Morena's Kitchen | Dominican Food
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Home cooked Dominican soul food, pica pollo, sancocho stew
Home cooked Dominican soul food, pica pollo, sancocho stew
"Morena’s Kitchen is a Dominican restaurant known for its soulful food by Miriam Montes de Oca. Star dishes include pica pollo, sancocho stew, and shrimp and peppers in garlic sauce." - Jeffy Mai
"Chicago doesn’t have many Dominican restaurants, as the city’s population lags behind places like LA, Boston, and Atlanta. But Morena’s Kitchen, on the city’s West Side in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, has been cooking traditional Dominican food like fried chicken, oxtail, and red snapper for the last four years at 5054 W. Armitage Avenue. It’s a tiny space with room for just a table with a total of 10 seats. Chef-owner Miriam Montes de Oca has bemoaned the lack of room in her kitchen. But that will all change next month when she moves into a larger space next door with room for 15 tables at 5058 W. Armitage Avenue. The restaurant’s name will transfer to the new space which will feature table service and a chance for Montes de Oca to regularly serve food specials like shrimp in coconut sauce. She’s planned to move to a larger space for a while, but encountered problems finding the ideal location. She’ll open Morena’s Kitchen as a BYO and hopes to add a liquor license down the line. Grilled chicken, salads, and different fish will be on the menu. In recent months, local writers have lauded Morena’s fried chicken as among the city’s best. The pica pollo is marinated double-fried chicken that comes hacked-up in pieces. Montes de Oca won’t reveal the seasoning, but food writer Titus Ruscitti described it as “Popeye’s turned up to ten.” Mike Sula of the Chicago Reader wrote the chicken will “present a compelling reason to lick your fingers.” The chicken’s served with fried plantains, ketchup, special habanero sauce, and lime." - Ashok Selvam
"Home Cooked Dominican at Morena’s Kitchen, Tacos at La Chaparrita, Combo (sweet and hot) at Johnnie’s Beef, Thin Crust Sausage at Pat’s Pizza, Double Cheeseburger and or Hot Dog at Redhot Ranch, Dry Chili Fish Filet at New China Station, Home Cooked Mexican at Minna’s, Chengdu Street Food at A Place by Damao." - Elizabeth Atkinson
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