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Yabucoa.- Under the concept of a creative criollo cuisine based on plantains, Eric Ángel Rivera-Gómez ventured into the culinary industry with Platanutres Bar and Grill. It was a personal goal that would also help encourage the economy in his native town of Yabucoa.

“The idea was born with the intention of being able to bring to the people what we produce here, the plantain. Yabucoa is one of the main plantain producers in the country. We try to provide different dishes with our products,” said Rivera-Gómez, owner of the family business that opened in 2019.

The business, which integrates a peculiar and fun gastronomic offer, took very little to attract the attention of customers locally and in the diaspora. Not only because of how delicious their plantain soups or mofongos are, but also because of the good service and the setting they create. They are in connection with nature, with a rich greenery that can be seen from the tables located on the balconies.

But how did the idea come about? Rivera-Gómez highlighted that he would go out to eat with his family at different parts of the island, an activity he enjoyed to support Puerto Rican merchants. Inspired by those visits, trips to Latin America and the culinary documentaries he watched on Netflix, he, a barber, decided to have his first restaurant.

“Looking and looking, I said: ‘we haven’t gone into the food industry’,” said the 43-year-old who, in the past, had sportswear stores and a barber shop, but never a culinary business.

After commenting the idea to his family, the Yabucoa native began to brainstorm the menu, making the plantain its protagonist.

There they serve everything, from plantain soup and Los Supremos to plantanutres (plantain chips) or tostones, covered with meat or chicken, cheese and pico de gallo. Their specialties include Burrifongo, which is a mofongo burrito with ground beef, chicken or steak; El Jibarito, a sandwich made of tostones; Arañita burger, hamburger with arañitas; and Piggy Balls, mofongo balls stuffed with meat.

To share with the family, they offer either El Patracón, which has tostones, fried pork chunks, chicharrones de pollo and mofongo balls; and the Platanutres Reforzados, which include freshly made platanutres with ground beef or chicken, rice, wings, french fries, tostones and more.

Among the most popular dishes are the Taquitos de Tostones and Mofongo Bowls with either meat or seafood, all prepared by chefs Elías Morales and Kritza de León. And, of course, plantain flan must be mentioned as part of their offerings for dessert.

As for drinks, they refresh their customers with lemonades, beers, frappés and mojitos.

“I didn’t expect it (the acceptance). For us it has been a blessing, I had never ventured into this type of venture (...) The growth has been such that I tell everyone who wants to start a business that they can do so in food and cuisine. There’s always something for everyone,” said the merchant after highlighting that his employees and suppliers are all from Yabucoa.

Among the farmers who supply him products are Josué Pinto, Eliezer Lozada and Carlos Lazú.

Rivera-Gómez hopes that the first Platanutres Bar and Grill franchises will be sold this summer. Among the 13 candidates interested, there are five who want to establish the franchise in the United States, he said.

In much the same way, the owner said that he hopes to create another type of franchise with food trucks or trailers that focus on his star dish: the Mofongo Bowl. He said that he also plans to distribute the famous platanutres that are freshly made at his restaurant.

“A lot of people ask: ‘Where is Yabucoa?’ Well, I invite them to visit and see how beautiful Yabucoa is. A valley (where) practically everything that was planted was sugar (canes) and now it’s full of plantains. Let them come and visit us,” concluded Rivera-Gómez.

The restaurant is located at #137 Luis Muñoz Rivera Street, El Tosquero sector. It opens Wednesdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. To contact the restaurant you can call 939-308-4489 or 787-987-6178.