When you visit Elba's Latin Cafe, you're visiting old friends. Or at least that's the feeling. Immediately, you get the sense that you're in someone’s living room, thanks to the big screen TV centered before three straw chairs. Figurines imported from Puerto Rico dot the room: wooden parrots, straw hats, fighting cocks and a flag or two. One wall preserves memories of a hard-working family through an array of photos, further enhancing that living room feel.
For many years, Elba Ramirez owned Fuego Latino, a now-defunct Latin record shop down the road. Like that place, her cafe is popular with the after-school crowd; Steinmetz High School is five minutes away. In the evenings, Elba's accommodates families looking to leave the house. Parents take breaks from cooking and have a filling meal, while their kids entertain themselves with DVDs on a big screen. The place is great for big groups; there's not a two-top table in the house. However, the crowd includes more than just families; salsa legend Tony Vega managed just fine when he came, and many locals stop in to take advantage of the free wireless internet access.
You'll find typical Puerto Rican starters like alcapurrias and rellenos de papas (both $1 each) and not so typical ones like the platano (plantain) fries ($2.50). Another exclusive item is the platano hamburger ($4.50): a beef patty, lettuce, cheese, mustard and ketchup between two pieces of plantains. The average meal runs you $8.50 and comes with a side salad, rice and your choice of beans. I went for the pollo guisado ($6.50): potatoes, bone-in and shredded chicken in a brown sauce.
Area attractions include the Brickyard Mall and Riis Park, both within a five-minute walk.
Average cost: <$10
Centerstage Reviewer: David-Anthony Gonzalez
