Meaning "what's happening" in Spanish, Que Pasa is finally happening in Church Hill.

The Latin-American eatery waited months to get their liquor license, but now the restaurant and late-night cigar bar are in full swing. Hill residents are delighted to have another restaurant choice in the neighborhood, and the professional scotch and martini-drinking residents love to stop by at night for a Padron.

The small restaurant only seats about 50 inside, with a few additional two-seater patio tables out front, but the décor is warm and eclectic with several slow-moving ceiling fans to evoke the feeling of an old café in Havana. 

The chef/owner, John Sanchez, is originally from Puerto Rico, so in addition to a menu full of Cuban classics, there are also offerings from his native country, as well as from South America. Sanchez transformed the historic corner building that used to be Church Hill's Rexall drugstore into an inviting space, and did all the interior woodwork, including the bar, himself.

I love Cuban food, so I started with one of my favorites, Plantain Spiders. This sweet cousin of the banana is a staple in Cuban food, and shows up in more than one dish at Que Pasa. I also tried the Lime Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers (two per serving), but these were a bit disappointing, as the shrimp had shriveled up to about the size of a quarter, and at $9.95, twice the cost of the Plantains, not nearly as satisfying. Rounding out the starter menu is a non-Latin American option of a fire-grilled Stuffed Portabella Mushroom with ricotta, feta and goat cheese.

I was severely torn between ordering the Plantain Encrusted Orange Roughy and the Ropa Vieja, but since I had already eaten my fill of plantains, I chose the latter. This is the Cuban version of pot roast: a slow-cooked flank steak that is shredded and served over yellow rice with a variety of vegetables. Que Pasa's version was much spicier than the Cuban-style Ropa Vieja I've eaten for years in South Florida, possibly owing to the Puerto Rican influence and the inclusion of hot peppers and chorizo sausage, but the meat was fork-tender and the plate was piled high with carrots, celery, onions and peppers. The menu advises diners not to order additional sides with this entrée, an appropriate suggestion in light of the generous portion.

I skipped the salads -- Heart of Palm, House, Spinach and Walnut Apple -- in order to leave room for a second entrée, and passed up the desserts as well, which were traditional chocolate and carrot cakes, blondies and the Que Pasa Supreme, billed as part cookie, part cake and part brownie. My tastebuds were revved up for exotic flavors, and I had satisfied my sweet tooth on the appetizer course, so I moved on into the meatier part of the menu.

I had to try a Cuban sandwich, again one of my Florida favorites, and also a bit different than the traditional pork, ham, cheese and pickle version I'm used to. Que Pasa's chef includes chorizo sausage in his recipe, amping up the spicy factor of the sandwich, and uses shredded, rather than sliced, pork in his version. Chorizo also sneaks into this entrée, although it has a much more subtle presence here and the sandwich isn't pressed. While it wasn't what I was expecting, it was an excellent take on one of my favorite hot sandwiches and definitely worth a try.

Other entrée offerings include a Cuban Cluck, slow-roasted chicken with chorizo sausage served on Cuban bread, rather than the more traditional bed of yellow rice; Pastelillos, a grilled flatbread stuffed with roasted pork or chicken, rice, black beans and cheese; Che Guevara's Steak, a New York Strip in Cuban clothing; and lime-roasted Baby Back Ribs. Except for the Ropa Vieja, all entrees come with your choice of two sides, which include Puerto Rican Rice, Black Beans, Gandules, Plantains, Tostones, Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Hacienda Squash. Entrees range from $9.95 to $20 and the portions are hearty enough to give you a take-home container for lunch the next day.

The wine list is fairly small, but includes some good choices including a Casal Garcia Vino Verde with notes of citrus and green apple, a Tempranilla Shiraz and a fruity Tapena Garracha which pair well with the spicier dishes and two good cabernets for the red meat lovers, Root 1 and Penfold's Bin 389. Prices are reasonable, beginning at $5 a glass and about $17 by the bottle.

Que Pasa also does a Sunday brunch which, unfortunately, detours from the Latin American culinary adventure and serves up eight traditional egg dishes, from Benedict to omelettes, so if you're hoping for a breakfast tortilla with your Mojito, you'll be out of luck. Service is friendly both at the bar and in the dining area, and while Church Hill residents may want to keep this charming Latin American bistro to themselves, it's worthy of becoming a destination for all Richmond diners.