I've been hanging out at Jefe's for a while now. Highly recommend the atmosphere for a casual evening of cigar smoking. They even have house blends of cigars, Jefe's #5 is my favorite. But they also have an array of commercial brands to choose from. The other day I had the experience of eating at the new restaurant affiliated with Jefe's. Officially called Maiwi's Choice at Jefe Cigar Lounge. The food choices are in keeping with the general latin vibe of Jefe's which is a nice touch. First thing I received was a small scoop of lemon sorbet. They said that it would help clear my mouth after smoking a cigar so that I could actually taste the food. Trust me you want to taste the food. The bartender at Jefe's as normal asked what I was interested in drinking, when I said Gin Mule he was actually able to make that drink which was made to almost perfection. Could have used more mint. I'm a mint guy. But was an excellent choice with the food. The first item I actually ordered was the shredded beef Arepas. Absurdly good. I could have just continued to eat them all evening but wanted to try other things. I was asked if I would like to try Maiwi's Oh So Good Green sauce or white sauce with it. Having never had either. I tried both. You can't go wrong with either choice. The White is of course a bit more creamy but with a slight bite towards the back of your mouth. The green is a Cilantro explosion in your mouth. If you love Cilantro. I do. This sauce had me spooning it out like a soup when I was done eating the Arepa. The Arepa itself was clearly homemade, it came out with a nice presentation for a simple food choice. The corn flavor, shredded beef and cheese, dipped in either of the sauces as I said would have kept me there scrafing them all night. But they are filling. I'm glad I didn't do that as I had the Pabellon Criollo coming next. Apparently a Venezuelan dish. shredded beef, salty black beans with rice and plantains. First off everything on this plate has flavor. Everything. The plantains. They were actually grilled or hot plated instead of deep fried. Most places seem to deep fry them and it turns them into a greasy hot mess. These were grilled to perfection. Caramelized on the outside, Consistent temp and texture all the way thru. You could even eat them as they got colder which i can't do when they are deep fried. But it offered some nice sweetness to offset the saltiness of the black beans, the spice of the meat, and the creaminess of the white sauce. The rice was crazy good. I was able to pick out that it was somehow cooked with garlic although I didn't see any and it wasn't overpowering the rice. There was something else in it that I couldn't place. But it was just phenomenal to combine with the beef and the beans, or simply eat by itself. For me it was a standout from an item that is normally tossed on a plate to fill space. Just overall great meal. If you are not a fan of cigar smoke you can try the back bar which is closer to the restaurant anyway. Give both the Cigar lounge and Restaurant a try. You won't be disappointed. read more