INDIALANTIC — One of a handful of Hispanic beachside restaurants, El Fogon recently celebrated its fi rst anniversary with plans for expansion.
Owners Emiliano Santos and Marcela Roland realize their tiny restaurant with only a handful of tables needs to grow, so they have plans to double its size.
El Fogon will stay remain cozy as if eating at home, but with more elbow room. Santos, a native of Puerto Rico, and Roland, who is from Costa Rica, teamed up to realize Roland’s dream of owning a restaurant.
Although the restaurant primarily focuses on Cuban cuisine, El Fogon’s menu also pays homage to the cuisine of its owners and other Latin and South American countries.
“We call it international cuisine with emphasis on Cuban and Latin dishes,” said Santos. El Fogon’s signature dish remains the paella del mar, or seafood paella, which sells for $15.95. It arrives piping hot and overloaded with scallops, fish, octopus, mussels, clams, shrimp. Chicken paella, with chorizo, chicken, sautéed peas and red peppers, is also a customer favorite.
Mofongo relleno, a beloved dish in Puerto Rico, is another good option, as is the fricase de pollo, chicken and potatoes cooked in a Cuban sauce and served with black beans and rice as sides. Costan Rican food is not easy to fi nd in Brevard County, but El Fogon features the Casado with its rice, black beans, sweet plantains, cabbage, tomato and your choice of fi sh, chicken or beef.
For the soup course, try the crema de calabaza con quesito, delicately seasoned pumpkin soup served with toasted Cuban bread. To end the meal, try the tres leches or the fl an. Portion sizes are generous, so many diners take part of the meal home.
“The food is nothing short of amazing,” said El Fogon patron Cinthy Robinson. El Fogon is located at 409 Fifth Avenue, just a couple of blocks east from the Melbourne Causeway. Limited parking is available in front of the restaurant, but there is plenty of space behind.
The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Monthly specials, such as deep fried red snapper, enhance the already large menu. El Fogon offers full catering services for weddings, corporate functions and other special events.
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For more information, call 321-914-0988 or visit www.elfogon321.com