Kitchen Interviews

Ok, so it’s greasy and might come frozen (eek!)  But it was cooked and seasoned to perfection, and the best way I’ve had a croquette.  The finger food I’m pointing to is the yuca rellena at a little counter on the corner of N.E. 1st St. and 3rd Ave. downtown.  They’re open 24 hours.  I didn’t have time to do a whole lot of digging around and asking questions (which I usually like to do,) but you know this place.  The kind where there are always a couple of old guys hanging around, charlando (chatting) about this and that in the neighborhood.  If you’re passing by, give this fried morsel of mashed yuca surrounding ground meat a shot — kinda like a Twinkie that’s a little rough around the edges.  And way more tasty.  But be sure to brush up your meal-ordering Spanish!  Here’s a cheat sheet for those who are a little rusty:

Quería (I would like) una yuca rellena  (a stuffed yuca croquette) por favor.

Cuanto cuesta (how much is it)?

Gracias!

Manolo & Rene

281 NE 1st St

Miami, FL 33132

(305) 358-4488

It ain’t gonna be pretty, but it’s down and dirty Honduran in its rawest form at Heidy’s Cafe.  Best part is, there are no lines to be suffered through or servers to ignore you like at hole-in-the-wall of the moment, Enriqueta’s, next door.  That comes in handy when you’re a hungry writer on deadline across the street.

Would you like some laundry with your lunch?

At Heidy’s, it’s personal service and a decent meal in a flash, like mine, a lovely mess of home-cooked egg whites and spiced sauteed tri-color bell peppers with black beans and sour cream.  A rubbery in texture, but creamy in taste, slab of Honduran cheese completes the picture.

Huevos rancheros

Ask for ensalada al lado and get a couple slices of tomato and the pleasant crunch of cabbage, not wiltable lettuce, to toss in

Maracuja (passion fruit) juice refreshes with a sweet and tangy splash

This dive only takes cash, but all of the above costs less than $10, so you can probably head to the couch instead of the ATM for some spare change.  But just remember to do either — or you may be stuck washing your way through lunch.  Check out my buddy Jake’s post last year on the Short Order blog.  He’s wicked good with the camera and sniffed out a spaghetti dish I’ve never seen before.  Looks guilt-inducing, but what of Jake’s posts aren’t?  Dig in if you’re in the area.

(305) 576-1509