32 WORLD’S BEST RESTAURANTS SEPTEMBER 2019
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WHEN JOSE ENRIQUE opened his
eponymous restaurant in San Juan,
Puerto Rico, in 2007, the space was
tiny, the menu written on a white-
board. He quickly gained a following
for his fresh takes on Puerto Rican
cooking. In 2017, when Hurricane
Maria took the roof off his restaurant,
Enrique set up a generator to feed
the community. (When José Andrés
and World Central Kitchen arrived,
they first set up shop at Enrique’s
restaurant.) Enrique rebuilt, and in
July of this year, relocated, reopening
in a larger, sleeker space. The day’s
offerings are now printed elegantly
on paper, but what hasn’t changed is
Enrique’s dedication to showcasing
the exuberant cuisine of the island.
On the day I dined at the white
marble bar, a seafood cocktail with
fat hunks of lobster was served with
tiny, hot arepas, a crispy counterpoint
to the cool seafood. Morcilla, blood
sausage, was perfectly spiced—bold,
comforting, eminently snackable. The
mofongo had a beautifully crunchy
edge, giving way to a soft, savory
center of mashed plantains with just
enough garlic to make the dish sing.
Enrique has an immense capacity
for taking the heartiest of dishes and
giving them elegance and nuance
without robbing them of any of their
soul. His is a remarkable talent, and
it’s led to a remarkable restaurant.
JOSE ENRIQUE
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, USA
“IN A WEEK OF FANTASTIC EATING, this
is the place I remember most,” said
one of our panelists when nominat-
ing Mariscos Ruben, a food truck in
Tijuana. There is a lot of incredible
street food here and throughout
Mexico, and so many places to eat
stunningly fresh seafood along the
Baja coast, but something about
Mariscos Ruben leaves an impression,
one that has inspired great chefs and
countless swooning visitors.
Owned and operated for 30 years
by husband and wife Ruben and
Mirta Rodriguez, the specialty here is
Sonoran-style seafood. Marlin tacos
are filled with freshly smoked fish
doused in creamy sauce and topped
with shredded cabbage. Various agua-
chiles are available, depending on the
fresh seafood that day; if crab claws
are on offer, do not miss out. Giant
clams get a topping of queso blanco
and are wrapped in foil and cooked
MARISCOS RUBEN
TIJUANA, MEXICO
on the grill for a clams au gratin dish
unlike anything you’ve ever had.
Customers crowd in to eat under
the awning between the truck and
the grill. It is wildly impressive that
this family-run food truck could be
so significant to so many people, but
also unsurprising. When you cook
with this much heart and skill, you’re
bound to make an impression.
AT MARISCOS RUBEN, YOU
HAVE A FRONT-ROW VIEW OF
MIRTA RODRIGUEZ IN THIS
UNASSUMING FOOD TRUCK
MAKING, WITH LOVE,
BY HAND, THE MOST
SUBLIME SONORAN
SEAFOOD IN THE WORLD.
—MARCUS SAMUELSSON
“
Ó
Enrique’s pork
belly and heirloom
tomato salad.
PHOTOGRAPHY (FROM LEFT): ERIC VARGAS, LUIS GARCIA
