La Creación Express - Wesley Chapel, FL — Restaurant in Florida

I fully understand and appreciate the importance of supporting small businesses, particularly those of Puerto Rican origin (sorry I'm a bit bias towards my own people). They are a rare find in my neighborhood, which makes it even more disheartening that I couldn't provide a better rating. Let's begin with the positive aspects. The location of the establishment is excellent, and the overall ambiance is charming and vibrant. The staff members are kind and provide good customer service. Additionally, the dessert options are worth a try and stand out as a highlight. Now, let's address the areas that need improvement. I ordered the shrimp pastelillos/empanadas, and they had an unexpected twist. If the intention was to create something resembling a fusion of empanadas and soup dumplings, they might have succeeded, but I doubt it. It caught me so off guard and didn't appeal to my taste. The empanadas contained about 3 tablespoons of shrimp water, which made them soggy and lacked a satisfying texture. The shrimp itself was overcooked and chewy, and I'll keep it a stack it was detracting from the overall enjoyment. I also sampled the octopus tostones, but unfortunately, the tostones had a refrigerated taste and were tough in texture. While I understand that frozen tostones may not have been used, they gave that impression. As for the octopus itself, it ain't it! It may have been fresh, but the preparation or marinade gave it a canned taste, which was disappointing. Furthermore, the food didn't agree with my stomach, causing additional discomfort.

Here is the crazy part despite these issues, I remain hopeful and willing to give the establishment another chance because I recognize its potential and understand the challenges faced by small businesses. I genuinely want to support their growth. Hopefully, my next experience will showcase the wonderful flavors of Puerto Rico and meet my expectations. If...

I was excited to see some Boricua food! I love empanadas and used to eat them growing up. When you walk in, the A/C hits you (feels amazing on hot days). They're one of the few spots that have spacious seating inside and tons of tables outside. You get to hear some Latin music which adds the vibe. 5/5 for atmosphere.

I went up to the counter and a woman noticed me but she spoke to a co-worker for a minute then came back to me. I used to work as a seller for retail and we always acknowledge customers and say we'd be right with them, at least. She eventually got back to me and asked for my order. She knew the menu when I asked questions. My order took about 5-7 minutes. Don't come in expecting it to be quick. It's made to order. 4/5 for service.

I ordered the sweet pan (bread) and pizza empanada. The bread is AMAZING. I miss eating sweet pan so it felt like fond memories. The empanada, on the other hand, isn't that great. The dough is fresh and it's made to order, which I like, but the marinara is very bland! I like a little seasoning my food. Would I come back? Yes for that...

I have given this place several opportunities but i don't understand what is happening with customer service lately. Seems like people don't care anymore and all they want is tip and more tip. I waited the last time I was here 20 minutes for 1, yes, 1 bacalaito. People that did orders after me were getting their food before me. After I was fed up from waiting I told them I've been waiting 20 minutes for my food and when was it coming out and they told me it will be out soon. Took another 5 minutes and at that point I was even more aggravated and walked up again in the counter to ask for my food and one of the cooks said, he was taking the order out now. Very surprised when I saw my order of bacalaito which looks like a flat over cooked piece of craker. I guess for me that is not what this should have looked like. Not...