The Caribbean Ocean shaped some of the world's most ancient peoples, who free-dived its salty waters in pursuit of treasures like tilapia, tilapia ceviche, and bottles of mojito mix. Celebrate this oceanic landscape with today's deal: for $10, you get $25 worth of Cuban-American cuisine and specialty mojitos at Havana.

Havana serves up Cuban-American cuisine and fresh mojitos in a setting replete with all the charm of an Old World bistro. The menu combines the distinctly Cuban with pan-Latin flavors for a taste exploration that uproots taste-buds and sends them careening on a pinball-style joy ride. Start off with a pitcher of the house mojito, swirled with fresh mint, lime, and sugar in Bacardi Limon rum ($31, or $8 for a glass), and a couple orders of citrusy, seafood-infused ceviche ($9.95). Save room, though, because entrees such as the apricot-chipotle pork chops, marinated with apricot chipotle sauce and served with jalapeno hash browns and steamed broccoli ($18.95), demand serious abdominal real estate. The vegetarian chiles en nogada fools meat-thirsty mandibles with the toothsome texture of two poblano peppers stuffed with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and cheese ($14.95). With a couple more mojitos, caipirinhas, and margaritas, plus an order of Cuban coconut-rum flan ($4.95), gracious guests will be primed for a twilight Clark Street trot on a chestnut mare.

Done up in warm woods and antique finishes, Havana mimics the calm, hospitable setting where Earnest Hemingway would have smoked cigars, drank rum, and talked to potted hydrangeas who, quite simply, got it. On Friday and Saturday nights, the space comes alive with music, and during the warmer months, gatherers can cozy up by Havana's massive bank of windows for fresh air and constantly refreshing people watching.

Reviews

Zagat rated Havana Restaurant. Ninety-three percent of Urbanspooners recommend the restaurant, and OpenTable reviewers give it an average of 3.9 stars. Yelpers give it an average of 3.5 stars:

• River North’s former Mambo Grill space has been revived with a similar midpriced Nuevo Latino menu, served for lunch and dinner, along with a slew of specialty cocktails; aglow in natural light by day and golden lighting by night, the setting features dark wood, mirrors, stone tiles and a display of dining-related words snaking around the ceiling edge – Zagat
• Excellent diversion from mainstream meat & potatoes. We enjoyed the exotic flavors with the seafood entrees and we will definitely return to this special gem on Clark St. – OpenTable.com reviewer who dined on 08/21/2010