Latin Cravings in Bristol is small but has the perfect setup for warm-weather eating. In fact, the only seating is outdoors on the paved corner of North Main and Race streets, where the set-back Latin Cravings is a bright yellow beacon surrounded by white picket fence.
When I pulled up, my friend was waiting at a picnic table, already digging into a taco and empanada.
“You should talk to the owner,” my friend said. “He’s a character, a real nice guy.”
“Let me ask you,” said the man behind the counter as I perused the menu. “How would you like me to make you the best taco you’ve had in your life?”
Well that takes the trouble out of ordering. He would later introduce himself as Luis Acosta, who ran a food truck on Hartford’s Washington Street for years before reaching his dream of a brick-and-mortar restaurant in his hometown about seven months ago.
Luis grabbed a chunk of chicharron out of the countertop food warmer and went to work. “Is it OK to get a few photos of you chopping that?” I ask somewhat sheepishly.
“Sure, of course!” he says without hesitation, grinning wide for the camera while bringing a cleaver down through the small brick of pork.
He passed me a chicharron taco ($2.50) covered in chopped onions, tomato, cilantro and green salsa. The most astounding part was the texture: small and crunchy bits of flavorful fried pork skin. The taco was fantastic. Damn tasty.
A canoa would have hit the spot (a sweet plantain “canoe” filled with beef, $3), but the restaurant was out. There were still a few sorrullos in stock, so I ordered one along with a chicken empanada ($2). I also put in for an order of chicharrones with yuca ($5) to share with my friend, who had ordered fish and chips ($6.50 small, $10 large).
At the picnic table, I cracked into a random selection from the cold case of sodas, a can of Good O Kola Champagne soda. Acosta said people are responding well to the food, and he plans to add covered seating areas before it gets cold again.
Luis brought the food out to the table. We squirted the chicharrone with lime and dug in. There was the crispy crunch texture of the skin and rich pork meat, sandwiching a pillowy layer of fat. Perfect.
The fish was fried in a light layer of flour instead of the deep batter and breading of European fish and chips. But the sorrullo was what hit the spot. These fingers of fried cornmeal were stuffed with a sweet cheese. It induced a moment of panicked indecision. If I ate all the sorrullos in the restaurant right now, how much would my arteries hate me?
Reason triumphed over craving as my stomach filled with pork. Next time I’ll know to get more than one alongside the best chicharrone tacos.
>>Latin Cravings, 375 N. Main St., Bristol, is open Tuesday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. latincravingsct.com and 860-593-1717.
