- RESTAURANTS
- El Cantinflas Bar and Taco Place
Restaurant Details
El Cantinflas Bar and Taco Place
This neighborhood sports bar and restaurant in Norris Square offers a greatest hits medley of Puerto Rican street food, from arañitas — shredded plantains fried together like a thick latke — served with crisp chicharrón, to the jibarito, an oversized steak sandwich invented by the diaspora in Chicago that uses two tostones as bread. The plantain is most definitely king here, with the menu’s highlight being hors d'oeuvre-sized cups of fried plantains stuffed with garlicky shrimp, steak and cheese, or more chicharrón. The atmosphere is relaxed, to say the least; reggaetón plays from a jukebox in the back corner while patrons sip milkshake-thick piña coladas in to-go cups and opine about the Eagles’ preseason over golden bacalaitos that — yes — are larger than Jason Kelce’s head.
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The Inquirer aims to represent the geographic, cultural, and culinary diversity of the region in its coverage. Inquirer staffers and contributors do not accept free or comped meals — all meals are paid for by the Inquirer. All dining recommendations are made solely by the Inquirer editorial staffers and contributors based on their reporting and expertise, without input from advertisers or outside interests.