Crocante Restaurant: An Authentic Puerto Rican Delight

House Sangria and Mojito — Photo by the Author

I’m always up to try a new restaurant — especially if it is Puerto Rican food. Therefore, when invited to Crocante Restaurant at 4311 E Colonial Dr. in Orlando, Florida, for my birthday, I did not hesitate.

Crocante is different from your typical Puerto Rican restaurant. Crocante Restaurant was featured in the Somebody Feed Phil show, therefore; we were curious to try it. The decor is simple but nice. And, I love that the music is not loud. Unlike other Puerto Rican restaurants, you can hold a conversation without shouting.

Let the Tasting Begin!

The menu is not too extensive, but it includes all the delicious Puerto Rican dishes I grew up with. Of course, we could not start our dinner without a chilled glass of sangria.

Amazing Appetizers

We chose corn fritters (sorullitos de maíz) and cheese balls (bolitas de queso) for our appetizers. I must admit that their corn fritters were much better than mine and I make great corn fritters. I had tasted no better than mine until now. And those cheese balls… mmmm. The cheese balls did not fall short of the corn fritters. They were just as delicious.

Appetizers: Cheese Balls (left) and Corn Fritters (right) — Photo by the Author

Time for the Entrée

For dinner, I went for the famous Puerto Rican ‘mofonogo relleno de Camarones a la criolla.’ It does not have a name in English but I’ll describe it here. Mofongo is a green plantain cut into 1-inch wheels and fried for about 7 minutes. It is then mashed in a wooden mortar while adding salt, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Some add pork grinds to the mixture, but not everyone does. Afterward, it is formed into the shape of a bowl and stuffed with shrimp in creole sauce. Sounds delectable, right? It is!

Mofongo con Camarones a la Criolla — Photo by the Author

The other party’s entrée included white rice, pink beans, fried plantains (tostones), and onion steak. Of course, I nipped at it to make sure that their version of it being delicious was accurate. It was indeed.

Entrée — Rice & beans, onion steak, and fried plantains with a side of mayo ketchup — Photo by the Author

A Sweet Treat to End the Night

For dessert, we all opted for the sweet taste of the Tembleque — a smooth custard made with cornstarch and coconut milk and garnished with cinnamon. It was delicious — not that anyone can mess it up being so simple and easy to make.

Tembleque for Dessert — Photo by the Author

The entire meal was superb! So what can I say about Crocante? I have no complaints regarding the service, ambiance, or food. It was quick and on point. Therefore, giving us an excellent experience at Crocante Restaurant and surely one to visit again.

Originally published at https://original.newsbreak.com.