Congratulations to owners Cindy and David Cruz and their entire family (photo above) and staff on the opening — finally! — of their Rice-n-Beans Express location at 24726 S.R. 54 in Lutz, a mile or so west of the Tampa Premium Outlets.
Although there are a few tables inside the new location, Rice-n-Beans Express is much more of a take-out place than the Rice-n-Beans Puerto Rico restaurant on Wesley Chapel Blvd., which has a large formal dining area, a full-liquor bar and live entertainment on the weekends.
The great news is that the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine at the Express location is just as delicious as at the WC Blvd. restaurant.
Jannah and I were happy to be invited to the private Friends & Family ribbon cutting event on Nov. 9, which included a great live DJ, free homemade sangria and samples of many of the new restaurant’s many menu items.
Our favorites included the fritters/ empanadas, which include traditional beef (left photo), chicken and even ham & cheese options, as well as a unique spinach, artichoke and cheese version that had its own delicious flavor.
We also loved the rotisserie chickens (photo below) that provide the centerpiece of the new Express location, the Cuban sandwiches and yes, both the red and the black beans and rice.
Since that truly wonderful Grand Opening event, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I have sampled quite a few other menu items at Rice-n-Beans Express, including the pernil (roast pork; left) entrée (which comes with your choice of one or two sides), the sweet plantains, the canoa (a plantain “canoe” stuffed with ground beef & shredded cheese), the yellow rice with pigeon peas, the yucca with mojo sauce and perhaps my favorite menu item at the full-service restaurant, the chichårrons (fried pork skin; bottom right photo).
The rotisserie chickens are available in a variety of sizes, from quarter chickens with one or two sides to the “Familia Grande,” which includes two whole chickens, 32 ozs. of rice, 16 ozs. of beans and two additional large sides. There’s also a huge chicken & pork combo meal.
Save room for dessert because the Puerto Rico Desserts case in the Express offers vanilla and Nutella tres leches and three varieties of flan. Decadent!
For more info, call (813) 428-5077 or visit “Rice N Beans” on Facebook and please tell them I sent you! -GN
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