The Receipt

1x Chicharrónes Dominicano: $11.90

1x Mango Juice: $2.00

Total: $13.90

The Review

A warning: If you don’t like pork, stop reading.
A related warning: If you don’t like pork, don’t go to 188 Bakery Cuchifritos.

Cuchifritos, derived from the Spanish words cuchí, short for cochino, meaning pig, and frito, describing something fried, is a group of fried pork foods in Puerto Rican cuisine.

Thankfully, though, a trip to Puerto Rico isn’t necessary to try cuchifritos. Located just around the corner from the Fordham Road subway station on E 188th Street, 188 Bakery Cuchifritos, has been serving authentic Puerto Rican and Dominican food to the local community for decades, and after eating said food, I understand why.

Approaching 188 Cuchifritos, you’ll immediately notice the colorful signage decorating the exterior of the restaurant. Among the many words on the front of the restaurant, the largest two are “COMIDAS CRIOLLA,” or Creole food.

As Hector Rodriguez explained, in Puerto Rico, comidas criolla is associated not with the cuisine of Louisiana, but instead with the cuisine that developed in the Spanish Caribbean after the arrival of European colonists.

Thus, the cuisine of Puerto Rico, which has both native and European influences, is known as comidas criolla.

As you enter the restaurant, and “COMIDAS CRIOLLA” passes above your head, you’ll see a counter to either side of you. On the left, there is a small counter where you can buy lotto tickets and scratch-offs. On the right, there is a larger counter where you can buy some of the best food that New York City has to offer.

Behind this counter, you’ll see a vast array of food and an equally vast array of jugos tropicales, or tropical fruit juices. On the back wall, there is a massive menu with a seemingly endless variety of Puerto Rican soul food to offer.

As an aside: the menu is in Spanish, so if you’re like me and haven’t spoken Spanish since 10th grade, you might want to bring a friend. Though I did bring a friend, he speaks no more Spanish than me, so we did some research before we went.

After some tough decision making (the downside of a large menu), we each ordered chicharrónes Dominicano, a.k.a. Dominican pork crackling. As part of a lunch special, the chicharrónes come with rice and habichuelas, or Puerto Rican beans, for just under $12. To wash it all down, I spent another $2 on a cup of mango juice.

While $14 is the most expensive receipt this column has yet seen, in both quantity and quality 188 ensures that your money is well spent. The healthy portion of rice and beans was so good that I probably would’ve gone back for more if I hadn’t been so full. The pork was crispy and succulent, and I would recommend it to any first-timer.

There are plenty of other options, though, so if you aren’t a fan of pork but ignored my pre-review warnings, you won’t have to leave empty-handed. Among these options are a variety of chicken dishes, sandwiches and more.

There are also frituras, which is more of a category of Puerto Rican fried snacks that includes alcapurrias (essentially a ground beef fritter) and papas rellenos (stuffed potatoes), among others. Though I have not tried the menu in its entirety (but will hopefully be able to say I have eventually), I think it’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong with anything at 188 Cuchifritos.

The existence of a place like 188 is what makes New York City special. People coming from all over the world and bringing a slice of the places they came from gives New Yorkers unparalleled access to the cultures (and more specifically, cuisines) of Earth.

I have never been to Puerto Rico, but thanks to 188, I can now say that I have tried authentic Puerto Rican soul food. If you cannot say the same, do yourself and your taste buds a favor and pay a visit to 188 Bakery Cuchifritos.