In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "ethically sourced ramen burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has faded—or where the lingering hype is still justified.
Green sauce. That. Green. Sauce. There are times I think that I just eat at Pio Pio so I can dump half a cup of the spicy mixture over whatever's in front of me.
But that would be ignoring the chain's real specialty: pollo a la brasa. Rotisserie chicken's inherently a humble meal, but the version they do at one of their many NYC locations surpasses whatever condensation-laden version you grab from the supermarket. Makes sense: they've been perfecting it since first opening in Queens in 1994. With a side of yellow rice and beans—and several large spoonfuls of green sauce—it's one of the city's most filling, inexpensive and satisfying comfort foods.
I've been to multiple locations in Manhattan and the Bronx and have never had a dissatisfying meal. If I'm with a larger group, it's all about the Matador Combo: a whole rotisserie chicken, yellow rice, soupy beans, fried plantains, avocado salad and salchipapa. The invention of sliced hot dog tossed with crisp french fries is just one of the things the rest of the world has Latin America for which to thank.
