Jimmyz Kitchen at Wynwood Art District in Miami

Now that we have walked through the Walls, and savored Miami’s abundant vitamin D, it is time for rest. Our next stop is Jimmyz Kitchen at Wynwood Art District in Miami. The cool air conditioning is welcome, and we all sit family-style at a long table. Framed pictures and paintings cover the walls. Pitchers of ice water are abundant. We sit and we talk about all the amazing art we have just experienced and before we know it, plates of steaming hot food are coming our way.

Mofongo. Peculiar name, isn’t it? Yes, the dish is also quite creative. But it is not a new creation, it is a traditional, Puerto Rican dish. Most of us have never heard of it, but I have to say, no one left a bite uneaten. Jimmy’z Kitchen serves seafood, steak, pork, and shrimp Mofongo, but the dish that graced our palettes on this tour was Chicken Mofongo with Creole Sauce. My personal favorite.

By now you might be wondering, what is Mofongo? Well, it is comprised of seared chicken breast (or another of the previously mentioned meats) that is drowned in a light tomato sauce (creole sauce) containing onion, garlic, bell pepper and spanish spices. However, Mofongo cannot be called Mofongo without the green plantains. Peeled, twice-fried, crumbled and assembled into a cup-shaped mountain, these are the star of the show. With forks, we push the crunchy and salty plantains into the chicken breast that swims in sweet creole sauce. The plantains soak up some of the sauce. Some of us add hot sauce for a more authentic taste. Every bite must contain a bit of all three components: chicken, creole sauce, and plantains.