First thing first, Cerro Negro is a Nicaraguan restaurant, not a Fritanga. Suppose you’re not even sure what that means (I didn’t before I started dating Marcela, who is Nicaraguan); even better.
The City of Sweetwater (which is near Cerro Negro) is chock full of Nicaraguan businesses, and Fritangas seem to make up a large portion of them. Fritangas is the quick-service version of a Nicaraguan restaurant. The greatest hits of Nicaraguan food can be found ready to go with a couple of specials daily.
Some of them also have seating, but it’s typically minimal. You can find Fritangas in Davie, Hialeah, Kendall, Miami Gardens, and even Pembroke Pines.
Cerro Negro restaurant (named after the volcano in Nicaragua) is situated right where La Hormiga de Oro (another Nica resto) once was, in the Fontainebleau part of Miami on the same corner of 97th Avenue and Flagler.
My parents insisted that I eat at Cerro Negro, but not without some trepidation on my part. I love them both, but I question some of the restaurants they love.
So much so that they spoke so highly of Cerro Negro that I was sure I wasn’t going to like it. It turns out I was wrong.
In keeping with what I just told you, I ordered the sangria against their wishes. They didn’t care for the heavy cinnamon flavor, but I did. I wasn’t expecting it to be that potent, and it was a nice change from the regular run-of-the-mill sangria you find everywhere.
If you’re keeping score at home, I didn’t tie the cherry’s stem into a knot. It’s not that I can’t, but there’s a time and place for everything. Plus, I don’t think my parents would have been that impressed.
If I’m not having a sangria, then a Toña beer from Nicaragua in a frosty mug is the way to go.
The taquitos are shredded beef topped with Nicaraguan slaw and crema (a variation of sour cream). To help us prepare for the meal, we also had queso frito (fried cheese) and tostones (flattened and fried plantains).
Don’t forget to ask for a side of their jalapeño crema to spice things up your life.
What makes Nicaraguan-style carne asada so good is the marinade. When cooked properly, the pieces of beef are so tender you could pick it up, forgo silverware, and eat the steak with your hand. I’ve seen this firsthand.
Cerro Negro’s carne asada is excellent, and easily one of the best I’ve had.
Tajadas, Queso Frito and Tres Leches
Next, I ate some of their flavorful gallo pinto. The tajadas (fried sweet plantain chips, sliced longwise) are always a great side, but my favorite is the queso frito.
I find myself at times obsessing over this pan-fried block of white cheese. The saltiness of the cheese can be off-putting to some folks, but it’s what makes it stand out amongst what some try to pass off as “queso frito.” There is nothing like it.
If you somehow make it to dessert, I suggest the Tres Leches. Tres Leches is a sponge cake saturated in three kinds of milk: condensed, evaporated, and whole.
Cerro Negro restaurant opens at 7 am for breakfast, but I’ve never made it, and I probably won’t unless there’s carne asada and queso frito on the morning menu.
Cerro Negro
9613 W Flagler Street
Miami, FL
(305) 227-9870
Website – https://cerronegrorestaurant.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cerronegrorestaurant
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079584716100
Monday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 7:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 10:00 pm