Plantains

Serves 4 Brian Amador named this dish to acknowledge its Mediterranean and Caribbean influences. To peel plantains, he suggests first cutting the ends off, then making a lengthwise slit in the skin. Slip the skin off in one piece. 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch dice 1 pound ground dark-meat turkey 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1...

Located in the center of Roslindale Square, Suya Joint, opened in February, is small and sparsely decorated. Photographs ofbaobab trees on walls and pictures of lions over the host stand let you know you are in an African restaurant. You'll also see signs asking you to keep your conversation from getting too loud, which seem out of place early in the evening. As it gets later and groups come in to eat, drink, and catch up, the energy gets more lively and fun. It may take you a while to get noticed here.

Located in the center of Roslindale Square, Suya Joint, opened in February, is small and sparsely decorated. Photographs ofbaobab trees on walls and pictures of lions over the host stand let you know you are in an African restaurant. You'll also see signs asking you to keep your conversation from getting too loud, which seem out of place early in the evening. As it gets later and groups come in to eat, drink, and catch up, the energy gets more lively and fun. It may take you a while to get noticed here.

Every once in a while a restaurant opens that feels completely fresh. Casa B, in Somerville's Union Square, is one of these. In the downstairs dining room, couples share loveseats at a counter overlooking the open kitchen, watching the chefs at work. Live plants cover one wall. The lighting is flattering, the color scheme poppy red and bright white. Beautiful waitresses greet you - "Ho-o-la-a" - spinning the word out with utmost sass. The restaurant feels like a cross between Barcelona and a tropical island.

Serves 8 Vegetable or peanut oil (for frying) 4 medium-size green plantains, peeled and sliced 1 1/4-inch thick Kosher salt, to taste 1 lime, halved (optional) 1. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, pour oil into the pan until it is 3/4 inch deep. When it is hot, add enough plantain rounds to make a single layer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes on a side or until they are tender when pierced with a two-pronged fork.

Every once in a while a restaurant opens that feels completely fresh. Casa B, in Somerville's Union Square, is one of these. In the downstairs dining room, couples share loveseats at a counter overlooking the open kitchen, watching the chefs at work. Live plants cover one wall. The lighting is flattering, the color scheme poppy red and bright white. Beautiful waitresses greet you - "Ho-o-la-a" - spinning the word out with utmost sass. The restaurant feels like a cross between Barcelona and a tropical island.

There's nothing glitzy about the simple, plant-filled storefront that looks out onto the main plaza of the Villa Victoria. And there's nothing chic or fancy about the Latin American dishes Don Ricardo's serves. It's just good (sometimes very good) homey food. Yet among the upscale restaurants that have crowded the streets of the South End in recent years, the little spot stands out. Don Ricardo's opened on West Dedham Street 21 years ago, owner Ricardo Villon explains in Spanish, and while he changes the menu periodically, he concentrates on Peruvian, Brazilian, and Mexican cuisine.

MIAMI — Order a steak at Rio Cristal and you may not be able to find it. It’s not that portions are small. In fact, steaks at this venerable Cuban restaurant often cascade beyond the edges of the plate. What’s hiding the beef is a mountain of crisp, addictive miniature fries, a signature of the house. The dish is irresistible with a few squirts of lemon juice and hot sauce from the bottles that adorn every table. There are many Cuban restaurants in Miami, but Rio Cristal is one of the oldest and most highly regarded.

EL PELON TAQUERIA 92 Peterborough St., Boston 617-262-9090 www.elpelon.com In early 2009, a four-alarm fire ripped through Peterborough Street, destroying six restaurants. Beloved taqueria El Pelon was among them. The restaurant had previously been closed by a fire at the end of 2007. Could it manage to reopen yet again? The answer is yes and yes. Last March, a new branch of El Pelon opened in Brighton across from Boston College. And, at long last, the Fenway restaurant has returned to Peterborough Street.

NEW YORK -- Care to wager where Big Papi and Manny are hanging while the Red Sox are in New York this weekend? You could look for them at the Copa or Crobar, I suppose, but your best bet may be to take the A train uptown to 190th St., then amble one bustling block north. There, at 1618 St. Nicholas Ave., you'll find El Nuevo Caridad, a Dominican restaurant that's favored by many of Major League Baseball's best Latin ballplayers, from the two Sox sluggers to Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero.

EL PELON TAQUERIA 92 Peterborough St., Boston 617-262-9090 www.elpelon.com In early 2009, a four-alarm fire ripped through Peterborough Street, destroying six restaurants. Beloved taqueria El Pelon was among them. The restaurant had previously been closed by a fire at the end of 2007. Could it manage to reopen yet again? The answer is yes and yes. Last March, a new branch of El Pelon opened in Brighton across from Boston College. And, at long last, the Fenway restaurant has returned to Peterborough Street.

MIAMI — Order a steak at Rio Cristal and you may not be able to find it. It’s not that portions are small. In fact, steaks at this venerable Cuban restaurant often cascade beyond the edges of the plate. What’s hiding the beef is a mountain of crisp, addictive miniature fries, a signature of the house. The dish is irresistible with a few squirts of lemon juice and hot sauce from the bottles that adorn every table. There are many Cuban restaurants in Miami, but Rio Cristal is one of the oldest and most highly regarded.

Serves 4 Brian Amador named this dish to acknowledge its Mediterranean and Caribbean influences. To peel plantains, he suggests first cutting the ends off, then making a lengthwise slit in the skin. Slip the skin off in one piece. 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch dice 1 pound ground dark-meat turkey 3 cloves...

There's nothing glitzy about the simple, plant-filled storefront that looks out onto the main plaza of the Villa Victoria. And there's nothing chic or fancy about the Latin American dishes Don Ricardo's serves. It's just good (sometimes very good) homey food. Yet among the upscale restaurants that have crowded the streets of the South End in recent years, the little spot stands out. Don Ricardo's opened on West Dedham Street 21 years ago, owner Ricardo Villon explains in Spanish, and while he changes the menu periodically, he concentrates on Peruvian, Brazilian, and Mexican cuisine.

NEW YORK -- Care to wager where Big Papi and Manny are hanging while the Red Sox are in New York this weekend? You could look for them at the Copa or Crobar, I suppose, but your best bet may be to take the A train uptown to 190th St., then amble one bustling block north. There, at 1618 St. Nicholas Ave., you'll find El Nuevo Caridad, a Dominican restaurant that's favored by many of Major League Baseball's best Latin ballplayers, from the two Sox sluggers to Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero.

Serves 8 Vegetable or peanut oil (for frying) 4 medium-size green plantains, peeled and sliced 1 1/4-inch thick Kosher salt, to taste 1 lime, halved (optional) 1. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, pour oil into the pan until it is 3/4 inch deep. When it is hot, add enough plantain rounds to make a single layer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes on a side or until they are tender when pierced with a two-pronged fork.

Last month, I spoke to several sophomore English classes at the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in Roxbury. The students there are working on a food-writing project , for which they are composing culinary memoirs and reviews. (See some of their reviews here. They have pretty good taste in restaurants.) During the classes, teacher Ian Doreian and I had them taste different kinds of cheese and write descriptions of each. The two best descriptions would win a prize: attending a review dinner with me and their teacher.

CULEBRA -- When my husband and I found ourselves craving beach time, we did a quick search for flights to the Caribbean and settled on Puerto Rico because the flights were the cheapest. Turns out that's not the way to pick an inexpensive destination. Little else about the trip was inexpensive, at least by our backpacker standards. We spent the first week of our vacation paying US prices to explore the main island, hiking through the tropical Caribbean National Forest known as El Yunque, admiring Ponce's colonial buildings , and dining in Old San Juan.