The Florida Dine and Dash: Tropifongo: Light Caribbean Cuisine at its Finest (And Cheapest)

Orlando is the second-biggest haven for Puerto Ricans living in the United States. Getting beaten by only New York City, the heavy Puerto Rican population is one of the main reasons why Orlando has become one of the most diverse and Hispanic-friendly cities in the entire Southeastern end of the nation. That being said, Puerto Rican cuisine isn’t represented much, especially when compared to that of the Cubans and Mexicans. But on the edges of Kissimmee and close to Disney World is a Puerto Rican restaurant that has risen in popularity since its opening 6 years ago. Tropifongo is a very tiny restaurant in the middle of a small plaza, but once you find it you will become temporarily transported to the Caribbean.

The main draw for me was the fact that they have supposedly-delicious mofongo. Like a variety of foods from the Caribbean area, it’s quite a procedure in making this dish, but the end results can be incredibly delicious. Mofongo is made of smashed plantains and contains a hearty blend of pork cracklings, broth, garlic, olive oil, and meat. Sometimes, they are stuffed with chicken or shrimp or more pork, or even vegetables. This is a Puerto Rican invention, and has become one of the most popular foods in the Caribbean, especially Dominican Republic. When I went to the Dominican Republic last October, I had my first shrimp mofongo, which resulted in me wanting to dance on top of a roof. I wanted to see if Tropifongo could deliver the same effect.

Like I had said before, this place is small, very small. Only a couple employees working the place. They were all very friendly though. The menu was quite extensive, and the prices ranged from very cheap to a bit more on the deep end. I ordered the shrimp mofongo and a morir sonando (a Dominican drink that consists of mixing orange juice and milk). My brother orders the chicken mofongo. Lastly, Josh orders the Cuban sandwich and also ordered some rice and beans. The morir sonando was the first thing I tried. This is a drink that when done well, the result is great---but when done poorly the result is a disastrous kick to the stomach. Luckily, the drink here was very rich, very cold, and just delightful overall. Morir sonando is like a light creamsickle smoothie, minus the thickness.

Our mofongos was not really what I had expected. Whether it’s the fault of the menu or me assuming, but I thought the chicken and shrimp would be stuffed in the mofongo. What actually happened was that they are served beside the mofongo, along with a small salad and chimichurri sauce (The green kind). These mofongos were also mixed in with onions, which is a first for me. I thought they were personally pretty good, but I think I prefer I mofongos to be "wetter," to have the broth as well as the meat mixed in. Nonetheless, they were still good, and the side of chimichurri definitely complimented the dish.

All the other items during our lunch were also good and had the Hispanic touch: the rice, the chicken, and the beans. The Cuban sandwich however was a nice treat, as they mix their mustard with mayonnaise (Considered blasphemy in Miami and Tampa Bay) for a much lighter condiment taste that worked well with the meat. All in all the price range was reasonable for the most part, as Josh paid $14 for a Cuban and a full plate of Puerto Rican food. Michael paid around $10 for his lunch. I was the only one that paid a bit more, as the shrimp mofongo was just a bit overpriced with a $15 price tag. If I am paying that much, at least mix the shrimp into the dish.

Bottom Line: My mofongo craving was fulfilled (for now) as Tropifongo delivers good food at reasonable prices, and a menu that consists of Puerto Rican and Caribbean dishes. The location is a bit random and more towards Tourist Country rather than Hispanic Country, but once you find it you will be treated to a nice taste of the Caribbean. While it doesn’t beat the home country cooking of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, it stands tall as being one of the better Hispanic local joints I’ve found in Central Florida. So if you are looking for authentic Caribbean Hispanic cuisine, look no further than the friendly and well-priced Tropifongo.