ISLAND LIFE
Latin-Caribbean takeout spot splashes into San Antonio's Five Points
Las Perlitas' tacos al vapor.
They have cringey names like B*tch Don't Grill My Cheese; their Yelp photos make Fyre Fest seem practically yassified. Though consumers continue to be spooked by the post-pandemic rash of ghost kitchens, the virtual restaurants aren’t going anywhere.
But the newish Lombrano Food Hall at 427 Lombrano St. is bucking the trend by serving food that is no mere cash grab. Last week, beloved Korean eatery Cypress Cafe announced it was moving to the to-go complex. Now, a Latin-Caribbean concept is keeping the momentum going.
Las Perlitas Latin Street Food is the work of Roxanna Solis, a newbie to the food world that was inspired by her family’s entrepreneurial spirit. A true family business, the eatery is also run by operations manager (and sister) Darlene Solis.
The menu mostly mines island flavors in dishes like Honduran fried pork belly served with yucca fries and Puerto Rican pinchos, skewered grilled chicken, beef, or pork. The sole taco offering, however, comes from landlocked corners of Mexico — steamed tacos al vapor.
The desserts are a little less traditional. Traditional caramel flan is given a choco-cheesecake makeover and tres leches cake is reinvented with horchata. According to a release, Solis plans to add more menu items as the business develops.
Like all Lombrano tenants, Las Perlitas is only available for pick-up and delivery, either through delivery apps or directly from the restaurant’s website. Normal opening hours are 11 am to 3 pm for lunch and 5-9 pm for dinner, though the business holds occasional pop-ups and is available for catering.
