One dining option offers tourists a unique and affordable way to get a taste of Cuban food and culture. Time Warner Cable News’ Valarie D’Elia explains in this Travel With Val report.

With people-to-people visits on the rise, due to the loosening of restrictions on licensed travel to Cuba, more Americans are finding their way to paladars as a dining option.

"There are many changes now in Cuba, and private businesses are allowed by the government and the private restaurants are called paladars. So that was one of first ways of having private businesses in Cuba," says tour guide Iliana Ferriol.

These restaurants or “paladares,” once highly regulated by the Cuban government, now sit more firmly in the hands of the local owners, and word is getting out.

"Six years ago, travel agents only worked with state-owned hotels and state restaurants. And now they can work with private houses and private paladars," says Ferriol.

Paladars are often run by families and are commonly located in private homes. There is no official listing service, but a quick search of the Internet will resource a variety of locations and restaurant styles. On a recent people-to-people trip, a number of American travel agents visited the family-run Finca Los Colorados, in Cienfuegos.

"It has a little bit of everywhere in the world, so you will taste unique food prepared in the way that the Cuban people prepare it," says Yanisey Hernandez of Finca Los Colorados.

Dining at a paladar can be an affordable option for tourists, with dishes at Finca Los Colorados ranging between $10 to $15 per plate. It is also a way to support the growing economy as well as enjoy a taste of homemade cuisine and culture.

"It is very easy to make friends in Cuba and visiting a paladar is a good opportunity to do that," says Ferriol.