Ceniza—an upscale, Cuban restaurant and cigar bar in Cambridge Square (Ooltewah)—offers the kind of Sunday brunch worthy of a first date, a visiting in-law, or just a “treat yourself” kind of weekend.
My special occasion was my sister’s visit from Seattle. Our table ordered mojitos and mimosas to get the party started (I hadn’t seen her in almost three years, so we had to brunch it up right). Though Ceniza doesn’t have any clearance-priced drink specials, their cocktails were worth the indulgence. The mojito was by far my favorite. The mint was fresh and the concoction smooth.
Next up, the food. I am often talked out of my desire to be a little more menu adventurous by the advice of servers. Not this time. I wanted the Shredded Oxtail Sammy, and the server recommended—more like ecstatically raved about—the Shredded Oxtail Sammy. Do you know how rare it is for the waiter to actually suggest the thing you originally wanted?
The rest of the crew ordered The Fizz, the Havana Club, and the 3 Napkin Burger.
Everyone’s food was great, but the Sammy stole the show. It lived up to 110 percent of the server’s hype. Juicy, decadent, and different. This cuban roll—stuffed with oxtail, swiss cheese, smoky tomato aioli, pickles, fire roasted apples (you read that right), and field greens—got passed around the table more than the cigars upstairs.
To conclude the meal, the satisfied table washed the last of our food down with a glass of sangria—my favorite kind of dessert.
Leave a Reply