Delectable Latino specialties on Bethlehem’s Main Street

Following the departure of Hardball Cider in downtown Bethlehem, one of the most visible spots in the north side’s promenade was left empty. That spot has now been transformed into Bethlehem’s newest place to grab Latin American food: Casa Del Mofongo.

The new space is their second, with their original spot remaining as an Allentown mainstay for over a decade on Hamilton Street.

For the uninitiated, a mofongo is a dish generally comprised of fried plantains mashed with seasoning and combined with some sort of meat.

While the restaurant’s list is relatively diverse, it’s still confined to one page. To start, they offer “minimofongos” comprised of shrimp, chicken, or steak — as well as empanadas, shrimp cocktails and a sampler platter.

They have a build-your-own mofongo section, which allows for a lot of customization. There are nine different protein options on the menu, a choice of yuca, green plantain, or sweet plantains for the mash base, and a choice of garlic mojo, Creole red, or house Creole sauces.

While the mofongo entrees are the focus, there are also steak and shrimp entrees, pork chops, and a whole litany of seafood options.

Setting and décor: If you ever visited the Hardball Cider space, the look remains the same, but it has been converted to reflect the style of the tasty Puerto Rican dishes served.

The bar has been trans

formed into a cafeteria-style food line, and there are more wood accents throughout the restaurant to complement the dark wooden floor and black furniture, and to contrast the bright white walls.

The front windows are floorto-ceiling, allowing natural daylight to brighten the space, and allowing for fun peoplewatching at night.

Light Spanish music is played in the peaceful dining atmosphere.

Takeout orders can be placed at the counter, while dine-in patrons can enjoy full table service.

Food: When the owner stopped by my table for our order, given my familiarity with mofongos, I opted to build my own.

I chose the roast pork shoulder, with the trifongo — a mixture of yuca, green plantains and sweet plantains — as my base. I included creamy mojo garlic for my sauce ($8 for the mofongo, $3 upcharge for the

extra base ingredients).

The presentation was great, with sliced plantains and tomatoes on top, a mini salad of shredded lettuce on the side, and a creative drizzle of sauce and sprinkled herbs around the edges. The mixture was incredibly flavorful and richly textured. My wife agreed, while eating my leftovers.

Rather than mashing everything into oblivion, as many places do, some ingredients were allowed to thrive on their own merit in tiny clusters — making for an enlightening dish.

I also had a side of beans ($1 for a small), which while a bit salty, sopped up some of the mofongo very nicely. The mojo sauce — described by the owner as the result of a painstakingly, arduous process — was worth the effort. The pungent garlic was every bit as complementary to the starchy base as you could hope.

To round out the meal, I ordered a tamarind drink ($4), an iced juice that came in a tin cup. It was sweet but not overpowering — a perfect juxtaposition for the cool autumn evenings ahead and the rich meal in front of me.

I also grabbed a tres leches cake to go ($5), a dense treat that rarely fails to please. This was no different, with the rich, moist cake soaking up the liquids, and the saccharine icing adding to the flavor. It lasted all of two minutes after I got home.

Service: The service at Casa Del Mofongo was hit or miss. My server was fine, getting me seated right away and presenting a menu. He took my drink order and pointed out new items on the menu.

The owner also stopped by to explain more about the menu and the cooking techniques behind the various mofongo sauces — a nice touch that definitely gave me insight into my options.

Shortly after my order was taken, the waiter came back with my drink, but my food took on the verge of 40 minutes to arrive — even though the restaurant was relatively empty. Other than that, my service was fantastic, but I would plan for a lengthier visit next time.

The bottom line: Casa Del Mofongo is a great addition to Bethlehem’s downtown, by introducing a new cuisine flair in a high profile location. Dinner for one came out to a very reasonable $22.26 with tax.

Restaurant reviewer, Glenn Koehler, is a Morning Call contributor.