....but Floridita boss Javier De La Hormaza wants to welcome everyone into Leeds's first dedicated Cuban music bar and restaurant - and all he asks in return is that you're as cool and sexy as the venue itself.

It's sandwiched between a trio of gay bars, edged by the thronging Exchange Quarter and spitting distance from the comparatively serene waterfront.

So the venue formerly known as Break for the Border may occupy a pretty high profile spot on the corner of Call Lane and Lower Briggate, but it's still an uncertain pitch.

That's not a problem for Floridita manager Javier de la Hormaza.

Whereas many a new venture might view the market on this doorstep as being unpredictably diverse he simply views it as cosmopolitan and unique.

Which chimes perfectly with the ethos of this latest addition to the local social scene, because this one-stop shop of Havana-inspired food, drink and entertainment is a first for the city, perhaps for the north of England.

The Leeds opening is the latest in a string of Floriditas which have so far been limited to four international capitals - London, Madrid, Dublin and Moscow.

"Lots of other locations were considered for the new opening," said Javier. "But after doing all kinds of research we found out quite a bit about the city and it was felt that the niche for this kind of venue was biggest here.

"There were already quite a few places which did good Cuban food, some venues which hosted Cuban music and some bars which did great cocktails - interestingly we found that people in Leeds really like their rum, which was good.

"But there wasn't anything under one roof, so what we've done is brought it all together and done it even bigger and hopefully with a bit more of a cool, contemporary look to suit the area."

Although it's based on the legendary old Havana bar El Floridita - famously patronised by Ernest Hemingway (among other stars) for 20 years - this is a distinctly modern incarnation.

Forget straw covered-floors and distressed wood. The interior only boasts a notable touch of Latin, the rest is a chic mix of mirrors, white leather fittings and long stretches of silver beaded curtains.

And far from a basic offering of drinks and bar snack there's a vast cocktail and food menu drawn up between Javier alongside executive chef Robert Bates and the rest of the team at new Ellington boutique Leeds hotel, which is co-owned with Floridita by the Pantin group.

Specialising in the house favourite, The Daquiri (invented by El Floridita's legendary founder, Constantino Ribalaaigua), the cocktail selection on offer is second to none and, naturally, there's a huge emphasis on rum, of which the bars here boast a staggering 150 varieties.

But what makes a Floridita cocktail so special?
Javier said: "Take a mojito, for example, it's all about how you make it. You can see a big variance in how people make them in different bars, some good, some not so good.

"You'll often see people bashing the hell out of the mint, when its just needs a little breaking up before going in, others stick the limes in with the rest of the drink which can instantly make it that little bit bitter.

"Whereas we'll ask he customer - how do you like your mojito? Because we can make it a little bit more bitter, if they like, or a little, sweeter. Perhaps they want more alcohol, maybe less, if that's how they like it. The point is we give them the choice.

"We also use the best rums available and we use Persian limes which are much better than your mass produced fruits which have less juice in them. So it's little touches which makes a cocktail here the best."

And the food?
"We've had to take a different approach to the food for Leeds," said Javier. "Whereas in London it's much more experimental here we've concentrated on the classic dishes. That's what people tend to like more.

"They also want good portions, value for money and a good quality product too, so we try wherever we can to get local produce because it's not only the best but it means it's also the freshest.

"So we get our beef from the Yorkshire Dales, our Pork from Thirsk, our vegetable choices are all seasonal, our chicken corn fed and many of our meats are aged for 28 days before we think about using them. It's all about quality and providing something which is simple but the best."

And if you think the food and drink sounds good just wait till you hear the music offering. Every five weeks Floridita plays resident to a different band who are specially jetted in from Havana to Leeds.

Currently performing here is Charanga Floridita who will eventually swap artists with the London branch before returning home. Then in comes another band, then another and in total around 11 groups play throughout the year.

"The people from Floridita went over to Cuba a few years ago," explains Javier. "And they did a kind of Cuban X-Factor where singers and musicians were invited to audition to be on the line up.

"And it got an absolutely massive response, they were spoilt for choice, but some really outstanding talent came forward and they were snapped up. So now we have the most authentic of the country's musicians on constant rotation.

"And they love being here, they get a fantastic response from the crowd and they're so greatful to be doing something they love and to be sending money back home to their families.

"So although it's a little bit of a culture shock going from the Caribbean to Leeds they really don't mind at all, though they do remark on how cold Leeds is, which you can't really blame them for."