Cuba, encountered in Seoul

The only Cuban restaurant in the country was opened in April of 2013 by Cuban native Augusto Cesar and Korean native Angela. Getting off at Sinchon Station, coming out of exit 2 and walking on the alley opposite of Yonsei Universtiy, is a distinguishable sign. The sign made in bright red font on a blue background with a white star in the middle, reads ‘Cuba Pub.’ The first thing that catches your attention after walking up the narrow stairs to the 2nd floor is the groovy Latin music and the large screen. A stage located next to the windows holds a Bongo, Conga and other percussion instruments. As expected of a Cuban diner, the hottest dish on the menu is the sandwiches. Made from Cuban seasoning, the pork works as the restaurants secret recipe while the ham, cheese and pickles complete the taste. As for drinks, you can’t leave out the mojitos. Made with Cuban spearmint, lime and Cuban rum, the mixture makes the perfect refresher. The savory Cuban-style yucca dish which is considered one of Cuba’s comfort foods is also a menu to try here.  By Kim Chun-ae (Author of Cuban Holiday)

Never has a sandwich inspired so much pride and so much debate. While a version of the Cuban sandwich originated amongst the cigar factories and sugar mills around Havana in the 1800s, it was cigar factory workers immigrating to Florida who brought the Cubano into its own. But did the Cubano start in Miami or Ybor City, Tampa? It’s a fiercely raging debate that we’ll leave to the experts; all you need to know is that the Cubano is delicious, and you can get a good one at 320 Libre in Gyeongridan. (Were you not dying to have one while watching Jon Favreau’s 2014 film Chef?) While their Cubano is not entirely authentic (it’s pretty hard to get Cuban bread in Seoul, for one), it is a hearty and flavorful take on this beloved sandwich. The pork is marinated in Cuban mojo, a garlicky, citrusy sauce, for the better part of a day before being roasted and added to slices of ham and cheese, yellow mustard and sliced pickles. All of that is then put into a press and flattened into a compact, toasty creation that is served with cassava chips.

Located in the busiest part of Itaewon across from Hamilton Hotel is The Bulldog Pub. Operating as a normal sports pub during the weekdays, the venue changes its face on Fridays and Saturdays into a wild celebration called “Latin Day.” As the lights dim out the wide hall, it starts to receive party goers and by 11pm, the whole pub will be filled with people. From Salsa to Bachata, and Merengue to Reggaeton, the floor will be pumping with energy from locals, expatriates and visitors. For those of you who’ve never tried Latin dances, the pub has a great supportive atmosphere, so no shame in missing a move or two. Opening at 9pm, the entrance fee, which include one free drink, is 10,000 won per person.

Located right by exit 4 of Gangnam Station, the Salsoul Dance School teaches several types of dance including Latin, ballet, diet dance and salsa. Teresa and Jeio, both well-known names amongst the Korean salsa community for having won championships all over Asia, run the school. Teresa explains that the most important part of starting to dance is opening one’s mind and learning to become one with the music. While beginners show up to class to learn the basics, there’s so much to be done before one even gets a partner. First, you must learn how to step, how to listen to the music and when to turn. In fact, the dance you initially learn is not even salsa, but meringue, the basic steps of which are much easier to learn. “For us, it’s not so much about technique, but the groove—the feeling of the music,” Teresa goes on to explain. “Korea’s a great country for salsa.”