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FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM ARTICLE   6-1-07

A Puerto Rican getaway

By PATRICIA RODRIGUEZ

Star-Telegram staff writer

It doesn't seem like the easiest task, creating a realistic Puerto Rican atmosphere in a small space in a Hurst shopping center, but Mark and Damaris Argust have done a credible job of it with their new Isla Taina restaurant.

She's Puerto Rican; he was stationed there for four years while in the military. Together with several members of her family, the couple has turned this two-story interior into a little piece of Old San Juan, with faux balconies, Puerto Rican flags and Caribbean-style masks on the colorful walls -- and, most important, authentic dishes that will appeal to novices and aficionados alike.

Puerto Rican food, which relies heavily on Caribbean ingredients like yucca, plantains and conch, is not easy to find in this part of Texas. Many dishes -- like mofongo (garlicky mashed green plantains) or bistec encebollada, beef steak smothered in onions and sauce -- may be unfamiliar to first-timers. The Argusts and their friendly staff, however, patiently answer questions and steer guests toward their greatest hits.

Pastelillos, for instance. These savory fried turnovers ($1.25 to $2 apiece) reminded us of empanadas; we had one of each flavor (shrimp, beef, chicken and, for the kids, a pizza version with cheese and tomatoes) and enjoyed them all. Each was fried perfectly, with a flaky crust. The mofongo ($3.95) might be more of an acquired taste, but having lived in the neighboring Dominican Republic, I have acquired it; Isla Taina's ultra-garlicky, starchy, salty version is very good.

The pastelillos are among the few dishes cooked to order; most everything else is served from a steam table behind the counter. Simply choose what you want, select a drink, and you're ready to go. Meat dishes, like chuletas (pan-fried pork chops, $8.95) also come with rice and a choice of sides, such as candied plantains. A few standards, such as the bistec, are always served, but others rotate in and out of the lineup.

Of these, on our visit, we were especially impressed with canoas, ($3.95), a new-to-us combo of baked sweet plantains, filled with melted cheese and a rich ground-beef mixture that tasted like picadillo; the sweet and spicy flavors perfectly complemented each other. Eating this, while we sipped a pineapple-flavored soft drink (Old Colony, a Puerto Rican brand) and listened to music by PR artists like Elvis Crespo, it was almost like being in the islands.

Isla Taina

465 Harwood Road

Hurst

817-282-7426

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Closed on Sunday.

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Essentials: BYOB; Visa, MC, Discover and debit cards accepted; smoke-free; wheelchair-accessible

Entree cost: $7.95-$16.95

Signature dish: Bistec, a traditional Puerto Rican dish of steak smothered in onions

Good to know: The restaurant is available for private parties; reservations are recommended if you plan to arrive shortly before closing time.

http://origin.dfw.com/mld/dfw/entertainment/dining/17303823.htm

Join Us For The 1st Annual Puerto Rican Day Festival   8-4-07

View a slideshow of the festivities. ENJOY!!!! http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=wx9lfx0.7qqvv58o&Uy=-wh80hy&Ux=1

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