El Platanal

The Best Mofongo in San Juan: 15 Spots to Try | Eater

"El Platanal is a family restaurant that has been going strong for 10 years. Founded by Rafael Hidalgo in the Carolina neighborhood, it’s grown to include locations across the area, including central San Juan and Loiza. The restaurant offers mofongo as an accompaniment to dishes like chillo frito (fried red snapper) and chuleta kan kan (fried pork chop), but even as a side dish it’s an excellent example — simple, stuffed with chicharron, and dotted with caramelized onions that keep the mofongo buttery. With a soft, heavenly texture inside, the mofongo avoids getting dense or dry as you work your way through it, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the flavor. There’s a decent drinks menu too, so pair your meal with a Cuba libre, mojito, beer, or wine." - Gabriela Torres