During this COVID-19 period, I believe it is important to support family-owned restaurants. These owners aren’t backed by a lot of corporate funds and many live their existence month to month. Because of this, I focus my attention on many small businesses, and this week I feature El Cochinito “The Little Pig” in Silver Lake.
Like many LA County businesses located in a strip mall, El Cochinito set up a canopy tent in two parking spaces directly in front of their entrance. Instead of dining on asphalt, they have a nice patch of artificial grass. The covered area is large enough to accommodate approximately eight diners.
Ropa Vieja was my wife’s choice and I would not have selected it because the dish has never given me the “wow” factor. After tasting El Cochinoto’s, I can safely say that it is the best ropa vieja I’ve tasted in LA. The shredded meat was tender and it tasted like it was braised for hours in tomato sauce filled with flavorful spices like oregano and cumin.
Lechon Asado is typically the grand centerpiece of a Cuban celebration. The pork needs to be scored and marinated in Cuban mojo. The meat seemed like it was roasted on a spit; the pork was extremely tender, crisp, crackly, and had a caramelized exterior.
When I tried the sides, I instantly knew that El Cochinito is serious about the entire dining experience. One example of this is their Arroz Congri, Cuban rice, and beans staple. The rice is purple in color because it is simmered with the black beans and the dish tasted of onions, garlic, and cumin.
Tender in the middle and crisp at the edges, maduros, are served as a side dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Like bananas, plantains develop more sugar as time passes. El Cochinito produces maduros with a delicious caramelized exterior.
The flan was very unusual. Rather than a firm gelatin-like consistency, their version was much more delicate and creamy. Because the caramel sauce wasn’t syrupy sweet, I think I actually prefer their flan more than traditional Mexican flan.
If you are interested in an authentic Cuban dining experience, I highly recommend a visit to El Cochinito. Many of the Cuban restaurants I’ve previously visited have catered to American tastes and have veered away from Cuban staples.
El Cochinito, 3508 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026; 323.668.0737
elcochinitola.com