If you head west down Hertel, past Elmwood and away from the hustle and bustle of the street's eastward retail, you'll find Papi's Family Restaurant, a humble establishment serving up authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.
As we entered Papi's on a recent visit we overheard a patron sitting at the counter remark to the manager, "You have the best pastelillos in the city." Now, I haven't personally tested this theory by visiting all of the establishments who serve pastelillos in Buffalo, but I can verify that Papi's serves an incredibly tasty version of this handheld snack.
We dined as a group and thought it best to share dishes. We ordered nearly every kind of pastelillo on the menu. Partially because we thought they'd be smaller, but mostly because they all sounded so good we couldn't make up our minds. Pastelillos are dough pockets filled with your choice of meat, seafood, or veggies, then fried. They are savory with a crispy exterior and hot, moist interior. Our consensus ranks Papi's conch, crab meat, and shrimp as our favorites. There was also a vote for the non-traditional pizza pastelillo. If you don't enjoy seafood, do not be discouraged, there are beef, chicken, cheese, and vegetarian choices.
Despite our overindulgence with pastelillos, we managed to make a dent in the mofongo relleno de camarones, or shrimp mofongo. Mofongo is made of mashed plantains and garlic and is served with your choice of protein. The light, viscous sauce is simple, allowing the garlic and shrimp flavors to define the dish.
The menu has both Spanish and English translations to ease ordering. One thing you won't find on the menu itself is conch, one of our favorite options. According to the manager, when the menu was made they hadn't found a consistent supplier. They have one now and you shouldn't miss out. Ask for the conch in a pastelillo, any of the entrees, or prepared however you'd like.
I can only think of a couple other local restaurants that serve conch, but Papi's does it well; ours was tender, not chewy, with subtle seasoning--all at an affordable price. Seafood is a staple of Puerto Rican cuisine; Puerto Rico is a small island approximately 3 times the size of Rhode Island. Even considering the cost of transporting fresh seafood to a place like Buffalo, 500 miles from the ocean, Papi's is still reasonably priced.
My only regret is not saving room for dessert. There are a variety of sweets and pastries on the front counter. I will definitely be back to Papi's, most likely ordering a conch entree and dessert.
Papi's Family Restaurant
690 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo, 14207
716.874.7274