Sure, we're surrounded by beaches and water, but there's something about the Caribbean that is way more exotic and interesting. Maybe it's the crystal-clear waters, the lush green foliage, the mountains and hilltops with panoramas that seem to never end, or the bass-thumping music. Or maybe it's the fiery foods. While it's easy to find Jamaican jerk, Cuban ropa vieja, or Dominican sancocho in South Florida, Puerto Rican cuisine is limited. La Cocina Puertorriqueña makes up for the lack. The Miramar restaurant offers a taste of the island through its weekly live salsa and flavorful authentic fare. The spot serves mofongo ($5.95 to $16.95), the national dish of Puerto Rico, which consists of fried green plantains mashed together with garlic and spices served with savory sauce and proteins ranging from shrimp in red sauce to masitas fritas (pork chunks). If that's not your thing, try the plato boricua ($13.95), a dish traditionally served around Christmas that's composed of shredded pork topped with strips of lightly sautéed onion, rice, pigeon peas, and a pastel (stewed shredded pork encased in adobo- and cumin-seasoned plantain dough cooked in a banana leaf). The only other way you'll find Puerto Rican food this good is a trip to the island itself.