Havana Nights @ Rumbar

For those of us who have never been to Havana, going to Key Biscayne will have to suffice. Rumbar at Ritz Key Biscayne recently launched a Thursday night cocktail party called Noches de Nostalgia. Rum cocktails, light bites, a live band and hand-rolled cigars ought to do it. Guest blogger Sam Baum recently attended one such Noches and brings us this report:
Before the communist revolution, Havana was the choice destination for stylish gentlemen on vacation, and leisure there was taken very seriously. Linen shirts coupled with big cigars, aged rum, and strumming guitars were the only way to pass the time in good taste.
Located in the spot synonymous with opulence, the Ritz Carlton on the Key is home to Rumbar, a wood paneled den of lavish masculinity. The inviting leather sofas and side turning fans welcome you after the valet takes your vehicle free of charge, and the friendly staff guides you through 50 rums from over 18 countries. Try a glass, a bottle, or one of the “tastings”, which gives you the chance to sample a selection of rums grouped by country or taste.
A live band performs classic Latin standards as the second or third sampling of exotic rum allows you and your date to recall great nights past. And don’t worry about being over dressed; even your best guayabera will be outdone by the band's white jackets and bowties.
End the night on the fountain patio by enjoying a custom hand-rolled cigar or one of the premium selections from the bar’s humidor. After finishing your last complimentary conch fritter and taking your final puff of high quality tobacco, the sweet rum coating your innards and the memories of lost Havana nights on your mind, you may not want to leave the tiny island at all. Amazing that a few glasses of good rum can make real life seem a thousand miles away.
Rumbar, 455 Grand Bay Dr, 305-365-4500.