Cafe Piquet Cuban Cuisine — Restaurant in Bellaire

Really Good Cuban Good. I definitely say give it a try, at least once! You will be pleasantly surprised.

Okay let's get into it. The food? ...Best I've had locally!!!

MOST DISHES ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC !!! Some dishes with a unique creative TEX-MEX FLARE.

Very Cozy Dining Style, Aesthetic Atmosphere. You can dine al fresco, as well. It's as if you've slipped into a tiny Havana getaway, right here in Houston.

Our waitress Elizet was helpful and attentive. Also, she engaged us, as potential return customers. Since she was natural this was a good rapport development with new customers. ( my table ) This, too, added to the entire experience. We already suggested this restraunt to friends and family. 👍😉

I would, personally, recommend:

Congri (rice with black beans) with Tostones ( plantanos fritos - fried plantains ) as it CAN BE added to many dishes, as a combination under House Specials.

We tried a Tamel & Empanada these were nice, very Cuban in taste, as our appetizers.

For main dishes, as a table, we ordered: Pernil with Garlic - nice flavor, but may leave you with strong garlic breathe. 🤤🔥Haha. It was very tasty though. We were going straight home after so...I'm glad, I did, try the dish...but something to take into consideration. Okay?!

We also had Picadillo. It was tasty without any side effects lol.. I have had Picadillo, three different ways...Cuban Aunty's version homemade, another café's version and this restraunt's version. The closest to the family recipe is THIS ONE. I would try this version again, sometime. THIS IS SAYING A LOT. So, I would recommend it. It's good but different, you know?

Cafécito delicioso. ( Delicious Cuban Espreso )

Flan was very good but again slightly different than what I've had before in my own childhood home. I enjoyed it very much. I could see splitting this flan with friends. It is a nice size, but not excessive either. Just right. Sweetness & Creaminess is set to High.

The Tres Leches is hands down THE BEST I have EVER HAD ANYWHERE !!! Like Tex-Mex regular Tres Leches Cake... but ...this time, spun with a Cuban Flare!! Very Nice.

BOTH DESERTS WERE RICH IN THEIR OWN WAY.

I can see visiting again and again. I'd like to try a Cuban Sandwich here, which I always enjoy in most venues...but after tonight, expect to be WOW'D in some way. ( no pressure )

But also, I'd like to try a Sopa ( Soup ) here, as I have never had Cuban Soups before, not even as a homecooked meal. So, why not try something new, right?

If I make one suggestion to customers... break up all the carbohydrates with something leafy.

But this is just my thoughts, surely dine as...

Might be "great Cuban food" for those who do not know any better, but not for those whose roots are Cuban and have eaten from the kitchens of many a Grandmother, mother, aunts and friends, not to mention some very good Cuban restaurants in Florida, New York, and Los Angeles. Cafe Piquet is mediocre at best, it is imitation Cuban food, perhaps from a well meaning recipe book from an old Cuban chef, maybe even a nice grandmother, but, far and apart from genuine Cuban cooking. I guess some things just are never the same when all someone is doing is reading recipes out of a book. I am a Cuban American, grew up in a very Italian neighborhood in NYC during the 1960's, as a result, 90% of the kids, my friends I grew up with were either Italian or Irish Italian kids, and I just love Italian food too...with a passion! When I want Italian food I normally find a small neighborhood eatery which is first and foremost very Italian, owned and operated by Italians, even better if some old Italian is the head chef or at least supervises the cooking, so far so good with using that criteria. It has worked out well for me. So, when I had visiting relatives over, and they wanted to go out to a Cuban restaurant here in Houston, I should had done something different than just assuming that because this place had been around for a while that it automatically made it a good Cuban restaurant. Everyone was disappointed to say the least, although pretty much everyone at the table came here as very young children in early 60s we know our food, we also know our accent.......................We don't think there was a single Cuban working in any capacity there, well, not while we visited anyway. Those we heard talk Spanish were certainly not Cubans, and didn't know jack about our cuisine. BIG...

Yesterday I visited Cafe Piquet here in Houston, a local Cuban restaurant on Bissonnet Street that is out of this world. Probably literally. They have two parking lots on either side, something I’ve never seen at any restaurant I’ve been to. Only an alien from another world could’ve thought of that idea as its out-of-this-world genius! But that’s nothing compared to the food. If I had known how good the food was here before I visited, I’d have made like one of their fried plantains and split sooner! Their plantains are so delicious and are served with many if not all of their dishes. I ordered the beef empanadas which were a culinary combination of juicy, spicy, and rich.

My only complaint, however, had to do with the service. My wife, who is Indonesian and wears hijab (Islamic headscarf), is not Latina nor does she speak a word of Spanish other than a few basic words and phrases. Yet the waitstaff assumed we were Spanish speakers, which was in poor taste. But the waiter was very thorough otherwise and got our food and drinks to our table in a very timely manner.

I ordered this coconut shrimp dish in a creamy sauce made with bell peppers and onions in it. (I ordered it without onions, of course.) My wife ordered this dish made of shredded beef with onions in garlic sauce. My daughter ordered chicken tenders. (Maybe try something with a bit more variety next time, sweetie pie.) The food was absolutely splendid. It was rich and delicious without even a hint of disappointment for my taste buds.

Aside from the minor setback with the waitstaff, it was an excellent experience. It was an eating expedition to the island nation of Cuba without even having to leave the Houston area. I rate Cafe Piquet with 4.8 out of 5 stars! Absolutely delightful...