When most folks hear the term “comfort food,” their minds go
straight to the American staples: steak and potatoes, burgers and fries, mac
and cheese, fried chicken and biscuits, and so on. However, those staples never
really gave me much comfort (except maybe the fried chicken and biscuits).
Realistically, “comfort food” is whatever gives someone a sense of ease. The
comfort food I prefer is still American food, but originated a little bit
farther south, in Puerto Rico. Fortunately, I live right near a place that can
throw down some good PR fare for a good price: La Olla Criolla.
Since 2017, La
Olla Criolla has offered authentic Puerto Rican food at a decent price. When approaching
from Culver, the restaurant’s sign appears on the right like bright oasis. Just
seeing the sign puts me at ease: “La Olla Criolla: Verdadero Sabor
Puertoriqueño” (“The Creole Pot: True Puerto Rican Flavor”). They are not
exaggerating; in its two years being open, there was never a time where I left feeling
unsatisfied.
La Olla
Criolla is a cafeteria-style venue, so you choose a base (rice or rice with
beans), main entree (meat or vegetable) and a side (more vegetable), and pay.
You have the choice of a small ($7), medium ($11), or large meal ($12), and
extras usually range from $1 to $2.
I always start
with the rice with pigeon peas (a nutty, grain-like legume), but you have the
choice to omit the peas (why, though?), or choose just plain white rice
(seriously, why?). Main choices vary from week to week, but there always a few
styles of chicken, fish, beef, and pork available, and a few vegetable options.
The fried
chicken is very succulent, as is the roast chicken. My favorite style of
chicken is the Chicken Guisado, which is cooked in a stew of tomato, garlic,
and spices, resulting in meat sitting in a deliciously peppery oil. One time I
ordered a fish entree that arrived as a giant steak on top of my rice. It was
cooked in such a way that the outside of it was dry and looked like a woodcut sculpture
of food, but that was just a thin layer that gave way to a juicy
whitefish that was somehow both light and hearty at the same time. I devoured
it like it was nothing, but I was definitely full.
A few days
ago, I just wanted a little meal, so I got a small order of rice, topped with several thick spears of yucca cooked to perfection (not too soggy, not too
crunchy) with spices and red peppers. The good people of La Olla Criolla are
not shy with their portions, either. Whether I get the small or the medium box,
they pack it so much that I have trouble re-closing the lid. That is the type
of problem I enjoy having. This is a family restaurant, and they cook and serve
like you’re at home for dinner.
I always
feel welcome at La Olla Criolla. The space is large, and the seating is mostly
booths and large tables. I didn’t even feel intimidated by the fact that I’ve
heard nary a syllable of English from the customers or the employees each time
I went there, though I did feel a little bit guilty that my Spanish is
rusty…actually calling it “rusty” is generous. I know way less Spanish than
anyone of Panamanian descent should, because I just HAD to try out German in
high school.
My
scholastic decisions aside, one of the best signs that Caribbean food is going
to be good is when expatriates from said region are enthusiastically waiting to
order, speaking to each other in their most comfortable tongue. This is the
case at La Olla Criolla, where the parking lot is often packed, and the order
line snakes through the restaurant. Though the place is spacious, it would be
hard to accommodate everyone if they planned to dine in. But I would happily
stand for my meal, because just the aroma of the food is worth it.
The fruition
of La Olla Criolla was a saga for owner Javier Gonzalez. Originally from the
Rochester area, he moved to Puerto Rico at age 16 to live with extended family
and help with his uncle’s transportation business. He moved back to the
Rochester area in 2010, sold cars for a bit and then managed operations at a
restaurant before opening his first restaurant, also called La Olla Criolla, on
Hayward Avenue near Public Market.
After saving
for a few more years, Gonzalez relocated to the East Main Street location and made
extensive renovations to what used to be a neighborhood bar. It took him a few
months to renovate, doing a lot of the work himself, including
the custom-made glass and posts for the food counters’ sneeze guards, and
installation of the bars that house and display the food. Gonzalez and his
family get to work every day at 4 a.m. to start cooking, and the quality of
their effort shines with every bite.
Gonzalez
says that his goal is to eventually have a few additional locations in the area
and in some of the suburbs of Rochester, and perhaps a place where customers
can also sit and have a drink a little bit stronger than the fresh juices and
Coco Rico that La Olla currently offers. I would support his efforts. The outer
areas of the city should have Puerto Rican comfort food as close to them as La
Olla Criolla is to me.
This article appears in May 8-14, 2019.
