Reyes Restaurant wows with unique Honduran cuisine

I had a rough start to researching this column this week. I drove 54miles round trip to discover that Google business hours for the chosen restaurant were incorrect, and even worse, I had asked friends to meet me there. While we stared blankly at the unlit "OPEN" sign before us, I rallied and told them about another restaurant I wanted to visit. They were gracious enough to drive again, and we all wound up at Reyes Restaurant at 1434 North Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau. And after all that driving, we were hungry.

Reyes Restaurant has been open for about a month and a half. Before I even walked in, I felt that tingle of anticipation, that maybe I had found something special, because the sign in front read “Honduran and Mexican Food.” Oh. Oh my. Maybe, just maybe, I would find something unique inside.

Our waitress was amazing. She told us the first page of the menu was Honduran, and the rest was Mexican. In the Mexican section, I saw all of my Mexican restaurant favorites, and mostly the same thing you can get at any other place. But that first page…that first page with all of the Honduran plates was pure gold, and unlike anything you’ll find anywhere close.

Desayuno Catracho Especial, with homemade tortillas, mouthwatering marinated grilled steak, and made-from-scratch black refried beans.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

Because there were four of us there, I found myself with an overabundance of variety. We all ordered something different, and I chowed down on warm white tortilla chips and salsa to satiate the stomach rumblings.

I ordered Pastelitos de Harina, or flour pasties/hand pies. I couldn’t make up my mind on the filling, so I got one filled with ground beef and rice and one filled with shredded chicken. The pastelitos were fried and covered with shredded cabbage, a mild sauce, cheese, and chimol, which is like pico de gallo but from Central America instead of Mexico. These were the best little savory hand pies. They were served with a pickled mixture of onion, carrot and peppers on the side, which added a sour bite to every delicious crunch of cabbage and fried dough. While the shredded chicken was delicious, I liked the ground beef and rice more. This was unexpected, because ground beef at a Mexican restaurant is not usually my protein of choice, but Reyes seasoned the meat deliciously. Also, the waitress told us that all doughs, tortillas and wraps on the Honduran menu are handmade, and I could taste it. This was no store-bought frozen dough but flaky, light pastry dough, made on site. Absolutely wonderful.

My husband ordered Desayuno Catracho Especial, or Special Catracho Breakfast. This was a deconstructed plate full of marinated grilled steak that was incredibly savory, scrambled eggs, refried beans, avocado, a slab of mild white cheese (maybe queso fresco), Honduran cream, slices of ripe plantain and those homemade corn tortillas. You choose your ingredients and stuff them into the tortilla, or at least that’s what he did. Lovely lovely stuff, all fresh and beautiful, and when combined they were magical. Those ripe plantains were my favorite, after the steak. They had been cooked long, marinated in perhaps cinnamon and sugar, and they were sweet and tangy and different, like a cross between an apple, a banana and something a tad savory.

Pollo con Tajadas, or fried chicken Honduran style, juicy and delicious.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

Our friend ordered the most impressive looking plate at the table. Pollo con Tajadas, or chicken with slices, which doesn’t seem to translate very well. Thanks again, Google. Nonetheless, it was two large pieces of fried chicken, served with green plantain slices topped with chopped cabbage, red sauce and dressings, chimol, and pickled onions. It looked spicy but it wasn't. This is what I’ll order next time, and even though it looked messy to eat, that chicken looked amazing, and is reported to taste that way as well. This also featured the plantain in a totally different way from the ripe ones, thin slices fried and chewy, still with that delightful hint of barely there sourness.

If you can’t tell, I was happy to find this place. Finally, finally, we can get a taste of Central America food that is unique to a different country than Mexico, not that I’m hating on Mexican food. I love it, but other options are good, as well. More than good, they are delicious, fresh, homemade, and served by lovely people. I can’t encourage you enough to head to Reyes Restaurant and try something from that fantastic first page.

Rebecca LaClair travels to a new place every week to try food from a trendy restaurant or one she hasn’t been to yet.

Baleada Especial, a huge homemade flour tortilla filled with steak, eggs, red refried beans, cheese, cream, and avocado.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair