The brainchild of a former A-Che proprieter and, we kid you not, his salsa instructor, Guantanamera claims to have the only "true" Cuban menu in all of Beijing.

With beer flowing plentifully and an outstanding menu of Havana-style cuisine, this restaurant is sure to provide a lot of hungry diners with a great after-hours dining experience. If you’re in the mood for Caribbean-style seafood they offer a great paella, Spanish seafood with rice (90 yuan), and starter shrimp croquettes (35 yuan), while carnivores should appreciate the Cuban-style roast pork (55 yuan), whose meat comes right off the bone. If the dinner menu doesn’t interest you, Guantanamera also serves as a full bar/dance club.

The well-priced beers (15 yuan?and up) and lively nighttime crowd make for an exciting after-work crowd. Anyone working on their dance steps can show up for free salsa lessons every night after 9pm.If you’re in the mood for a laid-back dinner with your special someone, you might want to give this place a miss, but if you’re willing to party the night away to sexy salsa beats and tear up the dance floor, this is definitely your spot.

Be warned: you may wind up staying well past your 8pm dinner reservations!

Address: East of Kunntai Royal Hotel, Chaoyangmenwai Street
Tel: 5879-7510

(City Weekend March 4, 2008)