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The Down Low:
It’s a Latin “mom and pop’s” joint
with a Nicaraguan and Columbian cuisine background located in Winter Garden
Florida but whose specialty are loaded Idaho potatoes?! Awesome!
It is nestled in a small plaza
across from the
Our server was the ‘mom’ of this mom
and pop’s establishment and she really made us feel welcome. If you walk into a
Latin home, they usually make you feel like family and it was no different at
this restaurant. She described each dish, gave us the lowdown of her
restaurant’s history, and offered us complimentary samples of their freshly
squeezed juice offerings. Everything was served promptly and in proper order as
well.
We dined for lunch and ordered from
their lunch specials. I had the rib soup with rice and avocado ($4.99) – cilantro, corn on the cob, carrots, yucca, and fall-off-the-big-bone ribs are slow-brewed to give it an authentic hearty
flavor. The rice was a good accompaniment and the slices of avocado were a
bonus.
My guest had the steak and onions
with red beans and rice served with a side of plantains ($4.99). The skirt
steak was a healthy size and went well with the rice and beans. There is no
question everything is homemade. Even asking for hot sauce, you are informed
they make it in-house before presenting you with a jar full of chopped greens.
I found myself putting the hot sauce on everything — it is a perky mix of
cilantro, green onions, hot peppers, and lime juice ... you won’t find packets
of ‘fire’ sauce here.
Now, for my guest and me, we could
have stopped there. But the damn place is called El Rey de la Papa (Potato
King) and if your logo is a Mister Potato Head wearing a cape and a jewel-encrusted, gold-crown holding a gold scepter in one hand while stepping on a
lowly and obviously not worthy potato dude, you’re basically calling us out
... so we also ordered their specialty, a loaded-to-the-hilt supreme potato
($7.50). My friends, if you attempt to order this thing, please come hungry. It
is the Frankenstein of all potatoes topped with (take a deep breath): beans,
beef, chicken, bacon, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, plantains, sour cream,
melted cheese, and butter. We literally had to eat half of it before we noticed
the potato underneath. Fellas, if you have an irate pregnant wife with weird
pregnancy cravings screaming at you, come here and order this potato. I
guarantee it will satisfy.
The Damage:
Lunch is an absolute steal. It is
basically a dinner-sized portion of their entrées but half priced for
lunchtime. $5 plus tip will get your belly full. Throw in an additional $7.50
for the supreme potato and if you happen to get lost in the woods of Ocoee,
you’ll be sustained till rescuers find you four days later.
The Deduction:
When you eat at a Latin restaurant
and you notice every table around you is of Latin descent, that’s usually a
good sign. Add to that the hospitality, the reasonable prices, and the fact
that their mascot is Mister Potato Head dressed like a king. You really can’t
go wrong here.
