Day 6: Beef Ropa Vieja
*Where: Mojito Restaurant and Bar (outside Arthur Ashe Stadium)
Cost: $18*
There's a possibility of rain in the forecast at the Open the next few days, and should it come, attendees will find themselves killing time with roughly the same options available in an airport: Eating, drinking, and shopping. This might be the time to avail yourself of full-service, on-site eateries such as Mojito Restaurant and Bar. The food we've sampled is a mixed bag: Ropa vieja is a Cuban dish of piquant stewed beef (the name means "old clothes, a reference to how the beef softens, resembling rags, when cooked), served here with black beans, fried sweet plantains, and toasted bread. Having grown up in Miami, Florida, I can vouch for the authenticity of this rendition.
Less successful is the squash blossom quesadilla ($18), a kitchen sink of vegetables, jack cheese, and avocado relish on a whole wheat tortilla, although it must be said that it's large enough for two to four people to share it as a snack. Many Open visitors never venture into the restaurants, which leaves room for the rest of us; during one recent rain delay, there was enough open seating that the staff kindly let us take a table in the bar area just for drinks (we could easily have sat down for a full lunch inside the main dining room as well) ... although we couldn't resist snacking. If the skies open up today, tomorrow, or Monday, you could do worse than seeking sanctuary, and sustenance, here.
Click here for more Dishes of the Day from the 2013 U.S. Open.
In addition to his duties as an editor at-large for TENNIS, Andrew Friedman writes about food, chefs, and the restaurant industry. He has written or co-written more than 25 chef-focused books and cookbooks and chronicles his travels in the culinary world on his website, Toqueland.