The Best-Value Restaurants in South West London Are Not ‘Cheap Eats’ | Eater London

"There’s a scene in Seinfeld where Jerry asserts that ‘salsa’ is the number one condiment in America simply because everyone loves saying the word “salsa”. Folding one’s mouth around the word “mofongo” is a similar delight, and many food lovers’ introduction to this Puerto Rican/Dominican speciality is Guy Fieri’s iconic review of Benny’s Seafood, in which he repeats the word “mofongo” with various emotions and voices: incredulous (moWHATo? moFONgo??), existential crisis (what does mofongo MEAN?) excitement, sotto voce conspiratorial whisper, and finally, acceptance (“mofongo is mofongo”) — declaring it “off the hook” and “legit”. London’s Flavortown is located in Loughborough Junction, in true south London style between a fake Morley’s simply called MMM and a vape shop. Casa Mofongo makes this sandcastle of smashed unripe plantain and chicharron in the Dominican mode: dry, with salty cheese melted on top and fatty pork on the side, the plantain itself absolutely honking of enough garlic to appease those who double the garlic in any recipe. Outside of the mofongo there are plenty of rarely seen Dominican stews, as well as a pica pollo up there with La Barra’s: golden fried chicken, chicharron, and bofes (dried lungs)." - Jonathan Nunn