Puerto Rican fare pleases all at Millie’s Cafe
Mine are 8 and 11 years old. I’ve been there. And to a certain extent, I still am.
Dining out with the whole family can
Great chili should have bold, long-simmered flavor, even if it’s made with convenient ground beef. The multicooker was the perfect way to achieve this with a minimum of hands-on time. ❚ A combination of chili powder, cumin, and garlic was all we needed to give the chili great spice flavor. We used crushed tomatoes plus chicken broth for a base with the proper consis- be... complicated. Especially when they don’t have the practice that comes from being dragged around town by somebody who eats for a living.
Finding a casual spot that appeals to everybody and doesn’t cost a fortune is like finding gold. Chain restaurants — with their predictable menus, packs of crayons and piles of chicken nuggets — are a seductive option when all you want is to spend an evening out with the family while keeping everyone happy and fed.
But we can do so much better. Our fair city is stuffed to bursting with excellent mom-and-pop restau-
rants that are low-key, inexpensive and delicious. Rather than forcing you to surrender to the same old slate of poorly prepared American comfort foods, they offer a world of cuisines, each with menu items that appeal to kids, unique offerings for those who like to explore, and universal crowd-pleasers anybody can get behind.
Family Food Night is a new feature that highlights these restaurants: The places that make it easy for families to spend an evening together; enjoy interesting, tasty, wallet-friendly food; and feel good about the businesses they’re supporting.
Millie’s Cafe is just such a place.
Puerto Rican in Mesa
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, may one day become its 51st state, and yet Puerto Rican fare is barely represented in the Valley by just a handful of independent restaurants, still hiding on the fringes of the mainstream.
It’s a puzzler, since so many Puerto Rican standards are simple, hearty dishes that push the same buttons as American comfort food, albeit with a dose of Latin flair.
For my money — and it doesn’t take much — Millie’s Cafe in Mesa is the place to be.
This is a classic mom-and-pop shop story. Alexandra Figueroa and Jacob Draz — she from Puerto Rico, he from Chicago — met, fell in love, married and moved to Arizona. In 2006, the couple brought Figueroa’s mother, Maria “Millie” Milagros Ortiz, to Phoenix. Though Millie had worked as a bank teller for most of her life, she always sold cakes and pastries on the side, and her entrepreneurial children suggested she make a business out of it.
The family bought a tiny walk-in bakery in Mesa in 2007, intending to focus on Millie’s cakes. But when the economy tanked, the family was forced to think on their feet. They started offering Puerto Rican classics for lunch one day a week, served at a couple of tables crammed into the bakery’s vestibule. Word of Millie’s food spread, and one day a week quickly grew to five days a week and in 2016, a new location with counter service and seating for nearly 50 guests.
Today, it’s a great spot to bring the family for a hearty, casual dinner.
The new Millie’s is bigger, but this is still a no-frills joint that keeps things simple, inexpensive and humble, right down to the plastic baskets, paper plates and to-go containers used for service. Order at the counter, pay a pittance, have a seat and relax.
Kid-friendly dishes
Some children are just finicky. But even Millie’s diminutive menu is filled with dishes that kids will find appealing.
Muslos de pollo al horno — baked chicken legs — come in both adult ($7.25) and kid ($4.95) sizes, sweet and juicy, roasted with onions and a touch of garlic, citrus and oregano.
No kid could resist amarillos ($2). Ripe plantains are gently fried until they turn a deep amber, making for a sweet and sticky treat. Green plantains, on the other hand, are used to make tostones ($2), thick fried chips with crunchy edges and a hearty, starchy chew.
A pastelillo de queso ($2.50) wraps a crisp pastry shell around gooey melted cheese.
Menu delights
The alcapurrias ($3) are meaty fritters, encased seasoned ground beef in a crisp plantain crust. They’re a comforting delight dipped in mayo ketchup, which is exactly what it sounds like.
Millie’s Cafe
$43.20 (Amarillos, tostones, alcapurrias, roasted pork plate, baked chicken plate, Mofongo plate, kid’s plate, flan, tres leches.)
11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.
Though there are a few plantain-based dishes, meat is heavily featured.
480-223-8217, facebook.com/milliescafeaz.
It’s impossible not to love cerdo al horno ($8.50), tender roasted pork with a citrus marinade, particularly if you get a nice, barky bite. Those who like a little extra zip will enjoy it with a splash of pique, a vinegary condiment spiked with garlic, chiles and herbs. If there isn’t a bottle out on the counter, just ask.
Like the chicken, the pork arrives with white rice and beans or arroz con gandules — rice and pigeon peas flavored with sofrito, a seasoning paste made with onions, garlic, peppers and herbs that’s a cornerstone of Puerto Rican cuisine.
And though it isn’t strictly Puerto Rican, it’s tough to pass on a good Cuban sandwich ($7.95), pressed and toasted with roasted pork, ham, mustard, pickles and cheese converted into a meaty, melty core.
And who is not going to like a sweet finish of jiggly flan ($2.50) or tres leches ($3)?
Exploring the cuisine
Anyone who geeks out on culinary esoterica will enjoy the jibarito ($8.50), a sandwich that was popularized (and probably invented) by Puerto Rican restaurants in Draz’s native Chicago. It’s a mix of roasted pork and cheese with crisp, cool vegetables and garlicky mayo, except that in place of the bread are two long, crisp fried plantains.
One of Millie’s best dishes, however, is the Mofongo ($6), a ball of mashed-up plantains and pork that’s drenched in an intense, garlicky oil. It’s hard to choose a favorite vehicle for plantains, but it’s just as hard to vote against the Mofongo.
The solution them all. is simple enough: Try