Erik P.
Yelp
Coqui in a nutshell.....A nice restaurant, with great food, good prices, and outstanding service!
I was told they opened their doors at the beginning of 2020, so they must have just opened a few months before I happened to drive by earlier this year. I immediately wanted to try it, as authentic Puerto Rican food seems hard to come by in Florida (That's been my experience since moving here 2 1/2 years ago). So finally that time arrived and my only complaint, is to myself, for taking months to visit!
Coqui is run by a husband and wife duo. The hubby answers the phone, greets guests, takes orders, and does an outstanding job of making sure you are taken care of. The wifey is the chef and cooks up all of the deliciousness. They have a nice menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. The lunch specials (which change daily) is where it's at. On my visit they had Pernil (roast pork), bistec encebollado (steak with onions), costillas en salsa (Ribs in sauce), y pollo al horno (baked chicken). For $7.99, you get your choice of meat with 2 sides, and a drink. The food quality along with the portions and the price simply cannot be beat. The food is truly authentic Rican food and reminded me of back home.
I tried the lunch special of Pernil, maduros, ensalada, and a coke. The Pernil was tender and tasty which reminded me of my mother's. The sweet plantains were good and the salad was fresh and crisp. The only part of my meal that I didn't enjoy was the balsamic vinegarette, it just tasted off to me. I also tried the mofongo con cerdo frito. Wow! They are known for their mofongo, which is made to order so expect to wait about 15min as she prepares it from scratch. It was fresh, soft and tasted very good. The fried pork chunks were excellent. They were fried to perfection and topped with onions. They also tossed in a small salad, so for about $13 it made me smile from ear to ear.
I must say, it was a great first impression and experience. When I was told the day prior they had pastelón, I almost lost my mind! I have been craving that special goodness for years now! I simply cannot wait to go back and try the other menu items. They also make fresh empanadas daily and even had chicharón de cerdo. Do yourself a favor and give Coqui a try because you will not be disappointed.