Puerto Rico

Shrimp Mofongo, $11 | Rincon Criollo

Mofongo may sound foreign to many of us, but in Puerto Rico it is cuisine royalty. "Mofongo is part of the island," says owner Ivan "Papo" Ruiz. "There isn't one person who doesn't know mofongo in Puerto Rico." With roots dating back to the Spanish colonization, the dish starts with fried plantains, which are mashed with garlic and olive oil in a wooden goblet called a pilon — similar to a mortar and pestle. The mixture is then shaped into a ball, placed in the center of the plate and topped with sauteed shrimp along with Rincon Criollo's special sauce.

6504 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-939-0992