Traditional Recipes with Caribbean Influence
Spanish & Latin Cuisine in Ocean for quick lunches, family dinners, and anyone looking for arroz con pollo or empanadas made fresh to order
A Taste of the Islands prepares Spanish & Latin Cuisine in Ocean, drawing from recipes that blend traditional Spanish techniques with Caribbean seasoning and cooking styles. You order arroz con pollo and receive chicken braised with saffron-tinted rice, bell peppers, and peas, cooked together so the rice absorbs the flavors from the chicken and sofrito base. Empanadas are hand-folded and filled with seasoned beef, chicken, or vegetables, then baked or fried until the dough turns golden and flaky. Fried plantains come as a side or appetizer, served at different ripeness levels depending on whether you want them sweet or savory.
This cuisine relies on building flavor through sofrito, a base of sautéed onions, peppers, garlic, cilantro, and tomato that appears in many dishes. Proteins are often marinated with citrus, garlic, and cumin before cooking, and rice dishes cook low and slow to develop a slightly crispy bottom layer called pegao. The menu includes quick lunch plates with smaller portions and full dinner plates that come with rice, beans, and a choice of protein. You can also customize combo meals by selecting your preferred protein and sides from the available options each day.
Stop by during lunch hours for faster service on single plates or call ahead to arrange larger orders for dinner.
What Happens in the Kitchen Before Plating
Your meal begins with prep work that includes chopping vegetables for sofrito, marinating meats in citrus and spice blends, and preparing empanada dough that rests before being rolled and filled. Arroz con pollo starts by browning chicken pieces in a wide pan, then building the sofrito base before adding rice, broth, and saffron. The rice cooks uncovered at first to allow liquid to reduce, then gets covered to steam until tender. Empanadas are filled to order and either baked for a lighter texture or fried for a crispier shell, depending on the style you request.
When your plate arrives, you notice the rice has absorbed color from the saffron and sofrito, and the chicken is tender enough to pull apart with a fork. A Taste of the Islands serves plantains sliced thick and fried in oil that has been heated to the right temperature, so they cook through without burning on the outside. Beans are stewed separately with garlic, onion, and bay leaves, then ladled over rice or served on the side. Fusion elements appear in dishes that use Caribbean scotch bonnet peppers in place of milder Spanish varieties or that incorporate jerk seasoning into a roasted pork plate.
Customizable plates let you choose your protein, pick two or three sides, and adjust portion sizes based on appetite. Combo meals come with fixed pairings that balance flavors and textures, like pairing fried pork with black beans and sweet plantains. The kitchen does not prepare dishes with raw fish or ingredients that require specialized equipment beyond standard restaurant ranges and fryers.
Questions About Ingredients and Menu Flexibility
Customers often ask about preparation methods, substitutions, and how dishes differ from similar items on other parts of the menu.
What is sofrito and why does it appear in so many dishes?
Sofrito is a cooked base of onions, peppers, garlic, tomato, and cilantro that provides the foundational flavor for rice dishes, stews, and braises, and it is prepared fresh daily in large batches to ensure consistency across the menu.
How are empanadas filled and sealed?
Empanadas are filled by placing a spoonful of seasoned meat or vegetables onto rolled dough, folding the dough over, and crimping the edges with a fork to seal them before baking or frying, which prevents the filling from leaking during cooking.
What makes this Spanish cuisine different from the Caribbean menu?
Spanish and Latin dishes share cooking techniques with Caribbean food but use different spice blends, less heat from peppers, and more saffron or paprika, while Caribbean dishes lean on allspice, thyme, and Scotch bonnet peppers.
How does A Taste of the Islands handle custom combo meals in Ocean?
Custom combos are assembled to order by selecting from proteins and sides prepped that day, so you get a fresh plate without waiting for ingredients to be cooked from scratch, which keeps service moving during busy lunch hours.
Can you request sweet or savory plantains?
You can request ripe plantains that fry up sweet and soft or green plantains that stay firm and less sweet, depending on how you want them to balance the rest of your plate.
A Taste of the Islands serves Spanish and Latin dishes that reflect both traditional recipes and the influence of Caribbean cooking styles, giving you meals that balance familiar flavors with bold seasoning. Call ahead to confirm daily protein options or discuss your preferences for a custom plate.