Profile

If you’re a mofongo fan, you’ll find many friends who share your passion at Joe’s Place in the Bronx. A neighborhood joint with a Puerto Rican focus, this place is about homemade food served in massive portions—enough for today, tomorrow, and perhaps even lunch the day after. The house specialty is mofongo, a mash of deep-fried green plantains with roasted pork and garlic that gets molded into a giant thimble shape and served amidst a moat of beef soup. It’s hearty, stick-to-your-ribs fare that satisfies on the deepest level; think mashed potatoes and Thanksgiving turkey rolled into one, with a heady, sultry broth standing in for gravy. Variations on the classic, like mofongo relleno de camarones (stuffed with shrimp) and mofongo relleno de salmorejo (stuffed with crab), are just as delicious. A lighter option, arroz con pollo, arrives in a covered tin dish to keep the spiced rice and tender chicken warm. One more great thing: There’s no shame in ordering a flirty piña colada here—everyone else is drinking them. You can sip your cocktail at the bar, where people crowd the glass wall-enclosed room thumping with Latin music, just off of the dining room. Or skip the hard stuff and go for a refreshing fruit batido instead. — Raquel Pelzel

Piña colada, $6; mofongo, $10; arroz con pollo, $9