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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
MELLOW and relaxed is the atmosphere that characterises newly opened Copa Cubana, a restaurant and pub in Bulawayo. Situated along Robert Mugabe Way between 10 and 11th Avenue, (former Bonne Journee) Copa Cubana is the place to be if you want to have a social evening to unwind and have a meal and drinks with friends, family and loved ones.

With the tag line “Passion for food, music and fashion”, the look and feel of the place is cosy, contemporary and chic. It’s certainly the type of place where you might even get a glimpse of a celebrity or two.

The joint, which attracted the who’s who from Bulawayo when it hosted a VIP party on Wednesday, is a partnership between two businessmen, Phathisani Nkomo and Ilan Weisenbacher.

It is open from midday to midnight every day with no cover charge as it is a restaurant. To avoid embarrassment, ensure you pay attention to your dressing as a smart casual dress code is required. The door policies are likely to keep the standards of the establishment high as smartly dressed security personnel ensure that standards are maintained by patrons.

The restaurant menu headed by chef Greg Paymans from 26 on Park offers a unique flavoursome cuisine with light snacks and hearty dishes that are a blend of tastes from around the world, with dishes for lunch and dinner costing between $4 and $8.

On offer are mind blowing dishes such as Havana Nachos – Mexican, African delicacies comprising amacimbi (mopani worms) wrapped in bacon, and Saganaki – Greek.

The signature cocktails such as The Cubana, Mojito, Margarita, Cosmopolitan and Martinis are a mixture of exotic colours and taste, all costing $5.

On Wednesday, stand-up comedian Carl Joshua Ncube was among the guests who had the opportunity to sample some of the dishes. Other notable figures were DJ Liz, ZITF board chairman Bekithemba Nkomo, businessman Jomo Mhone, Dr Mike Joka and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority bosses.

So packed was the place that waiters and waitresses had a torrid time trying to get to patrons as they had to meander among the crowd. Carl Joshua also took to the mic for a cameo performance that poked fun at the cultural and racial differences in Zimbabwe.

As expected, the bar area was a hive of activity while those who were seated were enjoying light conversations over music that was being played by DJ Slamma.

There are various sitting options in the restaurant which has a red and black colour theme, so depending on the outing, one may opt to sit on the anchored tables which provide room for more people to sit and enjoy their dinner, while the bar chairs and tables in the middle are for those who want to drink and have light meals. The sofas are for couples, while the chairs at the bar are for those who want to be near the action.

Nkomo, one of the proprietors, said they had set up the restaurant as they wanted to have a place where the middle class in the city can have decent meals and drinks.

“Copa Cubana is a restaurant with a bar that caters for those who want a tranquil environment with a mature feel. Our main target is the middle class people as the menu was created with their tastes in mind,” said Nkomo.

He revealed plans to open the restaurant in the morning as their main focus now is on lunch and dinner meals.

“Breakfast will be served in the near future. We’re still working on the menu, so for now, we serve lunch and dinner. Our main focus is on the restaurant part, not the pub hence the reason why we close at midnight,” said Nkomo.