[Sidebar] March 18 - 25, 1999
[Food Reviews]
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Mi Guatemala

A south-of-the-border journey far beyond tacos and tamales

by Johnette Rodriguez

1049 Atwells Avenue, Providence, 621-9147
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Mon-Thurs, 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Fri and Sat, 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Major credit cards
No access

Though the ethnic tastes of Italy, Portugal and Southeast Asia have long dominated the culinary scene in Providence, there is another multi-faceted cuisine that is on the rise -- the foods of Latin America and the Caribbean islands. Brought here by the people of Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico and El Salvador, among others, the dishes served at local restaurants, such as at Mi Guatemala, take you on intriguing south-of-the-border journeys far beyond tacos and tamales.

At Mi Guatemala, the mood is set by lively Latin pop music from the radio and silent broadcasts of South American soccer games on the overhead TVs. The decor is straightforward -- approximately two dozen booths in the main dining room, with two larger tables in a back seating area. Light green walls are hung with colorful posters of Guatemala, oversized carved wooden forks and spoons and a clock with an image of the Mayan ruins at Tikal.

And then there's the menu. On our first visit to Mi Guatemala, the 8x10" menu was like a travelogue of the country, with full-color photos alongside the actual menu listings. It even included a map of Guatemala! But alas, the menu has now been shrunk to a three-fold, with far fewer English explanations of the native entrees.

So, here's an overview, from a non-Spanish-speaking, mostly-vegetarian-but-sometimes-poultry-consuming diner. The soups include beef, hen, chicken, egg, and -- look out! -- cow-feet and tripe, in large, sharable portions. The antojitos (appetizers) are also heavy on the meat side -- sausage, beef, or pork-rinds are stuffed into chiles rellenos, enchiladas, garnachas (small, tightly-wrapped tortillas) or served in other sauces.

I did discover two meatless treats among the appetizers: tamalitos de chipilin ($1.75) and pupusas chapinas ($2). The first is a kind of steamed corn lump (like the inside of a tamale, minus the meat) mixed with chipilin, a mild Guatemalan mint. The two lumps are served with sour cream -- very filling and very soothing. The pupusas are two small, soft tortillas with cheese or pork-rinds between them. They are browned on the grill so that they meld together and then served with steamed cabbage and tomato sauce on top. Quite delicious.

On our first lunchtime visit, we also tried a chicken stew ($6.75) called pepian -- a reference to its pumpkin or squash-seed sauce. This was mild-flavored and accompanied by rice and warm tortillas.

Second-time around, Bill chose the tipico nacional ($9.99) -- thin pieces of pork that are quick-fried after being marinated in an annato-colored, garlic-flavored marinade for a day or so. It was served with refried black beans, rice, tortillas and one garnacho. His dinner also included a beef-bouillon-like soup and a salad.

I was disappointed that the new menu no longer listed envuelto de pacaya -- the edible flower pod of the pacaya palm dipped in egg batter and lightly fried -- but I sprang for a chicken dish instead, pollo con crema ($7.49). Cooked with onions, sweet red peppers and sour cream, this stew was wonderful.

The hot milk drinks at Mi Guatemala ($2) are sweetened and cinnamoned, with either corn, rice, oats or plantain flour thickening them slightly -- a great antidote to the piquant pepper sauces. Mi Guatemala also has a full bar, from which Bill had a Guatemalan beer, Famosa Gallo -- famous hen. I opted for the non-alcoholic maranon, made from a sweet cashew syrup.

A generous helping of fried plantains with sour cream ($1.75) rounded out our meal. There are so many influences in Guatemalan cuisine, from Spanish to Mayan to African, that the excursion from Federal Hill to Mi Guatemala carries you across time as well as distance. And it's quite a trip!

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