Caridad
“The mofongo came with with cheese and gravy was the ultimate comfort food; flavorful, rich, and of course, quite carby!”
“mangu is what dominicans have as a substantial breakfast.”
“Occasionally, I've been afraid of the language barrier when ordering over the phone, but have never had a problem with delivery.”
Caridad
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
7 reviews
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Do not get the Cuban Sandwich from the Dominicans. It was dry like a cigar. You are way better off with the Monfongo Pernil, or smashed plantains with roast pork. Moist and flavorful. Their beans and rice really smacks down Cafe Con Leche. The bean's stock alone has a velvet texture and begs to be thrown over a bed of fluffy rice.
If there was a soundtrack about my life it would be called I had a dream about rice and beans.
I have been coming to Caridad for at least 2 years ever since I spotted it walking down amsterdam. I can always count on it for cheap spanish food. I come here because they have arroz con gandules and although I prefer El Malecon if I am in this part of the neighborhood going downtown I will drop in. I used to go to the Caridad on 32nd Street but that one closed down. It was nice to see one in the UWS neighborhood. I only get a few different things from this place because like they say its hard to teach an old dog new tricks but I usually stick with my favorites of the whole Roast Chicken (Pollo a la braza), Beef Stew (Carne guisada) and Roast Pork (Pernil al horno).
They have a pretty cheap whole roast chicken deal for 12 bucks that comes with rice and beans if you order it before 4 pm. It can be a little on the dry side but the skin is pretty crispy. Their hot sauce is not green but yellow because I think there's a lot of garlic in it.
The beef stew- i usually get as a plate so all of the beef stew juices are over the rice which is what I like but there is not enough of the stew part sometimes.
The Roast Pork- Pernil is very soft and the skin is so soft it melts in your mouth. Usually I like crispy skin but if it is not crisped properly it is very rubbery and you may lose some teeth trying to tear a piece off ( imagine chewing a rubber band). But this place makes the skin in a way that is very tender no knife needed. I always try to get it with arroz con gandules (pigeon pea rice) or if they have a mixed rice (moro style). The arroz con gandules is decent but I think it needs a little more sofrito or recaito seasoning or both. The pork is not salty like I am used to so I usually ask for hot sauce cause I like spicy stuff. They give me this diamond red hot sauce which is a tangy cayenne pepper sauce just a note to your nose but there's a strong vinegar smell to it.
They have the usual red or black beans (habichuelas) with yellow or white rice if that is your thing. I usually come here to check out the daily specials and get a lunch special that comes with meat, rice and beans and a piece of sweet or green plantain (maduros/tostones).
They also have mangu (mashed plantain) for breakfast but they only serve it before 12 and I never get here that early.
If you are doing take out you order with the ladies in the front and you pay the dude all the way in the back of the counter near the bar. Strange system of walking back and forth but whatever. They have a bathroom and they have a tv because I see the old spanish guys watching the soccer games sometimes.
It's not a life-changing meal but it will satisfy your rice and bean cravings if you are like me. Come here if you want some cheap spanish food.
mangu, thats whats up. if you live in new york and you dont know what mangu is, tu ta loco. mangu is what dominicans have as a substantial breakfast. lets say you get drunk, which i did, the night before i came to caridad, next morning you get mangu, con huevo frito and salami.
its around 11am and i come in, sit by the bar. 'would you like to see a menu?' the lady behind the counter asks. no gracias i responded in neutral spanish. then i order my mangu in my best dominican accent, why? because i can. this surprised the waitress and she asked me in disbelief 'are you dominican?' i said yes i am, which is not true but how would you know that? especially after i ask you if the salami used in the mangu is salami induveca de mayita? but then i had to confess that i am not dominican but almost. sorta. the point is, the lady was nice to me when she didnt think i was dominican. she was just as nice when i said that i was dominican and finally, she was still nice to me even after i told her that i had just lied to her, that i wasnt really dominican.
moral of the story: platano is good for you. eat some.
* they lose points for not having natural orange juice just tropicana. thats orange drink. i dont care what you say.
It is with a heavy heart that I must change my raving review and go from 4 stars to 2…
Second time in two weeks the send my order wrong. This time I was missing an order of maduros (fried sweet plantains) and the pernil (roast pork) was not what I expect from them, a third of it was overcooled to the point it was dark and dry.
I called about the maduros and was told they would send them right away. Half an hour later I called and they said, ok, we will send them now. When I said that what is the point, we already ate dinner he said that "you can eat them by themselves". I asked to just send me back the money (only $3, but it is the principle) he refused and said he would take care of it next time. Well… there very well may not be a next time. Which is a shame, since I order on average of once a week.
This sure hit the spot after a long workout. Warm, heavy beef stew over yellow rice and black beans and white bean soup were both hearty and satisfying. You have to really love chicken livers to order that plate. It is a LOT of liver. Food's promptly served and you can't beat the price. Definitely not a date place.
Authentic and delicious Dominican cuisine! We decided to split a monfongo and a plate of shredded pork, beans, and yellow rice.
The mofongo came with with cheese and gravy was the ultimate comfort food; flavorful, rich, and of course, quite carby! They must have served a pound of it as well. The shredded pork was moist and tasty, and went extremely well with the perfectly cooked yellow rice and red beans. A well made classic.
For dessert the tres leches cake which was unabashedly served in a plastic container. Regardless, the cake was quite delicious. But the one disappointment of the afternoon was the "Dominican cake" which tasted like glorified store bought birthday cake to us.
Two mains and drinks were $14. Two desserts was $6. Tremendous value. Service was solid, though, they were not falling all over themselves to rush, which is fine. For strong stars for authentic food at fair prices. Recommended.
Tried the cuban sandwich and the tres leches cake. So delicious !!!!! Fast and friendly. Highly recommended 🙂