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Bruce Ndlovu
IN the Bulawayo nightlife scene, a year can sometimes feel like an eternity.

Over the past 12 months, many clubs and nightspots have come and gone, with the exit of some joints barely noticed as sometimes revellers had already long given up on them.

Some joints linger on, seemingly on their deathbeds, with only a few patrons showing up now and then to make sure that they still have a pulse.

In death, the clubs find that they have few friends, as the people who used to frequent their dance floors do not even pause to acknowledge the fun times they had under their roofs.

There is no time to mourn the dead. The party continues elsewhere. Once popular clubs like Forty40 and BAC all folded within the last year as patrons deserted them for other new and happening places around the city.

One of the joints that survived the storms of the last year and emerged triumphant is Copa Cubana. A restaurant and pub sandwiched between Pub La Gondola and The Lounge along Robert Mugabe Way between 10 and 11th avenue, the joint had high hopes when it opened its doors last year.

Its debut on the scene was as grand as those hopes as, promising a mellow and relaxed atmosphere, it opened its doors with laughter when comedian Carl Joshua Ncube gave a memorable show during its opening ceremony.

ZITF board chairman Bekithemba Nkomo, businessman Jomo Mhone, Dr Mike Joka and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority bosses were also in attendance as a toast was made for the new baby’s health. The packed opening was a taste of things yet to come as since that day, revellers have not stopped marching through its doors.

“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 Phathisani Nkomo, one of the joint’s proprietors.

With a low tolerance for patrons that break its dress and behaviour codes, the joint has over the year made sure that it attracts the mellow middle class clientele that Nkomo was aiming for. Just as importantly, it has satisfied and kept that clientele.

There is no doubt that the last couple of years have been tough for those in the nightlife business. As pockets dry up, many have decided that going on late night outings is a luxury that they can hardly afford.

So how has Cubana managed to prosper during a time when most other nightspots are barely surviving? For one, the joint has shifted the way that people view going out. Before its entrance, few joints within the city centre’s environs offered the mellow, yet upbeat atmosphere that has made it a favourite of many.

In the afternoon, the joint is like any restaurant, offering the best cuisine in the most tranquil environment imaginable.

“Our main focus is on the restaurant part not the pub hence the reason why we close at midnight,” said Nkomo.

This has been one of the secrets of the pub’s success. Rather than offering an all night binge that many envision when they enter a pub, it instead closes at that time when many are on their feet. On any Friday or Saturday night, the joint offers just the right dose of excitement, leaving those who spend the night there in high spirits yet yearning for more.

“Passion for food, music and fashion” is the tagline that the joint ran with when it opened its doors last year and it has since lived up to that motto.

The restaurant menu headed by Chef Greg Paymans offers a unique flavoursome cuisine with light snacks and hearty dishes that borrow ingredients from many cultures around the globe.

Havana Nachos, Mexican dishes and Greek Saganaki are some of the dishes that have made sure that Cubana satisfies its goal of being a restaurant first and foremost.

The music played at the joint has also been one of its strongest features. On Friday and Saturday nights when the joint attracts its biggest numbers, its playlist has proved to be as exquisite and enticing as its food.

DJ Flexxy O has proved to be a compelling chef on the decks, with a selection of music that dovetails with the ambience and atmosphere of the joint.
Mixing a cocktail of Nigerian hits with some deep house cuts, the experienced wheel spinner has proved to be an able shepherd, guiding even the most intoxicated revellers through memorable nights of heavy drinking.

While other joints are dominated by DJs who play high octane hits that top the charts, the joint has gone the opposite direction. Without a dance floor, the music has made sure that Cubana is the place to be for those looking for a menu that is different from what is usually served by the city’s DJs.

The fashion is also a big part of a night out at Cubana. Smartly dressed bouncers man the door and only the immaculately dressed have the privilege of walking on Cubana’s red carpet.

On any given night, there seems to be an agreement among the patrons that they will come out all dressed to impress. Ladies dominate with their evening wear while the gents also never disappoint with the smart casual wear.

It is perhaps indicative of the joint’s success that all its patrons seem eager to maintain its standards even without prompting by management. A year after its appearance on the scene, Cubana remains a game changing beacon that is unlikely to fade away anytime soon.