In a metropolis as diverse as Los Angeles, it is quite surprising and even shocking to see that the Puerto Rican community is poorly represented in the restaurant circuit. Es raro, difícil y casi imposible encontrar un lugar que se especialice en comida Boricua. Sin duda alguna, el que busca encuentra, and so after an extensive search and tons of research, my partner and I came across “Señor Big Ed Puerto Rican Food” in Cypress. Sure, not quite the L.A. area, but not necessarily the O.C. either… it’s located in that gray area- the L.A. / O.C. border. Como era de esperarse, “Señor Big Ed” es nada más y nada menos que el típico hole-in-the-wall joint.
Ready, set, GO!
Just like other hole-in-the-wall restaurants, “Señor Big Ed” is quite easy to miss, por lo que tienes que estar bien atento, and if your eyes fail, just like Toucan Sam- follow your nose.
If you were simply driving by without knowing about this joint and were to judge this place by its looks, odds are most likely you wouldn’t even consider going in- its façade (or lack of) just blends with the background and it even kind of looks like a “Green Burrito” place.
Fried food haven
If you’re on a diet or extremely carb conscious, this is definitely not the place for you since most items (if not everything) on the menu is fried or deep fried. Yes, the Surgeon General and every other news reporter and TV personality keep telling us that fried foods are not good for our body, but you might want to hit the mute button and just follow your nose.
At “Señor Big Ed Puerto Rican Food”, the main forte is all things Boricua, and while they have some Mexican on the menu, you might want to just ignore it and go straight for the Boricua goodies- not healthy whatsoever but oh so good.
Eat ‘til you drop
If you’re not familiar with Puerto Rican food, then as a “must” you have to order their “Sampler Platter”, and while it’s not the tastiest thing on their menu, you’ll get an idea of what you’re in for. The “Arroz con gandules” and the “Mofongo” are a must, not only are they traditional Puerto Rican dishes, but you haven’t had Boricua food until you’ve had a bite of these delicacies.
The “Sampler Platter” is great for curious PR food first-timers and even better if you happen to be starving. It comes with empanadas, papa rellena, pasteles, and tostones.
The empanadas are fairly decent- fried golden crisp on the outside with a greatly seasoned meat filling. They have a certain unexpected sweetness to them.
T
he papa rellena on the other hand will most likely tickle your pickle and become an instant favorite- a fried softball-sized potato ball stuffed with ground beef… simply scrumptious.
The pasteles are the Boricua take on tamales, made with yucca and stuffed with pork, even though they were a little on the bland side, it was an interesting take on tamales.
Now, when the mofongo arrived my partner in crime and I didn’t know what to expect. In theory, the mofongo sounds rather yucky- a concoction of mashed fried green plantains, garlic, olive oil, and pork cracklings. However, after having just a spoonful of this dish, the “don’t judge a book by its cover” saying popped into my head. It was pure (and puree) heaven.
Overall, “Señor Big Ed” is the king of Boricua food in an area reigned primarily by the brown man (Mexican food). It’s definitely set to become many people’s fave grub spot, no por nada han estado “up-and-running” por más de veinte años.
Señor Big Ed Puerto Rican Food 5490 Lincoln Ave. Cypress, CA 90630 714.821.1290