188 Bakery Cuchifritos

188 Bakery Cuchifritos is another delicious spot we found in the Fordham Heights area of the Bronx! It's a lively and boisterous spot that oftentimes has lines out the door full of eager and hungry patrons, looking to get their fill on all Puerto Rican things delicious from rice and beans, pernil, lechon, to endless fried snacks!  "Cuchifritos" literally means "fried pig," though it also generally refers to Puerto-Rican style soul food and the neighborhood takeout spots that sell them.

One of the biggest highlights we got from here was the alcapurria, which is a popular and ubiquitous fritter in Puerto Rico. Typically, the dough surrounding the meat filling is made from a masa made of mixed green banana. It's also usually seasoned with lard, making it super rich, annatto for its orangey color, plus garlic and salt. Once filled with minced meat, it is then deep-fried to perfection, and it's truly a work of art: it's super crispy and crunchy on the outside. OMG, it was SO satisfying to bite into! And the meat filling literally just spills out. It's extremely moist, tender, meaty, and juicy on the inside -- well spiced and just screaming with rich flavor. This little snack is definitely the opposite of "bland!" This specific location when we went last autumn was takeout only, so we ate this on the street, and I could NOT have been happier! I almost was tempted to run back in to get another one, or ten!!

Cuchifritos has multiple locations, and its original spot on 116th Street in Harlem has been around for over 50 years now! You must check it out if you have an inkling for Puerto Rican deliciousness.