Cha Cha Chicken ~ 1906 Ocean Ave. @ Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 581-1684
I've been to Jamaica over ten times in my short life and Cuba once, both possessing a bounty of beauty in land, culture and souls, despite brutal political and economic oppression. A place like Cha Cha Chicken does not exist in either locale, although oil drums, bright colors, handcrafted artwork and shady palms are legion.
Whereas Cha Cha Chicken is a tropical oasis in a small stretch of smog-choked cityscape by the sea, most Jamaican eateries are frames in the dusty earth, with a simple grill and maybe a counter where chicken quarters are cleaved by a scarfaced butcher like ganja on a surru board, the latter often available behind the kitchen. Cuba on the other hand, has very few commercial enterprises at all and the motherland itself is not currently known for its cuisine due to a shortage of most high-quality foodstuffs, though its recipes and culinary traditions are marvelous.