5. MamaSushi
Collins and Fernandez then met up with Susan Osorio, the co-founder of Mamajuana, MamaSushi, and a slew of other Little Dominica restaurants. Collins said, “She seems to be the queen of Little Dominica.” That certainly seemed like the case as she enthusiastically greeted most passersby by name.
First, Collins and Osorio went to MamaSushi, where the owner explained what sets the restaurant apart from its competitors. “It’s the ingredients in MamaSushi that make us different. We use a lot of Spanish ingredients. You got to eat a sushi with pork, beef, bacon, chicken. It’s either fried, grilled, or pan-fried.”
Osorio introduced Collins to the dish la chapiadora, which she noted means a famous, beautiful girl who goes into a restaurant who wants to ask, “What’s the most expensive item on the menu?” According to Osorio, “It’s like a chicken teriyaki on top. You’re gonna love it.”
The business owner went through her family history, noting that she came to the States at 15 and that her mother has been here since 1978. Osorio added, “That’s the good thing about Mama Sushi. That’s it. It’s a little bit for everyone. And we put a lot of passion and love in what we do.” Collins responded with, “I can tell.”