OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — How does a trip to Puerto Rico sound? If you can't make it there anytime soon, we may have the next best thing. A new Metro restaurant is offering a taste of Puerto Rico and more. 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole takes you there in this week's Cheap Eats.
When you step inside Elie's Chinchorro restaurant, it feels like you're on the Caribbean Islands.
Owner Elie Bershal described it like this, "It's a little piece of Puerto Rico."
The bright, colorful walls are similar to the streets of Old San Juan.
"I want them to feel they are in Puerto Rico for a few hours," she added.
Elie also wants to share her home country's rich food and flavor.
"It's too many flavors. It's too many seasonings and you can taste the garlic, the olive oil, you smell it. People say, 'oh my goodness you just kill me with that smell here'," she smiled.
There were more great smells and tastes in her kitchen — like her empanadillas.
The deep-fried pie was filled with her pizza sauce.
Another favorite appetizer is the Alcapurria. It's a fried fritter made with green bananas. It's then stuffed with ground beef.
The most popular and impressive entree is a Puerto Rican staple called Mofongo.
It's served and prepared in a wood mortar. Mofongo is made with fried plantains, crunchy pork rinds, cilantro and Elie's homemade garlic sauce. Then it's all mashed together. Once that's done, your choice of meat goes on top. She chose the fried pork — then placed a small Puerto Rican flag on top.
"We are proud of our flag," she shared.
The plantain baskets are another favorite. You can get them filled with your choice of meat or fish. They're sprinkled with bell peppers.
The grand finale was the Stuffed Red Snapper. The whole fish is seasoned and fried. It's stuffed with the Mofongo first — then conch (similar to octopus). After the conch comes shrimp - then a special sauce. It was enough for a feast.
Serese: I've never had Puerto Rican food before.
Elie: It's a whole different taste, isn't it?
Serese: Everything is different. It's so different and so good.
Elie said, "You don't need sauce or ketchup. It's all flavor."
Elie is humbled by the success of her place.
"I said to my kids, someday I'm going to own my restaurant and people will start to know me and we are here, "she smiled covering her face.
If you want to try authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, Elie's Chinchorro is on 3020 South 32nd. It's right across the street from the old Le Sole' Mio restaurant. It's open Tuesday through Saturday.
To see the full menu go to chinchorroboricuaomaha.com
Empanadillas: $3.99 - $4.99
Mini Alcapurrias: $10.99
Mofongo (fried pork chunks): $17.99
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