Criollisimo
4.0
from - 340 Arch St.
- New Britain, CT 06051
- 860-801-6259
By STEVE & LISA ALCAZARI
Hartford Advocate
Published: 9/9/05
It's a bit heretical, but maybe you've had this thought before: Southern-style BBQ is good and all, but sometimes all that thick tangy sauce, the heavy smoke flavor and the gritty spice rubs can be a bit much -- too many flavors for the royal mouth.
Well, if you've ever found yourself speculating that slow-roasted ribs and big hunks of fall-off-the-bone meat might not need any extra fancifying, let me suggest you visit Criollisimo in New Britain to try some of the restaurant's Puerto Rican food. Slow-cooked ribs and golden roast chicken are a specialty here, and though you might elect to squirt some pepper-and-vinegar hot sauce here and there, the delicious meats really need nothing.
The combination of salt, fat and heat is enough to seal the deal. Lisa and I recently stopped in at Criollisimo, where Puerto Rican pride is big. They've got the flag displayed proudly on the wall of fame, along with signed pictures of famous Puerto Rican boxers and ballplayers. There's a general Caribbean island theme running through the décor.
Criollisimo is supremely casual, and many of the customers have a friendly familiarity with the staff. As she walked into the restaurant, a young woman called out loudly in Spanish to the kitchen. You order at the counter -- pointing to the trays of meats, rice and beans, boiled bananas, fried plantains, stew, salads, and neatly arranged rellenos de papas (fried potato balls stuffed with meat).
There's a cooler stocked with beverages, including those funky fruity Goya guava drinks. A small passage leads to the dining area, where plaques line the back wall and a jukebox is tucked off to the side.
On our visit there was a steady stream of customers. Lisa and I waited a bit while the regulars fired off their requests at the young woman behind the counter, and when our turn came we asked for a brief tour of the options. Kernels of corn added to the yellowness of the yellow rice. There was also the plain white variety. Pinto beans cooked with large soft hunks of potatoes had a pleasing stewy consistency. Curled pieces of steak were boiled and infused with a very vinegary and Caribbean-tasting sauce, almost like a tangy salad dressing. For vegetarians there's usually a salad of some kind available.
I mixed and matched with a small helping of the loosely chopped roast pork, a few ribs, about a quarter of the roasted chicken and a plate of fried sweet plantains. The pork, only slightly dry in places, was tasty, something like a stripped-down version of chopped barbecue. The ribs were excellent, easy to eat, without being cooked to death. Golden brown roast chicken was comfortingly familiar, filling and delicious.
The menu at Criollisimo changes from day to day, so there's no telling what you'll find when you drop in; but among the dishes served are fried pork chops, seafood soup, baked chicken, pigeon peas, pot roast, chicken stew, veal stew, curry goat, bacalao, beef stew, cod fish salad, octopus, conch and mofongo (a starchy fritter made with pork and plantains). Criollisimo also offers catering, which might make for an exciting and probably affordable family gathering or office lunch.
I once worked with a wizard-like Puerto Rican chef. He did amazing things. With the training in traditional Puerto Rican cuisine that he said he picked up from his grandmother and fine-tuned while working at restaurants in Manhattan, he worked wonders with rice and beans, unusual root vegetables, goat cheese and game. Using local hardwoods, he'd slow-smoke trout, salmon, pork, beef, cheese, and, most-importantly, hot peppers, boxes and boxes of hot peppers that he had contracted with local organic farmers to grow. Ever since, I've been on the lookout for food like that. Criollisimo isn't fancy, but mastering the basics is often more important than superficial dazzle.
Criollisimo bills itself as the best Puerto Rican food in the state. Some folks in Hartford would take issue with that, but Criolissimo has definitely got a good thing going.
Hartford Advocate
Published: 9/9/05
It's a bit heretical, but maybe you've had this thought before: Southern-style BBQ is good and all, but sometimes all that thick tangy sauce, the heavy smoke flavor and the gritty spice rubs can be a bit much -- too many flavors for the royal mouth.
Well, if you've ever found yourself speculating that slow-roasted ribs and big hunks of fall-off-the-bone meat might not need any extra fancifying, let me suggest you visit Criollisimo in New Britain to try some of the restaurant's Puerto Rican food. Slow-cooked ribs and golden roast chicken are a specialty here, and though you might elect to squirt some pepper-and-vinegar hot sauce here and there, the delicious meats really need nothing.
The combination of salt, fat and heat is enough to seal the deal. Lisa and I recently stopped in at Criollisimo, where Puerto Rican pride is big. They've got the flag displayed proudly on the wall of fame, along with signed pictures of famous Puerto Rican boxers and ballplayers. There's a general Caribbean island theme running through the décor.
Criollisimo is supremely casual, and many of the customers have a friendly familiarity with the staff. As she walked into the restaurant, a young woman called out loudly in Spanish to the kitchen. You order at the counter -- pointing to the trays of meats, rice and beans, boiled bananas, fried plantains, stew, salads, and neatly arranged rellenos de papas (fried potato balls stuffed with meat).
There's a cooler stocked with beverages, including those funky fruity Goya guava drinks. A small passage leads to the dining area, where plaques line the back wall and a jukebox is tucked off to the side.
On our visit there was a steady stream of customers. Lisa and I waited a bit while the regulars fired off their requests at the young woman behind the counter, and when our turn came we asked for a brief tour of the options. Kernels of corn added to the yellowness of the yellow rice. There was also the plain white variety. Pinto beans cooked with large soft hunks of potatoes had a pleasing stewy consistency. Curled pieces of steak were boiled and infused with a very vinegary and Caribbean-tasting sauce, almost like a tangy salad dressing. For vegetarians there's usually a salad of some kind available.
I mixed and matched with a small helping of the loosely chopped roast pork, a few ribs, about a quarter of the roasted chicken and a plate of fried sweet plantains. The pork, only slightly dry in places, was tasty, something like a stripped-down version of chopped barbecue. The ribs were excellent, easy to eat, without being cooked to death. Golden brown roast chicken was comfortingly familiar, filling and delicious.
The menu at Criollisimo changes from day to day, so there's no telling what you'll find when you drop in; but among the dishes served are fried pork chops, seafood soup, baked chicken, pigeon peas, pot roast, chicken stew, veal stew, curry goat, bacalao, beef stew, cod fish salad, octopus, conch and mofongo (a starchy fritter made with pork and plantains). Criollisimo also offers catering, which might make for an exciting and probably affordable family gathering or office lunch.
I once worked with a wizard-like Puerto Rican chef. He did amazing things. With the training in traditional Puerto Rican cuisine that he said he picked up from his grandmother and fine-tuned while working at restaurants in Manhattan, he worked wonders with rice and beans, unusual root vegetables, goat cheese and game. Using local hardwoods, he'd slow-smoke trout, salmon, pork, beef, cheese, and, most-importantly, hot peppers, boxes and boxes of hot peppers that he had contracted with local organic farmers to grow. Ever since, I've been on the lookout for food like that. Criollisimo isn't fancy, but mastering the basics is often more important than superficial dazzle.
Criollisimo bills itself as the best Puerto Rican food in the state. Some folks in Hartford would take issue with that, but Criolissimo has definitely got a good thing going.
Getting There
- Parking:
- Street & lot parking available.
- Wheelchair Access:
- Entrance & restrooms are accessible.
The Basics
- Hours:
- Open Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Closed Sunday.
- Cuisine:
- Other cuisine Puerto Rican
- Meals Served:
- Dinner and Lunch
- Price Range:
- Entrees: $6-$14
- Reservations:
- Recommended on weekends.
- Alcohol:
- BYOB
Features
- Carryout:
- Yes
- Features:
- Catering
- Facilities:
- Private Party and Banquet Facilities
- Specialties:
- Rice & Beans, Pork Ribs
- Payment Methods:
- Mastercard and Visa
