Mama Elena's, Paterson

Mama Elena's roots lay in a small village of the Dominican Republic, where more than a century ago, Mama Elena would cook hearty meals to feed the kids in her neighborhood. Today in New Jersey, the chefs at Mama Elena's honor her passion for food and commitment to community by filling neighbors' bellies with à la Carte options ranging from steamed fish filets to fried Dominican sausage. The chicharron de pollo, for example, is a plate of deep-fried chicken chunks enlivened by a house sazon made from fresh-diced vegetables and secret liquid seasoning.