West Valley City • Spencer Langi said he was astonished the first time he had a patacón.
Growing up half Tongan between Hawaii and Utah, he was introduced to boiled green bananas. Mashing them into a circle and frying them highlighted flavors he didn’t think were possible.
“The first time I had patacones, or tostones, and it was explained to me that it was a banana, there were so many thoughts in my head,” Langi said. “Growing up, eating boiled green bananas wasn’t as delicious as a fried plantain with meat on top.”
The more he learned about Latin American food, the more he felt his creativity expanding. He thought about the many ways he could incorporate seasonings, sauces and combinations from his culture with this newfound admiration for Latin American food.
Langi also incorporated Spanish terms into his vocabulary. In his mind, he switched the word green bananas to plátanos, and he also figured that no other Anglo name was more appropriate for his first solo restaurant than Café Limón (“lime” in Spanish).
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Yuca shooters at Café Limón in West Valley City on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2024.
The restaurant opened in January in the cafeteria space of 2050 Decker Lake Blvd. in West Valley City, which houses a business consulting company. Behind the austere rectangular tables and plastic chairs, there is an incubator for creative Polynesian, Asian, American and Latin American fusion cuisine.
“This might sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve manifested this opportunity,” Langi said. “I was always talking to my girlfriend and telling her, ‘All I need is a kitchen and I can show everybody this food.’”
When he had the chance to take over this kitchen with a concept of his own, he was already prepared. The decades of learning, and imagining a way to make many cultures harmonically clash in a dish, paid off.
Melting pot
On a typical day, Langi shapes a yuca mixture into small, thick cups, fries them and tops…
Read the full article here
