Next up on the tour, we have Rosalinda Restaurante Hondureño, at 3700 JFK Blvd, in the Park Hill neighborhood of North Little Rock. Central Arkansas has an abundance of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, but only Rosalinda offers Honduran cuisine, which I had never previously experienced.

My favorite dish is #52, the Plato Rosalinda for $10.50. It is a thin skirt steak, served with mixed beans and rice, avocado, fried plantains and a side of their thick handmade tortillas. There is a lot to like here—and a big enough portion you can have it for lunch tomorrow too. The steak is well-seasoned and juicy and pairs deliciously with the tortillas. I am a fiend for the beans and rice served with this dish; they have an addictive richness that I’ve been trying to puzzle out and I think may be due to coconut milk. When you tire of those, the plantains are slightly sweet with a very pleasant texture that is a lovely contrast to the rest of the plate. I have tried other dishes but I always come back to this one.

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Another standout is the pupusas, which are stuffed tortillas somewhat similar to quesadillas ($2 each). Rosalinda’s offers them in 4 varieties—our favorites are the queso (cheese) and the chicharron (pork). The pupusas are served griddled and crispy on the outside with a slightly spicy slaw and mild, fruity salsa. One or two can make a great appetizer or you can easily make a meal out of them. For a little adventure, try the Pescado Frito, a whole fried tilapia, served with green bananas and rice ($10.50), one of the trio of shrimp soups, or a fried or steamed yuca (cassava) dish. I am also a big fan of the Agua Frescas made in-house, particularly the Agua de Pina (pineapple).

Fair warning: a meal at Rosalinda’s can be a bit unpredictable. The menu is enormous and the descriptions are a bit mysterious, so you can’t be quite sure what you’re getting until it arrives at the table. The service is usually attentive but there can sometimes be a language barrier. And, although this section of JFK is now officially “wet,” Rosalinda’s still does not serve alcohol.

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Rosalinda Restaurante Hondureño: 3700 JFK Blvd, NLR. (501) 771-5559

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