Los Magnificos Frituras

Awesome truck. Their empanadas are only $ 1.50 and are fried fresh when you order. The steak sandwiches are great and are only 5 bucks. Pretty much everything fried there is good. Wish they were open for lunch.

Further out to East Orlando, on the way to Bithlo, you’ll find the food truck named Los Magnificos Frituras. Which loosely translates to, Magnificent Fried Foods!
This Dominican truck carries standard latin fare you’d see at many other Spanish truck. You can purchase fried sausage, pork chops, chicken, beef, with a side of tostones or «fresh fries». There are also quick snacks such as shirmp skewers, empanadas and quipes (deep fried croquette stuffed with minced meat, veggies and a mix of herbs and spices). Of course, they carry nearly every Dominican street vendor’s signature sandwich, the Chimichurri.
I’ve passed by the truck a few times and always wanted to taste their verision of the Chimichurri. The opportunity presented itself when my co-​worker and I just finished up a work related happy hour and had a case of the munchies. She being Dominican, I made her privy to Los Magnificos Frituras, and in our stupor, she followed me to score some grub. We ordered 2 beef Chimichurris and waited patiently as they cooked them up fresh.
In the mean time, my friend was carousing with the owners in their native tongue and next thing I know, a big label-​less glass jar is broken out by the cook! The jar houses what looks to be bark, leaves and some sort of liquid. My friend, laughs and goes on to proudly describe the mixture as «Mama Juana». A mixture of rum, red wine, honey. Plus a proprietary blend of bark, leaves and herbs. Already inebriated, I thought what the hell! Let’s do this. They pour 2 ice filled shots of this concoction and boy did it wake me up. Like nothing I’ve tasted before. Think of a delicately sweet flavored blush wine, followed up with the burn of liquor. I could have swore there were hints of cinnamon there too. At first, the drink is cold and pleasant. and then about 5 seconds later, you can feel it’s warmth and potency as it goes down your throat. My friend proceeds to tell me that in the Dominican Republic, the drink is thought to be an aphrodesiac in addition to it’s other medicinal properties. Of course, this wasn’t an item on the menu, but was more of a kind gesture by the owners. This is why I love going to ethnic food trucks, you get to experience a microcosm of another culture all together.
After shooting the breeze, we finally got our Chimis. We took them back to our cars and ate our Chimis under the night sky on the trunk. Just as we dug in, the owner called us back to the truck and gave us another round of Mama Juana shots!
Compared to other Dominican Chimichurri trucks around town, this particular one was the weakest. Not to say it was bad, but the flavors weren’t quite established and the bread was too «bready». It certainly didn’t look like the Chimichurri they picture on their website. I was disappointed. Plus, the beef patty was almost a no show. A lot of bread, not as much beef. Plus, I’m not positive they used the traditional cabbage in place of lettuce. I think it may have been lettuce. Unlike the light Pan de Agua or toasted, compressed bread I’ve had at the other joints.
However, they have one of the best empanadas out there. Very light and flaky crust with savory, piping hot beef in the middle. Again, good Chimi, just not great. Definitely enough to satiate my hunger and the only place on the East end where you can get a Dominican Chimichurri.
Check out their website for a comprehensive gallery of their menu. Their Chuleta Frita may be worth coming back for. If their Chimi looked like what was pictured on their site, this place would have easily received 4 stars. Their enthusiastic service and hospitality definitely earns this truck 3 stars.