26-28 February 2017. At the 1993 Havana Film Festival a film called Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate) won many prestigious awards including the audience award and the Grand Coral first prize. It is the only Cuban film ever nominated for an Oscar. It tells the story of two men, Diego, a gay artist chafing against Castro’s regime, and David, straight and a communist. Much of the movie takes place in Diego’s guarida, which translates as den or hideout. The movie was filmed in one of Havana’s beautiful but dilapidated mansions dating from the early 1900’s.

After the international success of the movie there were people who came to Cuba wanting to find Diego’s guarida. After about ten such visits the owners of the building decided they must create a restaurant for the people who came looking. Thus was born La Guarida, the first paladar, or privately owned restaurant in…