By Cliff Lewis
In Lancaster City, you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy a meal of fresh and exotic flavors. Just east of the corner of King and Duke, La Cocina sits in a quaint storefront on 111 E King St, just across from Demuth’s Tobacco Shop. The restaurant serves an extensive and inexpensive array of Dominican foods in a colorful and classy setting.
On a busy weekday lunch hour, the café is a relaxed escape from the loud bustle of Downtown. Even with music playing, the place seems quiet. All at once, the restaurant is warm, relaxed, clean, and organized. It works for a business meeting or a bite on the run.
At the front counter, patrons select from a lively spread of dishes, including empanadas, plantains, stewed pork, fried fish, stewed goat, and more. These items are not only diverse, but they are also deliciously well-prepared. For instance, the empanadas-fried pastries filled with cheese and meat-were stuffed with a savory shredded steak instead of the usual ground beef. A plate of food is generously piled with a thick stew of rice and beans along with any other chosen items.
And the price is certainly right. A heaping plate of rice and beans with plantains and meat costs around $6. Empanadas run for a dollar each. With food like this at such a lean price, what’s the point of fast food?
