¡Cuba!

I also liked the ropa vieja, though the portion was small for such a hearty peasant dish, and the gluey yuca puree needs work (hint: Avoid the food processor with starchy root vegetables). The tender shreds of tomatoey braised brisket and peppers, though, were evocative of what soulful Cuban home cooking can be, the gravy's tangy sweetness layered with piquance and an echo of spice. A garlicky bistec encebollado, meanwhile, might have been the best entree of all, the skirt steak's charry crust and juicy pink meat sided with tangy-sweet caramelized onions and an earthy blend of black beans and rice called moros y cristianos.

Too many other promising dishes, though, fell short on execution. The seviche brought a bountiful margarita glass of seafood festooned with fried plantain wings, but the sleepy orange marinade lacked the citric zip and basic seasoning to bring the shrimp and calamari to life. A cold gazpacho of cucumbers and pineapples had the opposite effect, so heavy-handed on the spice that it tasted like pureed salsa.

A couple of entrees, meanwhile, were just not ready for prime time. The roast chicken was as dry and boring as standard diner fare. The stuffed chayote squash was the right idea for a Caribbean veggie dish, but the chunky stuffing of al dente carrots, onions and green plantains seemed to be mixed with undiluted tomato paste.

The house-made desserts were also a letdown, though the coconut flan had more creamy comfort to offer than the stiff, heat-bubbled custard of the usual flan. The best bets are the ice creams made by Vince Amico in Trenton, including a potent rum raisin and an addictive coconut studded with chocolate-covered nuts.

The staff at ¡Cuba! does its best to present the menu with enthusiasm, though they bordered on over-earnest as each dish was described down to "the smatterings" of spice "for warmth, not for heat." Given that eagerness, I was surprised by our server's reluctance to make a cafe con leche.

"It's not on the menu," she sighed, ". . . but I can make one."

No cafe con leche at a place named ¡Cuba!? It's not the only essential piece missing at this otherwise promising place.