’t prove to be very popular.
But in 2015, and after several months of refurbishment and repairs, which significantly improved the aesthetics of the property, El Biky began taking its first steps with very attractive gastronomic proposals, even for the most demanding palates.
Popularly speaking, it could be said that El Biky is an “all-in-one,” since it manages the space exceptionally to offer a complex open almost all day, where it is possible to have breakfast or enjoy dinner.
Comprised of a cafeteria, patisserie, bar and two restaurants under the same name, El Biky offers high quality products and standards that have been maintained since its opening.
Excellent service with a varied menu including typical Cuban dishes and international cuisine, the house specialties are Galician-style or garlic octopus, creamy chicken with mushrooms and blue cheese, and the seafood casserole made with fish, shrimp and lobsters in sauce américaine.
According to Jorge Ibrahim, head of Public Relations and Human Resources, if there is one thing that characterizes El Biky, it is its consistency.
“We defend the quality of our menu, with the premise of always working with ingredients that are available in the national market. Our main motivation and the reason we exist are our customers, so whenever I have the opportunity I say that, more than simply selling food as hundreds or thousands of businesses do in the country, we are interested in selling a gastronomic experience,” he explained.
The weakness, both of El Biky and other private businesses in Cuba, continues to be securing supplies. In the absence of a particular ingredient to prepare any one of its dishes, El Biky managers prefer not to offer it.
“When customers approach us they often know what they are looking for, either because they have become regulars, or because they arrive with a recommendation; so when we lack a certain ingredient, we prefer not to sell that dish, so as not to change the taste of anything,” Ibrahim noted.
The modern and refreshing cocktail bar also attracts attention, as does the patisserie, offering an exclusive line of cakes, as well as Cuban and international sweets.
The two floors of this property were decorated with great care. Vintage photographs of Havana which transport visitors back to the twentieth century, together with the minimalist furniture, guarantee customer comfort, achieving an atmosphere of calm and complicity, an escape from the outside hustle and bustle of the city.
For Ibrahim there is always room for improvement, because the aspiration of El Biky is to offer more economic proposals, always maintaining the quality standards in its services. “It’s a kind of community function that we want to develop, because the city suffers from a lack of places with low prices and interesting offers.”
Meanwhile, its more than 200 workers continue working day and night to bring carefully prepared and decorated dishes to the table of each customer, accompanied by a good, friendly service, offering more than enough reasons to make El Biky a place to which one always returns.