Last week The Amazing Ms. D and I went for dinner at Made in Puerto Rico at the Isla Verde Mall in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This is the newest outlet of Chef Alexis Torres “down home” fonda. He has set up his restaurant as a complete jibaro experience. The waiters wear white shirts and pavas and the waitresses wear batas and curlers. The place is decorated with scenes from the Puerto Rican countryside, and the people who inhabit it are all around the room saying hello.The feeling is of being on a patio outside a very humble farmer’s home.
The food and drink were excellent. I had the steak stuffed with shrimp. The shrimp were fresh, tender and in a delicious sauce although the steak was a little over done for my taste. It came with a side of yucca mofongo that was moist and wonderful. The Amazing Ms. D had salmorejo mofongo that is a crab stew over mashed plantains. This was excellently prepared and both were well presented and plentiful. We paired these with house guava sangria which was fruity, but not too sweet.
Prices are reasonable. Main course range from $13-22 dollars. Definitely worth the trip.
Mmmmm…Crab stew over plantains! Worth the trip just for that!
Thanks for sharing this experience.
It sounds like Isla Verde has come a long way since the days when Cecelia’s Place and one other, on the water at the end of Calle Amapola, were the only places to eat outside the 2 big hotels (Americana & El San Juan). It was my home then and it may be time for a return visit.