Latin Flavor in Melbourne puts heart and family pride in each dish
For success, restaurants require flavor in their food and heart in the attitude of its staff. Latin Flavor offers both flavor and heart in abundance.
This quintessential mom-and-family eatery in Melbourne is devoted to sharing the recipes from matriarch Mercedes Cardenas. Mercedes’ five children, plus the grandkids, keep the place humming, and Mercedes herself is also an important part of the Latin Flavor picture and keeps tabs over her brood.
Sisters Marlene and Nancy are at the front of the house, while brothers Ed, Guillermo and George take care of the cooking. They were chefs at other restaurants, so there is plenty of experience in that kitchen.
“We want our customers to experience a true homecooked meal at our restaurant,” said Marlene Alva.
Get a taste of Puerto Rico at Latin Flavor
The restaurant, located next door to the Brevard County Service Complex, can be a little tricky to find, particularly if you’re speeding along Sarno Road, but you really shouldn’t be speeding, you know.
Comfy and friendly, Latin Flavor offers a welcoming atmosphere. The kitchen is open, so you can see what is happening there as your food cooks.
To get started, you might opt for the Sampler Platter ($16.99), which should take care of the appetizer needs of your entire party, since it offers ham croquettes, tostones, chicharrones de pollo (aka crispy fried chicken bites), empanadas, plus alcapurrias, those addictive fritter snacks that are the go-to street/beach food in Puerto Rico.
As its name tells you, Latin Flavor is about Latin dishes, such as Camarones al Ajillo ($15.99). The shrimp entrée, sautéed in a Creole sauce, is served with rice, veggies or tostones or maduros. Tostones refers to crispy, double-fried green plantains that, peppered with salt, are a mainstay Latino side dish. When a green plantain ripens, the “meat” inside turns sweet and soft. It is fried once to become Platanos Maduros. Take your pick, they’re both delicious.
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If beef is more your cup of tea, Latin Flavor provides options such as Churrasco ($14.99), grilled skirt steak marinated in homemade chimichurri sauce and served with rice and beans, plus tostones or maduros.
Pork is available in entrees such as pernil ($13.99), slow roasted pork marinated with housemade mojito and served with rice, beans and tostones or maduros. There are also chuletas, or pork chops ($12.99), and as carne frita ($13.99), nice chunks of “the other white meat,” seasoned and fried and served with sautéed onions, rice, beans and tostones.
While Latin Flavor’s menu includes dishes such as enchiladas de pollo, or chicken enchiladas ($14.99), tacos ($9.99) and Cuban sandwiches ($8.99), Mofongo ($14.99) takes top billing, since Mercedes and her clan hail from Puerto Rico.
Mofongo marries a mound of mashed plantains with seafood, pork or chicken. At Latin Flavor, Mofongo is $13.99 for the pork and chicken and $14.99 for the shrimp. The filling dish is a must-try for first-time visitors to any Puerto Rican restaurant.
The dinner menu is available all day, but lunch specials are available starting at $7.99 and a Happy Hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. with discounts on libations. Check out the wine-based mojitos and margaritas. Whatever time you choose to visit, the flavor and the heart will be waiting.
Have you tried
What: The sampler platter
How much: $16.99
Where: Latin Flavor, 1665 Sarno Road, Melbourne
Hours: 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Info: 321-604-6800
Email toastofthecoastfloridatoday@gmail.com.