Boogie Down Bites: MS Caridad

Fancy decor and expensive meals don't always equate to good food, and one humble restaurant in Soundview is showing it doesn't need an extravagant establishment to serve up great meals.
MS Caridad Restaurant is a hidden gem, nestled in a strip mall on Soundview Avenue and despite its small size, it packs a punch.
"When people call and they ask us, 'hey, what you have today?' we spend like a whole minute talking about what we have today because, yes, we serve everything," says co-owner Gabriel Batista.
With over a dozen items to choose from at the steam table alone, diners will find anything from the classic rice and beans, to pig feet, pig ears and everything in between.
Batista and his brother co-own the restaurant, while their parents head the business.
M stands for Micky, his father's name and the S stands for Sandra, his mother's name.
They all came to the Bronx from the Dominican Republic about 15 years ago and worked different types of jobs until they went into business on the restaurant.
"My father thought, 'hey, let's get into the restaurant business and see how it goes.' We weren't experienced at all. We pretty much learned as we went along with it," says co-owner Gabriel Batista.
A popular one dish at MS Caridad is camarofongo.  
They also feature juices, including passion fruit, tamarind and limeade. All made in house from fresh fruit.
"We also have very popular pina colada. It's virgin. You add the alcohol at home if you wish, but it's really popular. People love it,” says Batista.