The flavors of the Caribbean will spice up Midtown when Mi Caribe opens at the Coronado Ballroom at 3701 Lindell Blvd., in a few weeks. The restaurant and bar, serving Dominican, Cuban and Puerto Rican fare, is the first owned by Johnny Martinez, a former pitcher and scout for the Cleveland Indians, and Warren Duval, a mortgage banker.
Martinez, a native of the Dominican Republic who loves to cook, said it’s always been a dream of his to open a restaurant. He’ll be working in the kitchen with some of his family members, who have experience in the restaurant industry.
Islanders eat a lot of pork, Martinez said, so it will make several appearances on the menu, along with traditional beef and chicken stews, shrimp, rice dishes, empanadas and mofongo, a mashed, fried-plantain and shrimp dish. “Caribbeans are crazy about it,” Martinez said.
Other highlights include ropa vieja, a dish of shredded flank steak, and steak palomilla, a thin cut of sauteed steak served on bread, which Martinez hopes will appeal to hamburger fans. Unlike Jamaican food, Dominican food doesn’t make much use of chili powder, Martinez said; instead, expect to taste sofrito, a mirepoix of garlic and vegetables. There will also be whole fried fish – eyeballs and all. “I don’t know how people are going to accept that,” Martinez said.
Rum is the spirit of the islands, and there’s plenty of it available on the drink menu, which features Cuba Libres, daiquiris, piña coladas, mojitos and rum punch. The beer list includes Presidente, a Dominican brew Martinez said is hard to come by in the U.S.
Duval said they picked the Coronado spot, last occupied by Mexican restaurant Chuy Arzola’s, because of its Midtown location, big patio and attractive architecture.
Mi Caribe will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with the bar staying open until 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The restaurant will serve brunch on Sunday.
This article appears in May 2015.