RESTAURANT REVIEW: CASA MOFONGO, brixton
CASA MOFONGO BRINGS A TASTE OF THE DOMINICAN ISLAND TO LONDON
By Madelyn Herrera
Photo credit: Girl Dinner Magazine
As I was on my third hour of scrolling through TikTok the other day, I came across a video of someone trying a Dominican restaurant I had never heard of: Casa Mofongo in Brixton. Because I’m always in search of authentic Latin American food in London, I immediately stopped what I was doing, called my friend and told her to clear her schedule because I was going to show her the amazing flavours of the Caribbean.
A few days later, we grabbed our bags and our appetite and made our way to Casa Mofongo.
Living in London as a Latina is hard sometimes. I try to look for the flavours of my country everywhere I go and most times don’t find anything close.
I’m not picky when it comes to Latin food, and I know London has its fair share of Mexican and Spanish cuisine style restaurants, but Latin food goes so much deeper than that. There is a whole region of Latin America that has its own unique flavours and combinations you rarely find here.
Latin America has a variety of dishes served in many different forms, and oftentimes the same or similar ingredients are used. So, as a Nicaraguan American girl, all I really want are some black or red beans, plantains, and rice – anything more would be a blessing.
It was a gloomy and wet day in London so our mood was already down and we were more than ready to eat great food and vibe to Latin music.
I have been in search of Latin flavours around London since my arrival in the UK and have yet to be impressed, but Casa Mofongo immediately gave me the impression that it might be the first to do so.
As we walked along the street wondering if we were going in the right direction – we are both geographically challenged – we saw a brightly lit corner come into view and knew we were in the right place.
Before we even entered the restaurant, I could hear the sounds of something I’ve started becoming unfamiliar with since moving away from home: the sensual rhythm of bachata.
Photo credit: Girl Dinner Magazine
The moment we stepped in, we were transported to the Dominican Republic and it no longer felt like we were in gloomy London but more like we were entering a vibrant cabana near the beach.
Walking in, I heard one of my favourite Spanish songs, ‘El Amor’ by Tito, playing throughout the restaurant, which brightened my mood immediately.
The interior of the restaurant was decorated in bright colours, reminding me of the time I went to the Dominican Republic. And in case you forgot what cuisine you were eating, there were Dominican flags everywhere you looked.
After settling at a table near the corner, the waitress handed us the menus, which had so many options that we couldn’t decide where to even look first.
To drink, they had a variety of natural juice options which were similar to the ones I’ve had in Nicaragua.
The ones that stood out to me most were the tamarind, passion fruit, and guanábana flavours since I have never seen these options in other restaurants around London. We decided to go with the passion fruit because it’s the flavour that reminded me most of my roots.
Choosing the drinks was easy, choosing the food not so much.
Because Casa Mofongo is a Dominican and Spanish fusion restaurant, there are both traditional Dominican dishes and Spanish tapas on the menu.
Since we had saved our appetites all day to make the most of this experience, we were so hungry, it was hard to contain ourselves.
At one point we debated ordering one of everything since it all looked so delicious, but we finally decided on two main dishes: the Bandera Dominicana and mofongo with pork rinds, which we later realised was more than enough food for both of us.
The first plate that came out was the Bandera Dominicana, which consisted of a portion of beef, red beans, rice, two plantain chips called tostones, and a green salad.
This dish might seem inconspicuous, but for me, the specific combination of ingredients felt like home.
I gathered some beans and rice onto a fried plantain and took the first bite, which transported me back to Los Angeles. All of a sudden I was sitting at the dining table with my mom, dad and sister, laughing and talking over a bowl of red beans, rice and plantains.
Growing up, my household always had a pot of beans on the stove and we would eat red beans with every meal. I never learned how to cook it properly and have not been able to find anything that replicates the flavour until I came to Casa Mofongo.
Although the Bandera Dominicana almost made me cry, the real star of the show was the mofongo with its rich flavours and amazing texture.
Mofongo is a base of green plantains, fried and seasoned with garlic, salt and broth with a side of protein, which for us was pork rinds. It’s formed into a large ball, topped with cheddar cheese and served with a side salad and garlic broth to add on top.
The whole dish tasted amazing. I’m a huge fan of anything with garlic, so the broth that accompanied the mofongo tasted incredible to me and added to the already savoury bite. My only complaint was the cheddar cheese, which felt out of place but was scraped off easily and didn’t take away from the overall experience.
While we ate, there were different genres of Spanish music on shuffle. From reggaeton to bachata to vallenato to cumbia, they had it all. This really established the latin atmosphere I had been looking for. This vibe warmed my heart and reminded me of all the good times I had in Nicaragua.
With our hearts and stomachs full we paid the bill, which came to £43. Split between the both of us, I thought it was a reasonable price for the incredible food and the ambience that came with it.
I would rate this experience a ten out of ten, and I would definitely come back with more friends and family for some savoury Latin food, good music, and great service.
Casa Mofongo, 171 Coldharbour Ln, London SE5 9PA
For the most recent menu and information about events and business hours, you can check their Instagram @casamofongobarrestaurant.