Dominican food is influenced by Africa, Spain and Taino. While many Dominican dishes are similar to those found in other Latin American nations, the names tend to be different. The city of Newark, New Jersey, with its sizable Dominican population, offers visitors numerous opportunities to try this exotic cuisine in between visiting such landmarks as the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
El Merengue Restaurant offers dine-in, delivery and carryout service. Specialties of the house include mangu, with eggs, fried cheese and salami. Breakfast is available around the clock. The restaurant boasts a tropical atmosphere, and has a sports bar, where you can enjoy fruity cocktails and beers while watching the game. El Merengue is appropriate for budget-conscious diners; as of 2010, nearly all entrees on the menu cost less than $10.
El Merengue Restaurant
183 Broadway
Newark, NJ 07104-3802
973-350-1900?
Tu Pais Restaurant is an authentic Dominican restaurant, complete with a Spanish-speaking wait staff. Choice menu items include Sancocho and the plantain special, which comes with eggs, onions and your choice of salami or bacon. As of 2010, entrees were priced at between $12 and $20, on average. If you don’t feel like dining in, you can get your food to go.
Tu Pais Restaurant
618 Broadway
Newark, NJ 07104-4120
973-350-8988?
Situated just 19 miles outside of Newark’s city center, La Esperanza Dominican Cuisine offers an array of tasty meals, including mofongo stuffed with fried pork, mashed plantain stuffed with shrimp, mofongo stuffed with chicken, cube steak, sirloin steak with mushrooms, fried pieces of pork, roast pork, boneless fried chicken chunks, chicken with garlic sauce, and shrimp in white wine sauce. For dessert, choose from vanilla flan, rice pudding and bread pudding. Most of the meals are prepared with sofrito, a mixture of local herbs and spices. La Esperanza Dominican Cuisine allow you to bring your own alcoholic beverages. Free delivery is available on orders $10 and higher. A daily lunch special is available, with rice and beans on the side, between the hours of 11am and 3pm.
La Esperanza Dominican Cuisine
477 B Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-530-0010
restaurantlaesperanza.com
