Tropical Grill on Pelham Road

My Dad and I are on a quest to find the best Latin restaurant in Greenville. Tonight we hit our first stop: Tropical Grill on Pelham Road. The restaurant boasts an almost perfect score on Urbanspoon. By the time Dad, our two guests and I were making our way there, we were quite hungry and expectations were high.

At eight o'clock on a Tuesday night, one pregnant lady, two senior citizens, and a new pal saunter into the brightly lit Cuban café. No line. The restaurant closes in less than an hour, yet the handsome man at the register greets the team warmly.

New pal, Jessica asks what’s good. From behind the register, the owner’s cousin delivers a perfect 4 minute menu summary complete with recommendations. Dad and Jessica go with the Cuban Roasted Pork Chop – half chicken. Mom orders the South of the Border Chop, and I try the Classic Chop. Everything comes with choice of saffron rice or white rice and signature sauces made in house.

The meals arrive at the table all looking a lot like open burritos from Chipotle, which don’t get me wrong, are completely delicious. We’re talking no frills, plastic bowl, flour tortilla wedge thrown on top. This is fast food, after all. BUT, it’s homemade!

I plunge my fork into the bright yellow rice. Not mushy, thank god. I hate that. The chicken breast chunks on top are juicy. It’s good. The pork mooched off my Dad’s dish is good also. Mom points out that each of the sauces tastes a bit like ranch. They all taste fine to me and I’m enjoying this food critic game.

Even more, I’m enjoying doing it while we simultaneously play movie critics. It all starts with Jessica’s recounting of the play she saw downtown. “You’ve got to see the movie, Waiting for Guffman,” suggests Dad. “Oh I loved Best in Show,” she exclaims.

From The Godfather, we get to Flight of the Concord, one of Al Pacino’s first bit parts. Mom gushes over a photo of Robert Redford on Jessica’s phone. Then onto Lonesome Dove featuring Dad’s crush, Diane Lane.

Twice, we are asked how we like our food. Unanimous reply: “Great!”

We leave satiated and closer than when we walked in.

And that of course is the objective of the Quest for El Mejor.