El Antojo in downtown Melbourne satisfies craving for Latin cuisine
Chef Alexis Martinez has roots in El Salvador, grew up in New York and is trained in French cuisine.
Martinez, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America and has worked in New York, West Palm Beach and Orlando, now is sharing his version of Latin-inspired flavors at El Antojo in downtown Melbourne.
The bright, colorful restaurant occupies the former home of Continental Flambe. Tropical artwork and murals cover the walls. Between spring rain showers, sunlight streams in through windows along New Haven Avenue.
Restaurant owner Ramon Ortiz was born in the Dominican Republic and also lived in New York. The food at El Antojo, which means "the craving," is a méelange of Latin-flavored dishes.
"The influence of the food is tropical," Martinez said. "Everything here is made in-house. You feel like you're on a little island someplace.
"People taste the Latin in it, but other influences, too," he said, describing it as "New Latin."
But don't be fooled by Martinez's background in French cooking.
"I don't like heavy creams and sauces," he said. "I like you to be able to taste the salmon if you order salmon."
El Antojo adds a lot to downtown Melbourne
Martinez moved to Florida to be closer to his parents, who live in Palm Bay. He worked at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach and at hotel in Orlando.
"Then I found out about this place around the corner from my parents," he said.
He relishes the opportunity to create and make the food he loves. El Antojo's owners encourage him to experiment.
Ortiz was working at general manager at Thrifty Specialty Produce in Palm Bay when he saw the downtown restaurant space available.
"I was looking to try something different," he said.
"We wanted to give traditional food of what we cook in our country," he said, like a Dominican chicken stew. But he didn't want the menu to stop there. Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, El Salvador. "We wanted a little bit of everything."
That's where Martinez comes in.
The menu was in place when the chef was hired. "He's taking it to a different level," Ortiz said. "Spanish food with a little twist."
New Latin eatery to open at old Continental Flambé
El Antojo has a full liquor bar. And for those into salsa — the dance kind, not the condiment — El Antojo's sister space in the same building, Guira & Tambora, opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at from 2-9 p.m. Sundays with Latin music and dancing.
Free salsa lessons are offered on Wednesdays, Ortiz said, and there's a bar menu with casual, Spanish-influenced food.
The restaurant opened in January, but Ortiz said it's still evolving. Martinez keeps a steady stream of specials like snapper with black rice over carrot puree coming from the kitchen, while Ortiz tinkers with plans like creating a chef's table or adding brunch.
He hopes to be open for breakfast soon. In the meantime, guests can enjoy a taste of Latin America in the coffee.
"We have really good Cuban coffee," he said.
El Antojo
Where: 936 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne
Info: 321-372-6002 or elantojorestaurant.com
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday
Email Leonard at sleonard@floridatoday.com.
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