The 27th of February is the day of independence for the Dominican Republic. In honor of this occasion I decided to set out and find a Dominican restaurant. One spot that had been frequently mentioned was Tu Casa on Orange Blossom Trail. Two reasons why: good prices, and because well you don’t have many other options in Central Florida. You won’t find as many Dominicans in Central Florida when compared to Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and even Columbians.
The location is smack dab in the middle of an industrial section of Orange Blossom Trail that features a small multitude of neighborhoods and an ishload of spots for trucks to make their deliveries. It is not very close to any major neighborhoods, instead being close to extended stay resorts. Nonetheless, the place was absolutely packed on the inside. It was the lunch rush and it got so bad all the tables had been occupied and people that walked in the door walked out seconds later because they don’t want to handle the crowd.
You can approach this restaurant in two ways: order a la carte (by far the more popular option since 80% of the customers were ordering, paying, then leaving) or just order from the menu something fresh(er) and wait 10-15 minutes. I chose the latter since I was in no hurry. I went with the yucca mofongo, and their chicharrones de pollo (Hispanic fried chicken). To top it off, I also ordered a bottle of country club soda, the greatest brand of soda in existence. I got rice, mofongo, chicken, soda, and it overall cost just north of $12. Not bad at all.
The chicken was the best part by far. It was juicy, fresh, smoking hot, and the skin had the right Caribbean crunch of salty and sweet. And they don’t skim the portions either, as you get plenty to handle. The mofongo works with the chicken, especially with the garlic sauce that comes with the meal. That being said, yucca here is multiple floors below the yucca in the Caribbean. You can only do so much with the yucca in the United States. The rice served was decent, but ultimately plain. Hispanic rice usually has an abundance of flavor that stems from the garlic, salt, olive oil, butter, and sometimes meat stock that makes it nearly an entrée as opposed to just a side dish. The rice here tastes like a side dish—nothing more, nothing less.
The claustrophobic nature of the place didn’t allow me to sit around and relax, as more people continued to pour in. It is the sign of a place that is generally accepted by the Orlando public. That being said, a few extra tables outside the restaurant could help them a bit. Their tres leches cake looked incredible however. I did walk out with one final item:
A morir soñando. Milk, orange juice, sometimes vanilla, evaporated milk, cane sugar. Pure heaven in a cup. And my friends, if there is a reason to come back to this place, it’s for their morir sonando. Just saying.
Bottom Line: Tu Casa seems to be the perfect Plan B for a Dominican family on the go or just looking for a decent homestyle meal without paying too much. What this place lacks in decoration, ambiance, and theming is made up for with a vast menu with many different options of Dominican/Caribbean-style food. Although their essentials don’t hit home like South Beach Hispanic cuisine, it gets the job done and doesn’t cost you an insane amount either. I wouldn’t make it an eternal mission to return millions of times, but if I am close, and I am hungry, I would definitely give this place another spin.
Final Verdict: Lightly Recommend
Tu Casa Restaurant
9251 S Orange Blossom Trail #10
Orlando, Florida 32837
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