MIYA Sushi & Asian Cusine in Downtown Lowell

The Mo and I had plans to meet up with friends for a few drinks in Downtown Lowell.  They were running late so we decide to grab a quick dinner at a downtown eatery.  The "Grand Opening 10% discount" sign above the new MIYA restaurant caught my attention. I'm always in to try a new restaurant and definitely a fan of deals!  The new Sushi/Asian restaurant is in the location of the former Etsogo restaurant on Merrimack street.  (Etsogo moved to a new location in Dracut, MA)

We arrived  a little after 6 PM on a Friday night and the restaurant was empty.  I thought, "Oh boy this doesn't look good." (When we left, there were more diners that trickled in! I guess no one cool eats in DTL at 6 PM!)

The servers were very eager to please as we were the only diners.  The restaurant had a complete makeover and it definitely looked a new establishment.  There were no reminisce of the old Burger King, where I use to frequent circa  1998.

Rancho Tipico Hispanic Cuisine Food in Lowell

For most people, their social life dwindles down in the Fall.  For us, it just keeps getting busier. Within the past week, we've celebrated 6 birthdays and an anniversary.  In additional to all that, we're also attending a baby shower tomorrow.

To kill 4 birds with one stone, my friends and I got together for a casual dinner party at the DeLorie's home.  Since she herself just had baby Liam a couple weeks ago, we thought we'd order take out to make it easier on everyone.  Typically we get the Cambodian staples from Heng Lay or Simply Khmer but we wanted to try something new and Hispanic Cuisine came up.

Chicharro de Cerdo
Fried Pork

I reached out to my friend Amsi for recommendations and she mentioned Bani, Delicias Paisas and Rancho Tipico.  Since I would be ordering for 12 people, I wanted to go check out the place and see the food beforehand.  We arrived at Bani and there wasn't much in the glass display.  I asked the man if there would be more food in the evening and he advised that he would be closing at 6 PM today. He recommended La Differencia on Middlesex St but I vaguely remember them having bad reviews.

We walked a block over to Rancho Tipico on Salem street where the vibe was quite different.  There was music playing in the restaurant and a line of people waiting to be served.  I felt like I was in Puerto Rico.

Buen Provencho Puerto Rican staples in Hamilton, NJ

The Mo and I headed down South to NJ to surprise my cousin Pam who just welcomed her 2nd baby girl Mali.  After running around for most of the weekend, we grabbed a late lunch before heading back home.  I did a Yelp search and found a place within walking distance from her house. It was literally steps away.

Buen Provencho  Restaurant & Cafe is a brand new establishment that just opened its doors in the summer.  The menu features authentic Puerto Rican staples that includes mofongo, pernil as well a handful of popular sandwiches you would find on the island itself.