Churrasco Nica

AT FRITANGA NICARAGUAN CUISINE, ONE OF CHEF-OWNER ORLANDO HIDALGO’S SPECIALTIES IS HIS CHURRASCO NICA, OR GRILLED FLANK STEAK, SERVED WITH FRESH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE.

While growing up in Managua, Nicaragua, Hidalgo lent a hand at his father’s restaurant and dreamt of someday owning his own eatery. After moving to Miami, and subsequently to the St. Louis area, he pursued his passion for hospitality by opening Fritanga Nicaraguan Cuisine in 2007, where he proudly serves the traditional food of his childhood.

“I’m a lover of the traditional dishes; I like to rescue the food the younger people don’t like to cook anymore,” Hidalgo says. “People come to eat here and tell me that it reminds them of their mom or grandma. To me, that’s the best compliment you can have. It’s just about bringing back comforting memories from your childhood. That’s what I love and what I’m creating.”

To make the steak in his churrasco nica tender and flavorful, Hidalgo marinates it in sour oranges – a tart version of the citrus fruit that’s native to Nicaragua – as well as mojo criollo with vinegar and seasonings, including garlic, onions, parsley, oregano, pepper and cumin. The flank steak is then charbroiled and served with his signature chimichurri. According to Hidalgo, the herbaceous garlic-heavy dressing is one of his trademarks that lends a refreshing flavor to many of his dishes. For him, it’s a nostalgic flavor of his hometown that he’ll enthusiastically share with anyone willing to try it.

Fritanga Nicaraguan Cuisine, 2208 S. Jefferson Ave., Fox Park, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-664-7777, fritangastl.com