I was driving over to Charlotte from Raleigh and wanted to stop at a local place for lunch. I looked up Havana Carolina Cafe, saw the reviews and decided to give it a shot. The roast pork got excellent reviews so I ordered it along with fried sweet plantains and congri (rice and beans cooked together).
The roast pork was excellent. It had nice flavor and was prepared well. Not overcooked and quite juicy. There was a huge amount of it as well. Very generous portion. The plantains were terrific. Sweet and soft on the inside with a crispy crust. Best part of the meal. The congri was tasty and nicely cooked. Rice was not overcooked, just right. I only ate half of it as I wanted to save room for a cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and a guava Pastelito.
The coffee was very good. Prepared correctly with the foamy scalded milk. They even put a smiley face on the foam :-) Good rich coffee flavor unlike weak american coffee. The pastelito dough was a little disappointing. I expected a puffy pastry texture, but it was drier with thick layers. Almost like a cracker. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. The guava filling was wonderful and the best part. If they can tweak the puffy pastry part, it's a big winner.
The waitress was friendly and very attentive. Service was top notch. I definitely recommend this place. The amount of food for an $8 dish was incredible. Great value for money. Too bad I live so far away or I'd go there often.