CUISINE
LUSCIOUS LATIN DINING
La Mordida
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Camarones Al Ajillo, sautéed shrimp in wine garlic sauce, accompanied by tostones
(deep fried green plantains) and white rice, is one of the fresh daily seafood specialties at
La Mordida in Clearwater.
146 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
sauce, shrimp in a wine garlic sauce,
shredded chicken in Creole sauce and a
New York steak with shrimp. Each creation
here was a tasty and flavorful treat.
The menu is loaded with other offerings
from burgers to whole fried snapper.
Portions are large with bargain prices
for the quality and quantity, while the
plate presentations are artful. Once you
dine here, you will likely want to return,
especially for the desserts made in their
bakery, which opens daily at 8:30 a.m. The
chocolate layer cake with ice cream and
the scrumptious tres leches cake were both
extraordinary. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: La Mordida is located at
14100 U.S. Highway 19 N. at the intersection
of 66th Street in Clearwater, (727) 225-3394,
LaMordidaGrill.com.
For the last five years, David Nieves
and Diana Durango have been
serving authentic Colombian and
Peruvian food at their La Mordida
restaurant in Pinellas County, bringing
with them the flavors of their countries of
birth using their grandmothers’ recipes
and their years of experience in the
restaurant business.
Inside La Mordida, colorful objects hang
from the ceiling, and the décor leaves no
question that you are going to have a good
time. Pleasant staff members present you
with the extensive multipage menu that
starts with a wide variety of specialty
drinks. A pitcher of sangria was exactly
what we wanted, while others around
us enjoyed stronger and more creative
alcoholic concoctions. Live music (on
weekends) kept everyone in a party mood,
along with Mark the balloon guy, who was
busy making wild balloon creations for
guests in addition to performing tableside
magic. (Mark is there on Wednesday and
Friday nights.)
We have become devotees of La
Mordida, which translates to “The Bite.”
The food here is as delightful as the
festive atmosphere. Our empanadas were
perfect, the guacamole delicious and the
Colombian-style shrimp cocktail’s great
salsa sauce made us look forward to a
return visit. Likewise, the tostones of deep
fried plantains were perfectly prepared.
There are numerous types of fish ceviche,
plus a pork option blending the acidic
flavor of ceviche and the texture and aroma
of meat. They were all sensational. The
menu is filled with intriguing items known
from Peru and Colombia that the kitchen
skillfully prepares with flair.
We skipped over the tacos and fajitas
and tried some of the Chef’s Favorites. We
enjoyed skirt steak with green chimichurri
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