Sabrosa Latin Food!

Latin Spice, a restaurant in East Stroudsburg. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
Latin Spice, a restaurant in East Stroudsburg. Photo Credit / Amy Lukac
Latin Spice, a restaurant in East Stroudsburg.
Photo Credit / Amy Lukac

By Jasmine Morales

SC Staff Writer

Nestled in a quiet area of the Eagle Valley shopping center in East Stroudsburg lays Latin Spice. With so many fast food restaurants in the area it can be difficult for some students to find a nice place that serves a real meal.

Whether you are trying to grab something for breakfast or searching for lunch or dinner, Latin Spice has it all.

As you open the door of the cozy restaurant, the smell of fried food hits your nostrils and your stomach begins to growl.

Four square wooden tables line each wall of the restaurant, two on each side. During the lunchtime rush laughing and cheerful chatter can be heard as hungry patrons anxiously await their orders.

Directly in front of you stands the counter where orders are taken and where you can see the cooks freshly prepare your food. As you approach the counter a friendly face welcomes you and asks how they may help you.

Latin Spice serves a multitude of Latin and Caribbean dishes.

Restaurant co-owner Alexia Rodriguez describes her restaurant’s unique flair. “We don’t just serve Spanish food, we are trying to give you a variety of a few different things.”

For breakfast, aside from your standard breakfast sandwich and oatmeal, they serve meals such as mangu.

Mangu is a traditional Dominican staple of boiled green plantains, which are seasoned and then mashed. The closest American equivalent of this meal would be mashed potatoes.

During lunch and dinner several filling entrée options are offered. Latin Spice serves pork chops, steak, stewed chicken, cod fish, and ox tails to name a few of the offered dishes.

Each meal is served with a healthy portion of rice and beans or rice with beans on the side.

Latin Spice recently had their grand reopening and the food was delicious. I tasted the pork entrée and I was quite the happy camper. I was happily surprised by how tender the meat was, and the rice and beans were full of flavor!

At the great low price of approximately $6.99, you cannot ask for a better deal.

Filling meals are not the only thing that Latin Spice sells. They serve several smaller options that can be taken on the go. If you’re looking for something quick, they serve soups and stews such as chicken soup and sancocho.

Sancocho is a meat and vegetable stew eaten throughout many Latin countries, with variations of the meal differing from country to country.

They also offer sides such as empanadas, beef and chicken, made to order, and side salads. The empanadas are savory and flaky. You cannot eat just one.

You can even find fresh made to order juices in delicious flavors such as mango, kiwi, strawberry, carrot, and banana.

Whether you are grabbing breakfast or getting lunch with a few friends Latin Spice has a little something for everyone. From full entrees to simple to-go orders, Latin Spice ensures that every customer is a happy customer.

Email Jasmine at:

jmorales@live.esu.edu