The Adobos enterprise is a family affair, owned by Hermes “Tito” Vargas and staffed mostly by relatives: father, niece, son and others. The warmth you experience walking into the restaurant—festooned with palm fronds and vibrant island colors—is the same warmth you’ll experience from the staff. One thing is certain—the instant you enter the restaurant you’ll forget that you are dining in a Sandy strip mall. Chef Vargas is a native Puerto Rican and so the food, not surprisingly, has a Puerto Rican slant.
Tostones (from the Spanish tostar, “to toast”) is a common Latin American side dish made from green plantains that are either mashed or sliced and, usually, pan-fried in oil. These tostones are mashed, formed into cups and filled with tender shredded beef. That same beef is the basis for the delicious ropa vieja ($9.95), which translates from the Spanish as “old clothes.” At Adobos, ropa vieja is a big plate of beef, shredded and stewed in its own juices along with green peppers and onions, and served with white rice and a choice of black or red beans and either tostones or amarillos, crispy plantain chips sometimes also called maduros. Ropa vieja is the epitome of Caribbean comfort food. For a little Puerto Rican in the most unlikely of spots, head out to Adobos.
