Puerto Rican Food in Twin Cities or anywhere in the State

[ozuye]

Like the title says. I've recently moved back to Red Wing and desperately miss the Puerto Rican food I was getting in Cleveland. I haven't been able to find any PR restaurants in the Twin Cities area, does anyone know of one?

[mikejgale]

Sosa Puerto Rican Deli... http://www.sosafoods.comcastbiz.net/5... its a hole in the wall but it was soo soo good!! wow!

[discus]

My wife and I drove right over after reading this thread. We had spent a month on the southwest side of the island, away from all the cruise ships and tourist trips of San Juan about 25 years ago as newly weds.

The bride had the roast chicken and I ordered the pork mofongo. Alas, both were significantly overcooked. The thigh meat was dry and the pork was equally overcooked. So was the yellow rice. Nostalgia alone could not overcome food quality.

We'll have to keep looking.

[The Dairy Queen]

Oh how disappointing. This place was definitely on my list to try. What a letdown.

~TDQ

[GutGrease]

Not to disparage discus's report, but I think one bad internet review is not enough to deter me from trying a restaurant TDQ. I know that my tastes often differ from those on these forums so it's probably still worth your effort to make the trip!

[KaylaP]

Here's the pic :)

[ozuye]

Have you tried the Pernil con arroz y frijoles?

[KaylaP]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=148559725235468&set=a.148559721902135.33371.148559535235487&type=3&theater this is a link to a pic of their menu. it is puerto rican food with american food also. if u cant see it go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/SOSA-Pu... and it's one of their profile pics. It's good :))))

[The Dairy Queen]

Kayla, for those of us who aren't on facebook, what is the name of the restaurant you're recommending? I can't access anything through either of the links you've provided.

~TDQ

[KTFoley]

TDQ, that is a link for the Sosa Puerto Rican deli mentioned upthread. All of the posts are in Spanish, but the basics are:

3909 Minnehaha Ave So., Minneapolis

612-728-9662

Open 7 days a week, 7am-8pm

Kayla added the photo of the menu below.

[KaylaP]

Yup, KTF said it perfect ! ;)

[The Dairy Queen]

Thanks! I completely missed that. I swear I've driven by that place 1,000 times. Is it really new?

~TDQ

[soupkitten]

bumping the thread to note that the former columbia grounds coffee shop, on central ne, has reopened as "alu" & they claim to serve a menu of puerto rican and venezuelan and mexican specialties, which i have not tried yet, but intend to soon. their coffee, which i have tried, is good!

[ozuye]

Cool, I'll hit that up when I visit my friend in Coon Rapids.

[soupkitten]

gah! it's in columbia heights/northeast minneapolis. . . so, wait, that's not on your way at all, right? special trip maybe? :)

[eltom117]

I don't think their website is updated yet ..as far as I know it used to be Mexican Deli before they switched to pure Puerta rican joint, my last stop was last Sunday and served Mofongo, Plantains...etc.
and it was delicious..

[daniellempls]

Well- having lived in PR for three years, I can tell you there are not any Peurto Rican restaurants in the Twin Cities. In general, Puerto Ricans I think are scared to venture this far north ;) Ozuve if you know how to cook you might have yourself a side business.

Puerta Azul, which has since closed, was a Puerto Rican restaurant, but had mediocre food at that. The other ones mentioned here may have fine food themselves, but they do not fit the real Puerto Rican bill, with yummy tostones, mofongo, rice and beans, arroz con pollo, asopao, etc like made on the island.

The one thing worth mentioning is that Caribe Caribbean Bistro in St Paul does have their hands on some authentic Pan de Agua. I asked where they get it and they said from some bakery in the suburbs, and no the restaurant would not sell me a loaf.

Your closest bet is probably Chicago. :(

-----
Caribe Caribbean Bistro
791 Raymond Ave, St. Paul, MN 55114

[The Dairy Queen]

El Centro on Lake Street in Minneapolis has tostones. I have no idea if they are sufficiently Puerto Rican, but, they've got them.

~TDQ

[foreverhungry]

Not strictly Puerto Rican, but El Meson on Lyndale and 35th in MPLS is very good. I'd also second the Caribe Caribbean Bistro on Raymond in St. Paul.

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El Meson
3450 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Caribe Caribbean Bistro
791 Raymond Ave, St. Paul, MN 55114

[diesel]

Manana in St. Paul does some Puerto Rican dishes from time to time, and at one point they were talking about offering Puerto Rican food once a week (not sure if that happened or not). It might be worth calling them. They sure as heck can make Salvadorean food. Oh man.

-----
Manana Restaurant
828 7th St E, Saint Paul, MN 55106

[justalex]

I haven't been in a few years, due to distance, but Conga Latin Bistro was quite good the the few times I was there. They had a tasty rendition of black bean soup. We also enjoyed the Ropa Vieja, shrimp empanadas and fried plantains. It's a popular dance club at night. We've only been there for lunch and service was a bit slow though not horribly so.

They are on Hennepin in Northeast Mpls.

-----
Conga Latin Bistro
501 E. Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55414

[ozuye]

Thanks for the replies. I will try all of them.

[The Dairy Queen]

Good luck! Please report back!

~TDQ

[dansmiles]

Try Victor's in South Minneapolis for great Cuban Food.

[ozuye]

Yeah I've already been there. Great empanadas but their Lechon Asada was garbage IMO. I'd like to try some of their other items before I write them off. Do you know of any other Latin/Caribbean places?

[The Dairy Queen]

http://caribemn.com/Caribe_Caribbean_...

Cafe Caribe in St. Paul.

There used to be a Puerta Azul in St. Paul but they closed maybe 3 years ago saying they would reopen, perhaps in the Western Suburbs (I think), but I never heard what became of that.

~TDQ

[steve_in_stpaul]

Didn't Puerta Azul ("Blue Door" in Spanish) reopen in the same spot as "Blue Door"? Different menu (more of a bar now), same people IIRC.

[The Dairy Queen]

All true except the last part: different people.

~TDQ

[mtullius]

Not Puerto Riceño, but you might also enjoy Cocina Latina, on Nicollet in the Kingfield area. They do Ecuadorean and Colombian food, I believe, along with general Latin American stuff. One warning: no A/C! Can be a bit miserable on these hot days....

[Ummm]

Not Pureto Rican food either, but we tried Chimborazo (Ecuadorean) and enjoyed it!

2851 Central Ave, Minneapolis.

[eltom117]

There is a place just got opened back in September 1st 2011, at 39 street and Minnehaha Ave called Sosa Foods @ Deli, they serve Puerta rican foods...its awesome, the got Mofongos like shrimp mofono, and tostitos and so on...it's worth the try...their phone number:612-728-9662

[ozuye]

Sounds great eltom. I did look on Sosa's menu and didn't see any Puerto Rican dishes but I imagine it's like most delis where things are ever-changing.