Ramonita's

Located in the nebulous area where Williamsburg meets Bushwick, the Moore Street Market has been threatened with closure seemingly since it opened in 1941. As recently as 2007, the city announced plans for the market's demolition, but thunderous opposition caused those plans to be scraped and the lease to be taken over by the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. Eating at Ramonita's, a tiny Dominican/Puerto Rican lunch counter inside, makes it easy to see why folks would take to the streets to defend the market.

A large bilingual menu hangs on the wall but serves more as a statement of possibilities than a description of what is actually available on any given day. For that, you have to eye the steam table and ask questions. An enthusiastic recommendation of the mofongo could hardly be ignored, and we joined everyone else in ordering an alcapurria, one of the house specialties. (We also got a cubano sandwich, serviceable but an instance of comical overkill.) That day's mofongo saw the mashed plantains combined with shredded pork and pork cracklings; tasty enough on its own, the dish sang when mixed with the accompanying broth, which allows you to add juicy to the crunchy-meaty-soft-savory-sweet mix. Our fritter came stuffed with hueyes (oxen) and yuca and joined the ranks of our favorite snacks after a single bite. In the Caribbean, alcapurrias are often a beach food, but the fritters from Ramonita's can --- and should --- be enjoyed anywhere.

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