Zhencha - Review - Miramar - San Juan - The Infatuation

"In Puerto Rico, you’ll find a lot of Chinese restaurants serving fried rice and dumplings, alongside carne frita and tostones al ajillo. Zhencha is a magnificent example of this mashup. You can come here for lunch, but the glow from the lanterns and bright, fizzy cocktails makes more sense as a warm-up to a fun night down the bar-packed Calle Cerra—conveniently just a block away. The wisest choice is carne frita with a side of pork fried rice (a pork on pork situation with an impressive refrigerator lifespan). It’s also a great takeout option if you're bedridden from hours of salsa dancing at La Factoria the night before. Food Rundown Tostones Al Ajillo Each one can fit in the palm of a baby’s hand, and it’s piled with heaps of minced garlic. It’s a side that works alongside anything on the entire menu. photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Zhencha Carne Frita With Pork Fried Rice It’s the same kind of juicy, crispy pork chunks you’ll find at any Puerto Rican restaurant. But when combined with their pork fried rice, you get an inexplicable desire to write an acrostic poem for “pork.” photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Pork Dumplings They’re very good pan-fried dumplings with a tangy soy sauce on the side. photo credit: Mariana Trabanino Hong Kong Pan Fried Noodle Thoroughly mix the crispy noodles into the broth so they get silky smooth. Keep it in mind when on the days the weather inexplicably turns and calls for a noodle soup situation. Since it’s so massive, you’ll likely have leftovers for the next day. PlayMute video credit: Mariana Trabanino" - Mariana Trabanino