Heavenly Bites

Grano de Mostaza
954-731-9838
5550 NW 31 Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Average Meal Pricing – $

Do you need a little Latino flavor in your life? If so, I found a quiet, little nook tucked away amid the hustle and bustle of Fort Lauderdale called Grano de Mostaza. The vision for the restaurant started as a dream of Rosangel Rotver and her family, whose desire was to introduce Venezuelan fare to the Fort Lauderdale community. Upon my initial visit, I was told that this quaint eatery, whose name translates to mustard seed in English, was chosen by the family because of the specific verse in the Bible which states: “But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

We wanted Grano de Mostaza to be a gift to God,” shared Rosangel, “but in reality, He turned it into a blessing for us.” Established four years ago and located near the Executive Airport, the restaurant’s clientele is quite diverse –from pilots and mechanics to business men and women on their lunch break, and those from a Hispanic background who are looking for great, quick food that is familiar and reminds them of their country.

Upon entering the restaurant, one thing was immediately apparent to me – Grano de Mostaza is famous for their appetizing empanadas that come in a wide variety of combinations. Though the restaurant is on a smaller scale, there was a constant movement of patrons coming and going to pick up their personal favorites. The first empanada that Rosangel served, which was “grande” in size, is called the “Pabellon.” Rosangel described this as “typical Venezuelan fare” and it was jam-packed with shredded beef, black beans, cheese and plantains, all enclosed in a thick corn pouch. This was the first time I had ever tried an empanada and it was so impressive that I felt the necessity to return a few days later to indulge in another one. The other varieties of empandas served at Grano de Mostaza include cheese, chicken, shredded beef and ground beef. In addition to the scrumptious “Pabellon” that I enjoyed, Rosangel served up another surprise – a mouthwatering potato ball stuffed with ground beef. Another best-selling and tasty treat available at the restaurant are their cheese sticks (some of which are filled with guava!) that Rosangel described as “addictive” which keeps people coming back for more. Many patrons will make a special trip to the establishment just for a cup of their amazing coffee selections such as Caf

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