Cienfuegos

My first time visiting Cienfuegos was before the doors even opened to the public. A friend and I finagled our way into the "friends and family night" by introducing ourselves, and insisting that we could also be their friends. After sharing a large bowl of delicious rum punch, I knew that Cienfuegos would become one of my favorite drinking spots.

Located above a Cuban sandwich shop off of Avenue A, Cienfuegos is definitely a hidden gem. My second and most recent trip back to Cienfuegos is a bit clearer than the first. Arriving late on a Thursday evening, the place was packed. I love the ambiance, it is bright and colorful, yet dim enough to create a romantic feeling. There are a few food items on the menu, but I am yet to eat there. The punch is what I went back for. There are multiple varieties, some boozier than others, and some with big chunks of fruit. We had the "Punch and Judy," which was filled with strawberries and pineapple. The punches come in multiple sizes; from a glass, to several size bowls. Although the waitress insisted the large would only give us about 2 glasses each, we were drowning in punch. About 4 and a half glasses each later, we were full and drunk. I wouldn't recommend such a heavy and sugary drink before a night out, but I would absolutely recommend this place to drink and have a great time with friends.

The Kitchen

Working in a professional kitchen is an experience that one cannot be properly prepared for. Personally for me, the anxiety that builds up when you have 5 tickets fired, a souffle in the oven, and doughnuts frying behind you, is much more than you'd expect. There are hungry, impatient customers outside, and at an establishment like where I work, they expect the best. Once the desserts are sent out though, total relief, peace, and pride as you wipe up the mess you've just created.

I've only worked in two different kitchens so far, and they couldn't be more different. The first restaurant I worked in was a smaller restaurant, and I did mostly prep work. We prepared the desserts for service, but then left at around 5pm, when garde manger took over and plated the desserts. At my current job, I am the plater of all of the pastries and desserts. Whether I'm working breakfast, serving croissants and muffins, or lunch, or dinner, plating intricate and quite honestly, hard to master, desserts, the pressure is on. (I must admit though, that 3 weeks in, I have now mastered every dessert on our menu and I feel extremely proud of myself.)

Last night was a turning point for me in the kitchen. Getting up to go to work, when you know that you're going to be there until at least 1am, is really hard. The work isn't necessarily challenging, but it is a roller coaster of anxiety and relief. Last night, for the first time, some of the cooks took a real liking to me. It definitely took them some time to warm up to me, but last night, they decided that I was one of them. Having given up basically my entire life for this gig, it felt so good to be accepted into their little kitchen clique. I've been nicknamed "Peaches" by some of the waiters, and it's actually starting to grow on me. Every night, until last night, I would clean my station as fast as possible and bolt for the door, but last night, I stayed and enjoyed a beer with the rest of the cooks and waitstaff, and honestly, it was fun.