Punta Cana Grill Brings Authentic Dominican Food To Huntington

HUNTINGTON, NY—The Punta Cana Dominican Grill opened its doors in Huntington on June 8, bringing Dominican cuisine to the town.

The restaurant has customers customize their own meals, as Jon Romero, the owner, wanted to follow the route made popular by burrito chain Chipotle. For Cana Bowls, customers start by choosing their rice, then pick a protein, followed by a side and a sauce. Salad bowls follow a similar concept. Empanadas and mofongo, mashed green plantains with a garlic sauce, round out the menu.

"I wanted customers to feel a little familiarized with what’s on our menu," Romero told Patch. "Rice bowl or salad bowl, beans and picking a protein and a side is pretty simple and straight-forward."

Romero, 30, is American born with Dominican parents. He grew up in Westbury eating Dominican cuisine his whole life. At the age of 13, he learned how to cook under his mother and grandmother. He began working at a restaurant a year later and has been in the food business ever since. He launched the first Punta Cana Dominican Grill in Westbury in January 2015. Earlier this month, it was Huntington's turn to try a relatively rare cuisine.

"My main focus is to bring the diversity to towns that aren’t familiar with it," Romero said. "Huntington’s one of those places. I’m familiar with the four or five Mexican restaurants in the area, but there was no Dominican, so I thought it was time that people start eating some good, homemade food that’s a little different from Mexican."

Romero has spent time hanging out in Huntington since his college days and called it a happening town that's one of the most popular on Long Island. It just so happened there was a space available when he was looking at making his first expansion.

Some of the available proteins range from chicken, such as baked, grilled breasts, boneless chicken chunks, and stew, to pork, such as marinated pulled pork called pernil, pork chops and Chicharron de Cerdo, or sliced fried pork belly. Beef, shrimp and on Fridays only, oxtail, are also available.

The yellow rice is served with peas, and you can get white rice with either black or red beans. Some sides are yuca, vegetables and a variety of salads.

Empanadas have been one of the most popular menu items at the Huntington location; even more-so than Westbury. Each empanada costs $2.50, and there are seven base types from the traditional to experimental: beef, white cheese, chicken, chicken fajita, pepperoni pizza, cheeseburger and Nutella banana. You can customize your three-empanada combo from there by choosing a rice, beans and two sauces.

To quench your thirst, the company recommends its signature "Cana Splash," which combines limeade and passion fruit. Mango, papaya, limeade or passion fruit on their own and "Morir Sonando," which translates to "Die Dreaming" and consists of orange juice, milk, sugar and vanilla round out the juices/smoothies menu.

Caramel or coconut flan are offered for dessert.

Romero plans to open a third location in Rockville Centre in a couple of months. While his mission is to bring Dominican cuisine to areas that aren't familiar with it, his dream is to be the first national Dominican restaurant.

"I want to be in Tennessee, Miami, I want to be everywhere," he said. "That is truly the goal."

While that may be a ways away, Romero is very happy with where he's at: bringing Dominican food to his fellow Long Islanders.

"I didn’t think by the age of 30, I will have three Punta Cana concepts in Long Island," he said. "Everyone happy, the reviews. It’s very surreal. I still don’t believe it sometimes."

The Punta Cana Grill is located at 376 New York Ave., Huntington.