I know that sounds like a funny way to start a restaurant story, but I am telling you -- that is exactly what I wanted to know when I discovered Mi Familia Kitchen at Parkside Convenience in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The first time, I ordered through DoorDash. Then I walked into Parkside Convenience and realized the kitchen was tucked away in the back. It is the kind of place you could drive right past if nobody told you what was inside. But once you know about it, good luck keeping the secret. I have talked about T's Cubano so much that I am practically sending people there one sandwich at a time.

For Episode 79 of Beyond the Plate with Carol, I sat down with husband-and-wife team Ron and Tyra Torres. I knew I wanted to talk about the food -- especially that Cubano -- but what I loved most was hearing how their family, their history, and their community are all wrapped up in the kitchen they created.

Let's start with the part that makes you look twice: Mi Familia Kitchen is inside Parkside Convenience at 675 Hooksett Road in Manchester, New Hampshire. This is a real convenience store. You enter through the front and continue toward the back to find the food. And yes, the setup surprises people who expect a typical store counter and not a kitchen preparing Puerto Rican dishes from scratch.

Ron told me the idea felt perfectly normal to him and Tyra because they knew the bodega culture of Lawrence, Massachusetts, where neighborhood convenience stores often have kitchens in the back. They weren't trying to invent a fancy restaurant concept. They saw an underused space and imagined the kind of neighborhood food experience they knew and loved.

"We want everyone to feel like family." -- Ron Torres

That one sentence explains the name better than any slogan could. Mi Familia isn't simply a clever name for a Puerto Rican takeout spot. They want people to leave feeling fed, welcomed, and remembered. Yes, there is plenty of food to talk about. But the greeting you get at the counter matters to them just as much.

Tyra's story began long before there was a menu, a storefront, or even a plan to have her own kitchen. She remembers standing beside her grandmother when she was about five years old, adding seasonings to beans and rice, mixing, tasting, and learning by doing. I love that detail because it reminds you that some of the most important cooking lessons happen at home, long before anybody earns a professional title.

"It started back when I was like 5 years old." -- Tyra Torres

From there, Tyra completed four years in the culinary arts program at Greater Lawrence Technical High School. She also worked as a sous chef at the Marriott. She eventually opened a restaurant with family in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where she cooked and catered events, from birthday celebrations to quinceañeras. Her grandmother cooked alongside her there, bringing those early lessons into a working restaurant.

When her grandmother passed away, Tyra said it was a difficult turning point. The family eventually closed and sold the restaurant. I appreciated her willingness to speak about that part of the journey, because anyone who has run a family business knows how closely the work and the people you love can be connected.

And then there's Ron. He handles purchasing, repairs, customer service, answering the phones, and all those jobs that don't always show up on a plate. Ron was very quick to give Tyra the credit for the cooking. He described his role as taking as much as possible off her shoulders so she can do what she does best. They have five children, and the whole family contributes in different ways. It is a genuine family operation.

Ron and Tyra didn't move straight from one restaurant into another. They spent time in real estate, moved from Massachusetts into New Hampshire, and settled in the Manchester area. In September 2022, they took over the long-established Parkside Convenience store. Ron recalls seeing the large space in the back and asking Tyra what she thought. Her answer was simple: she wanted to cook again.

The back room had previously served a very different purpose -- customers remembered it as a place for video rentals. Turning that space into the kitchen they imagined took two years. Think about that for a minute. Two years of holding onto the vision while building up the space and the business to make it possible.

It makes the whole 'hidden gem' description feel even more appropriate. Nobody waved a magic wand and suddenly created a Puerto Rican kitchen in a convenience store. Ron and Tyra worked toward it. And now customers can walk to the back of that same neighborhood shop for food made from recipes and cooking techniques that stretch back generations.

All right, let's talk about the FOOD. If you know me, you know I have a special rating for something that is exceptionally good: STUPID. And T's Cubano absolutely landed in that category for me. I had ordered it before recording, loved it, and kept telling people they needed to try it. In the episode, I even talked about convincing someone who wasn't sure they liked Cuban sandwiches that this one was worth giving a chance.

Tyra explained that her version of the Cubano is her own. She uses finely diced pickles and onions, and the pork shoulder is shredded instead of cut into slices. Ron shared the detail that really got my attention: that pork cooks for 12 hours. No wonder the sandwich makes an impression. A great Cuban sandwich is familiar enough that people have expectations, and then Tyra finds a way to make it her own.

"She cooks it for 12 hours and it's amazing." -- Ron Torres

And please don't stop at the sandwich. Mi Familia Kitchen's Puerto Rican menu includes chicharron -- their popular fried pork belly -- along with pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder), tripleta sandwiches with three meats, and plates with yellow rice, beans, and other traditional sides. Tyra also prepares chicken dishes, stews, and changing daily specials. The potato balls are another item I've tried, and those deserve attention too.

Ron and Tyra explained that some dishes are ready to see at the front display, while others are prepared fresh when ordered. Mofongo is one of those dishes. Tyra fries green plantains, mashes them with garlic and seasonings, then forms the mixture into a ball. It takes extra preparation time, and Ron encouraged people to order ahead if they are on a schedule. She also makes tostones from green plantains, served with a garlic-forward mayo-ketchup sauce.

Then we got talking about desserts, and I had to bring up the tres leches cake because I had tried that, too. There is also flan, and Tyra talked about introducing other sweets and special dishes. One of the surprises was her baked macaroni and cheese -- she made it as a special, and the family said it was such a hit that they wanted it on the regular menu. That's the fun of talking with a cook who has a whole lot more recipes in her than one fixed menu could ever show.

Here is something helpful if you have never ordered Puerto Rican food before: Ron said a common first question is whether it is going to be too hot. His answer was that their cooking is about flavor, not heat. Think of the layers created with peppers, onions, garlic, and the way ingredients are seasoned. Hot sauce can be added if that's what you like, but heat isn't the point.

"It's all flavor." -- Ron Torres

At the end of our conversation, Tyra told me about her sofrito, the fresh aromatic base she prepares each morning and uses in so many of her dishes. She wasn't about to hand over every ingredient to me, and I don't blame her one bit! That's part of what makes a family kitchen special: years of practice, a little know-how, and the recipes you have made your own.

If you're new to the cuisine, start a conversation. Tyra said she likes to offer small tastes so someone can discover what they enjoy. You don't need to know what mofongo, arroz con gandules, or chicharron means before walking in. You can ask, learn, try something, and maybe find a new favorite.

Now comes the part of the conversation that stayed with me after all the food talk. Ron and Tyra described a business that doesn't stop at filling orders. They want to know their customers, listen to them, and do what they can for people who need help. They talked about providing meals for a local youth group, roughly 60 kids at a time once a month, and about a community meal effort that fed more than 60 people.

They also talked about the people who walk through their doors carrying more than an appetite. We all know that somebody can be having a very hard day without looking like it. Ron's message wasn't complicated: greet people, be kind, and treat them like human beings. Tyra, he said, has a remarkable way of making somebody feel cared for. The way they told those stories, there was no sense that they were asking to be praised for it.

"This is what we're supposed to do." -- Ron Torres

I ran the Red Arrow Diner for nearly 40 years, and this is the kind of story that always brings me back to why I love it. Sure, people remember a great sandwich. They also remember when somebody took the time to talk to them, listened when they needed it, or helped them feel like they belonged. That is hospitality. And that is why the title Mi Familia Kitchen feels earned.

There were plenty of laughs in this episode, too. Ron told the story of how Tyra cooked him dinner when they reconnected years after knowing each other in school, and he knew pretty quickly that he wanted to stay. We got into the harmless little things that drive each other crazy in a busy kitchen, the realities of raising children while working long days, and what it takes to keep supporting each other when life is moving a mile a minute.

And we talked about catering. Tyra said they take on events of different sizes, from smaller gatherings to parties of 100 or 150 people, with advance planning. If you have a question about a dish or a special event, their invitation was to call or visit and talk with them. They want to make the experience personal.

So, where can you find the Puerto Rican food tucked inside a convenience store? Head to Mi Familia Kitchen at Parkside Convenience, 675 Hooksett Road in Manchester, NH. You can learn more at mifamiliakitchen.com. The business is located in New Hampshire, but the story connects food traditions from Puerto Rico, family life in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and the wider New England community.

Watch the full Episode 79 conversation with Ron and Tyra Torres and tell me what you think. Have you already tried T's Cubano? Are you a chicharron person, a mofongo person, or are you making a list of everything? And when you do visit, tell them Carol from Beyond the Plate sent you. I think you're going to love both the food and the people behind it.

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This episode is sponsored by Belmont Hall & Restaurant.
Manchester, NH -- family-owned for over 90 years.
belmonthall.net | Instagram: @belmonthallandcatering | Facebook: @belmonthallandcatering

This episode is brought to you in part by 603 Perks -- free for local businesses to join.
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