an introduction to Puerto Rican food at Sol Food

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The walk around San Francisco worked up our appetites. Biboy took us across Golden Gate Strait and onto San Rafael. That's where he introduced us to Sol Food, a restaurant serving Puerto Rican Food. It's the first time that I'd try this cuisine so I was quite curious... especially since the queue outside the restaurant was long. We were definitely in for some really yummy food!

I ordered a dish called "vegetariano". Biboy was compelled to ask if I were turning vegetarian. I said no, but this was the only dish that explicitly stated that it had olives; hence I just had to order it. The platter arrived containing a bowl of pink beans and olives inside a thick soup, some rice, a hearty serving of greens, half an avocado, and French fries. Although it was a relatively large meal (bigger than what I typically eat), I didn't feel overwhelmed because I was eating a generous serving of veggies. For dessert (postres), I chose to get the restaurant's version of leche flan, which they call "flan de queso". It's not overwhelmingly sweet but it's definitely firmer than the regular leche flan I've eaten in the Philippines... and the flan de queso did not have bubbles at all!

One thing I noticed about the dishes on the menu was the strong African influence on Puerto Rican food. For instance, I could choose between fried plantains and French fries. The bean soup was probably thickened with a starchy root, perhaps taro or potato (I couldn't tell the difference yet, quite honestly). And of course, the Spaniards had strong influences on the food culture as well (not counting the language). The olives in the bean stew is dead giveaway. Then there's rice. I'm assuming that the Spaniards brought the rice culture to Puerto Rico either directly from Europe; however, it is also possible that Spain brought rice over from the Philippines through the galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco. Unlike the Filipinos who treat rice as the major part of the plate, the chefs at Sol Food just put rice in as a side dish. The plantain or the French fries were the staples in Sol Food.

Our dining experience was good at Sol Food. It's a good introduction for me because I rarely encountered Latin cuisine when I was in the Philippines. I wonder where we're off to next time. The Bay Area, after all, is known for the diversity of cuisines available.

Thank you again, Biboy and Barbara!!

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