In the Know: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Mofongo in NYC

Caribbean restaurants in New York City are easy enough to come across but authentic Puerto Rican mofongo, with its subtly sweet fried plantains and crunchy pieces of pork, is an art form. So in the name of research, we’ve scoured the city for the best, most authentic, and most delicious mofongo in New York City.

First, some history. Puerto Rican mofongo, Dominican mangú, and Cuban fufú (three similar dishes) all have roots in the Taino and African cultures of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. These three are Western interpretations of the Ghanaian fufu, a dish of mashed starchy root vegetables usually served alongside a meaty stew or broth.

Puerto Rican mofongo is made with starchy fruits or vegetables that are native to the Caribbean, like breadfruit, cassava, malanga, or, most commonly, green plantains. The main starch ingredient is peeled, cut, deep fried, and added to a wooden mortar with salt, garlic, rendered pork fat, and pieces of crispy pork rinds and tender pork meat. It’s mashed together and formed into balls, then fried again.

Whether served as a main dish with an extra helping of protein or as a side dish with a hearty broth, good mofongo is labor-intensive, requiring an ardourous multi step process. This means that its usually hard to find. But don’t worry, we’ve done the legwork for your. Here, our top picks for the best Puerto Rican mofongo restaurants in NYC. 

Next, where to find the best mofongo in the city… [pagebreak]

Casa del Mofongo

Take the train up to Washington Heights and find yourself in a Caribbean home-away-from-home. Bright green quenepas, yellow-orange mangos, and plantains in various stages of ripeness line the streets in makeshift grocery stands while political caravans slowly parade down the road. 

Here, you’ll find Casa del Mofongo. The lime green and orange walls and wooden fixtures make you feel like you walked in to a Caribbean dream – and they have the food to prove it. Though it’s a Dominican restaurant, the real star at this perpetually packed and celeb-frequented Harlem restaurant is the Puerto Rican mofongo. With just about 30 different types, Casa del Mofongo has something for everyone, from newbies to persnickety mofongo connoisseurs.

For the newcomers, a classic Mofongo with Churrasco dripping in chimichurri; for the adventurous, the Mofongo with Spaghetti or the Mofongo con Lambi (Conch). Our personal favorite is the Mofongo con Pollo Guisado, a huge portion of perfectly stewed chicken in savory tomato sauce served alongside a mound of mashed fried plantains with crushed chicharrones.

Click on to find out where you can get the best mofongo in Queens… [pagebreak]

Dominican Restaurant Six

If calm sit-down meals in Harlem and fast bachata dancing in Astoria aren’t your thing, there’s always Dominican Restaurant Six in New Hyde Park, Queens. Hidden along Union Turnpike, well past K Pacho (a Mexican hot-spot), sits this tiny Dominican hole-in-the-wall serving up stick to your ribs, traditional Dominican fare for low prices.

The way they roast their pernil and toast their Cuban sandwiches makes us think someone’s grandma is in the back, manning the stove. Enter and you’ll find a narrow room of large white tiles and a glass display case of flanes and tres leches. Make an abrupt turn and you’ll find yourself in a simple room of wooden tables and paintings of aggressively red flamboyanes and simple countryside Caribbean houses, paintings that remind us all of childhood family homes. 

There are only two types of mofongo on their menu (chicken and pork) and both are authentic and delicious. Go for the pork and you’ll find crispy pieces buried  like treasure in the mofongo, doused with perfectly seasoned gravy, a traditional caldo made from chicken stock. 

So… hungry yet?