For some reason, there is seldom a crowd in Habanero, Cava Latina. No, usually the hustle and bustle is reserved for the chic Tapa the World, which is situated right next to the little restaurant. How unfortunate it seems that two eateries that even offer some of the same types of dishes are forced into such close locational competition.For my birthday, my parents decided to take me out to dinner at a place of my choice. I opted for Tapa’s, which is a perennial favorite, due to its noise and chaos — one can easily get away with tossing olives across the room without anyone turning a head in recognition of the deviant act. Believe me, I’ve done it.As I should have anticipated, the place was jam-packed with people who were forced to yell, almost, over the sound of amplified live Spanish guitar (beautiful, I’ll admit). Waiting to be even acknowledged by the host, let alone seated, our eyes wandered to the little Habanero sitting patiently across the open-air foyer. Always down for a new kick, we shuffled through the other expectant patrons and entered Habanero which is located at 2115 J St.Cava, in Spanish, indicates a wine cellar in a royal palace. Habanero means from Havana. The contrast of royalty with socialistic history does not seem to be lost on the owners of this fine little restaurant. The walls are painted in luxurious colors – murals of foliage and skies with wispy clouds. Upon first entering the place, one is struck by the smell of burlap, which acts as the table cloths. In the back is a small bar, behind which is a well-stocked wine rack, full of liquids to tickle the tongue and burn the belly. The lights are artistic renderings of flowers made of metal and light cloth. The host is a slim man who moves across the restaurant with all the grace of a dancer. When the waiter brought us our menus, he noted aloud that we were a family, with a note of amused surprise. Perhaps they don’t get many nuclears for Saturday dinner.

The menu is brimming over with choices, ranging from the very simple to the laboriously complex. For the simple beans and rice people, there are “moros y cristianos,” which I can only assume is reference to the different ethnicities of those in Spain, Moors and Spaniards. This is a dish of black beans and rice. My mother ordered the Guatemalan coconut chicken, while my father ordered pescado al mojo de ajo. I am a fan of plantains, myself, so I had the tostones and a modest salad — the ensalada del sol.

Both the chicken and the fish dishes came with generous servings of rice and beans, and the chicken came with plantains. The chicken dish was amazing. It had almost a Thai taste to it (probably due to the coconut milk), but was spiced up with red and green bell peppers and onions. A surprising and pleasant dish.

The fish, meanwhile, was served up slightly breaded, flavored lightly with garlic (as indicated by the “ajo” in the name). This fish was cooked to perfection. The meat was tender and juicy, and was complemented well by the beans and rice.

My salad was simple but refreshing — it came with oranges and brazil nuts tossed into the spinach. Twice fried so they were crispy on the outside, the plantains were sweet and firm.

We passed on dessert, but the menu offered caramel rum flan, empanadas, and key lime pie, to name a few.

The nice thing about Habanero, aside from the atmosphere, the food and the gracious host, is that it can be afforded by a variety of purses. Several dishes are under $5, but others can range up to $15. This makes this an ideal date spot for a college-sized budget.

One can buy a modest meal along with a fancy one, and not be too worried about cost. Or you can just get your parents to buy you dinner.