In 2020, Mint to Be Mojito Bar and Bites opened its doors in downtown Savannah. It’s a quaint hacienda, full of color and charm. The freshest ingredients craft the best mojito you’ll ever have. Sip yours at the bar, inside at a cafe table, or out front on the patio. And when the sun sets, the party shifts to the back—La Aparicion Speakeasy Lounge, a Latin-cool space with velvet seating, dimmed neon, and high-end vibes.

Twenty years ago, if you were a Latino family in Savannah asking for plantains, your grocer might’ve pointed you toward bananas—or maybe Publix, the only place carrying Latin foods regularly (and not cheaply). But times have changed. Thanks to the internet and a global market, plantains are now found in most major supermarkets and are featured at many Latin restaurants. Unlike bananas, they’re bigger, greener, and known for their distinct texture and mild bitterness.

Heat 3 cups of canola oil in a frying pan. Peel 1 green plantain by slicing along the seams with a sharp knife. Cut plantain into 1-inch chunks and fry until golden (about 3–4 min). Remove and flatten with a tostonera or lemon squeezer lined with plastic. Fry flattened tostones again until crispy. Season shrimp with butter, garlic, and herb salt; sauté until cooked. Top each tostone with sliced avocado, shrimp, and fresh cilantro.

Once the plantains are peeled, do the following: Slice them into about 4 or 5 pieces Pour your canola oil into the frying pan, with just enough to immerse the plantain pieces completely Bring the oil to a “ready to fry” boiling temperature Carefully slide the plantain pieces into the pan Fry each one for 5 minutes Take out of the pan Now take the plastic covered lemon squeezer or tostonera and squeeze each plantain piece with the tool until it has a beautiful mini bowl shape

Carefully slide each plantain bowl back into the pan and fry now only for 2 minutes Take the plantain bowls out, let them sit in paper towels for oil absorption Lightly dash salt into each plantain bowl Now take the avocado an scrape out all the filling with a fork Take the avocado filling and stuff it into the plantain bowls Take two shrimp for each plantain bowl and hang each shrimp on the crisp edge of the bowls, facing each other

Lightly dash the stuffed tostones with the herb seasoning Top off with fresh cilantro leaves Serve and ENJOY! For a visual aid, check out our video from WTOC’s Morning Break Show and see for yourself why you may find that we’re one of the best places to eat in Savannah!