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There are more Puerto Ricans living in New York than in San Juan, but you wouldn't know that from the scant number of Puerto Rican restaurants in the city. Though the miniscule, cluttered Sabor Borinqueño, with its three wobbly tables and a counter large enough for five, barely qualifies as a legitimate restaurant, there's nothing illegitimate about the Puerto Rican food prepared by chef/owner and very affable host, Jose Galarza. Puerto Rican food means pork in many varieties, the most popular being pernil, pork shoulder. Here it's slow-roasted, infused with garlic, and so tender and moist you won't believe it was served to you straight off a steam table. Jose will ask if you want the crisp, fatty skin of the pork to go with your order: Be naughty and do not refuse. And although barbecue ribs aren't exactly typical of Puerto Rican cuisine, but Jose's version, as tender as the pernil and topped with a slightly sweet glaze, is just about as good as you'll find at any New York barbecue joint. Most days you'll find chicharrones, fried pork chunks, on the menu while on Wednesdays and Fridays, bacalao, salt cod, is available. Whatever you order, make sure you accompany it with beans: white, kidney, or pink in a thick ham hock-based gravy fragrant with sofrito. Dessert is flan and sometimes Joe's mother might be in the house as guest flanmaker. 
— Brian Silverman

Pernil, $6, barbecue ribs, $6