Tipico Latino Restaurant Rockledge

2nd time dining tonight and the food is consistently delicious (had the bifongo w/roasted pork, Tequeno and Cuban sandwich). Definitely will be back.

Típico Café Latino (Típico Latino Restaurant), 566 Barton Boulevard, Rockledge, Florida- 5-Stars Although the Hispanic population in Brevard County as of 2022 is a mere 11.6%, their restaurants must make up 35% of the restaurant inventory. Now that I have dined at so many Latin establishments, I feel I am starting to discern the good, the bad, and the horrific. Recently I found myself in Rockledge walking into the unassuming Tipico Café Latino. The place didn't look like much to me at first, and since the most obvious definition of "típico" in English means "typical," I was concerned. Later when I found out that "típico" when referring to food is more about how such a dish represents the most famous local flavor of a region, the name made perfect sense. The food prepared here is the real deal and it's truly outstanding. Don't let the ambiance of this small saloon deter you. Elise is the owner and personally sees to the comfort of her guests. She and her chef are from the Dominican Republic, and their website states that Dominican cuisine has been influenced by indigenous Dominicans as well as settlers from Spain, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Canary Islands, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti (next door on the shared island of Hispaniola), and Hungary. They further indicate that flavor contributions have been made by Sephardic Jews, slaves brought to the Republic by the French in the 17th Century, and freed Blacks who fled from the United States in the 19th Century. From the Menú Típica Latino, I ordered the Típico Fried Platter, and I strongly suggest you do the same. It has everything: Fried Pork, Fried Chicken, Longaniza (Spanish sausage), Salami, Fried Cheese, Casava, and Tostones. Amazing! As the Dominican Republic is only 57 miles southeast of Cuba, it is not surprising that there are also a few expressly classic Cuban dishes on the menu. One of these is the Ropa Vieja/ Shredded Stewed Beef and Vegetables. The rice accompanying this "típica" Cuban dish was cooked perfectly. The beef itself was so tender, its juices so flavorful, that for a moment I experienced zoanthropy, becoming one of Pavlov's dogs salivating just remembering this experience. I pull myself together, remembering I am a human man, and wipe the slobber off my jowls with a towel. THIS IS A BIG BOY MUST TRY! The Big Boy says, "Go see Elise, try the Típico Fried Platter, and, oh yeah, bring your appetite."