ELIE'S CHINCHORRO
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★
District: Midtown
Puerto Rican Cuisine
Perfect For: Lunch; Casual Dining; Date Night
Standout Dishes: Carne Frita Mofongo; Caribe Mixto Mofongo; Tripleta Sandwich; Shrimp Empanadilla
Before Elie’s Chinchorro opened in 2022, mofongo was one of my culinary white whales. I’d see the dish featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives and other food shows and so badly want to try it. But the odds of finding authentic Puerto Rican food in Omaha seemed like a pipe dream.
Then Elie’s arrived and not only brought mofongo, but a whole host of Puerto Rican dishes to Omaha. The first time you visit the restaurant, it’s hard to know what to choose because half the menu items are completely new to your vocabulary.
It doesn’t matter. Just point to a random spot on the menu. Wherever your finger lands on, the dish will be cooked by chef Elie Berchal, and that means it’ll be spectacular.
Located near 33rd and Fredrick, Elie’s Chinchorro takes your tastebuds to Puerto Rico, sans the airline fee and the jet lag. Each menu item pops with flavor in its unique way, as chef Elie cooks her favorite dishes from home. She learned by watching her grandmother and auntie growing up, and she put those techniques to use after moving to the United States in 2009.
And after years of selling and delivering her food out of her home, Elie finally got to open her dream restaurant.
The space itself is the embodiment of joy. Its walls pop with bright color, and a giant skylight splashes warm sunlight throughout the restaurant. Complete with plenty of vegetation, neon lights, and a bar that looks like it was picked up off a beach, Eli’s puts you in a good mood before you even sit down.
The menu, with traditional Caribbean items like Bacalaitos, Wepa, and Tostones, could be a challenge for a first-time customer. But the staff is extremely knowledgeable and can walk you through each dish in detail. And Elie herself, despite being busy in the kitchen, has personally greeted every table during my visits, not only welcoming the guests but offering recommendations.
Elie is a pure joy, with a sparkling personality that matches the vibrant vibe of her restaurant. But even if she were a crabby cook who kept herself in the kitchen, I’d come here to eat again and again.
Because of the Mofongo.
The dish starts with a mash of fried plantains, crispy pork skin, and fresh garlic. It’s somewhat reminiscent of mashed potatoes but much chunkier. Salty, garlicky, and slightly sweet, the flavor is absolutely addicting. And pouring Elie’s signature chicken broth over the mash adds moisture and another level of salty, savory richness.
Then come the proteins, which Elie cooks to perfection. A flash fry gives the pork a crunchy exterior to protect the succulent pig inside. The steak (ribeye) has a buttery, robust meaty flavor. And the shrimp, plump and juicy, have both sweet and salty notes.
Great as the mofongo is, it’s far from the only standout on the menu. The Shrimp Empanadilla rivals any fried pocket you’ll find in the city. It’s greasy as all get out, but it’s deep fried dough – that’s to be expected. The exterior is so crunchy diners sitting tables away will hear each bite, and the shrimp has a spicy undertone. The Alcapurria, a fried, elongated fritter stuffed with meat, is nearly as delicious. A common street food in Puerto Rico, the exterior is a mash of plantains that’s stuffed with ground beef and spiced and fried to a brilliant crispy texture.
Whatever you order, you can be confident you won’t leave hungry. The portion sizes at Elie’s are massive, and no menu item is a better example than the Tripletta Sandwich. It’s at least seven inches tall, and I’d be shocked if it weighed less than 1.5 pounds. The bread alone, a crusty roll with soft insides, could practically constitute a meal.
The sandwich is loaded with pork, chicken, and steak, and the melding of the proteins creates a meaty, savory, garlicky flavor. Potato chips bring crunch, mayo adds creaminess, and ketchup (while a seemingly odd addition on the surface), delivers a subtle sweetness.
It’s one of the most flavorful sandwiches you’ll find in Omaha; just bring your second stomach if you hope to finish it.
There’s so much to explore on this menu, you can not only order something different every time, but you can be confident it’ll be a hit. From the Soup of the Day (handmade by Elie) to the Pasteles (a banana masa pocket stuffed with pork), each dish has its own unique personality.
That’s a big part of what makes Elie’s special. This restaurant is offering dishes you won’t find anywhere else in Omaha, allowing you to experience plates you didn’t even know existed before you walked in Elie’s doors. Elie’s is an invitation to try something new, to introduce your palate to a new cuisine.
You might be intimidated by the menu the first time you come in, and I’ll admit that it’s a lot to take in. Nearly every menu item is new to the typical Omahan’s palate, challenging you to go outside your comfort zone.
And I pray that you do. The staff at Elie’s (including Elie herself) will help you find the perfect dish for your tastes, though I’m confident any plate will thrill you.
And if you’re really stuck, just order the mofongo. Trust me. For as excited as I was to try this dish, Elie’s has blown my expectations out of the water.
But once you eat here, you’ll find that’s no surprise. Dropping unexpected flavor bombs is Elie’s speciality.