Tucked away on a Southside street that was once the main drag for the historic Quintana Community, the large dining room of Cuba 1918 is rustic and tall ceilinged, exuding an appropriate sense of nostalgia. In case you’re wondering, the date in the name doesn’t refer to a notable event in Cuban history but rather to the year the building was erected. The menu of the less-than-a-year-old restaurant likewise doesn’t claim to be purely or exclusively Cuban, but we found it to have plenty of soul. Ropa vieja, for instance, offers the classic Cuban long-cooked shredded-beef stew alongside black beans, smashed plantains, and hearty yuca fries. A few locally inspired egg dishes riff on South Texas flavors. One page of the lunch menu is devoted to bocaditos—large hot sandwiches, pressed and dressed. Our selection was the Guanajo (turkey and cheese), satisfyingly gooey and accompanied by our choice of roasted sofrito potatoes. Besides the nourishment for the body, there’s food for the soul in the form of several live music options during the week, including dinner and a show. The website explains how it all works. It’s worth an adventure, ¿verdad?