Asado Story

El Camaguey is basically a market, but an unobtrusive window in the back of the store looks into a small kitchen that turns out huge helpings of zestily seasoned Cuban food. For lunch one day, a takeout box was piled so high with rice and black beans that it was a challenge to close it. These were accompaniments to pollo asado, a chicken leg roasted until chewy. There was also a substantial helping of yuca, sprinkled, like the rest of the food, with mojo de ajo, a sauce of onions and garlic briefly cooked in hot oil.

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Pollo asado with white rice, black beans and yuca, $4.50 at El Camaguey, 10925 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 839-4037.