All week we are taking a look at the opinions of Bronx residents in our exclusive City Poll. Tonight we take a look at their top choices for takeout. They are choosing to spice up their appetite. NY1's Courtney Gross filed this report.
Latin food in the Bronx is hot, whether it's Dominican or some other kind of Caribbean cuisine.
"It's called the sexy sauce, it's one of the chef's especialities. Here, it's perfect. People love it," says Roberto Rosario of Mamajuana Cafe.
"There is a very large diversity of flavors and seasonings and it's just a very, kind of a home cooked energy to the food," says Kevin Alicea, owner of Havana Cafe.
It's the top choice among Bronx residents.
According to our exclusive NY1 Baruch College city poll Latin food beats out all of the other takeout choices. Thirty-nine percent chose either Dominican, Puerto Rican or Mexican food. That was followed up by Chinese and Italian.
"This is the Latin borough and Latin food definitely wins," says Baruch College pollster Mickey Blum.
The favorite among those Latin cuisines: Dominican.
"We Dominicans have been here for over 40 years now and it's becoming more and more popular," says Rosario.
The Bronx has the highest Latino population of any of the five boroughs, and 60 percent of Bronx Latinos selected some sort of Latin cuisine as their choice for takeout.
Of course, residents of the Bronx aren't abandoning a New York classic found quite easily on Arthur Avenue.
"Pizza... right? I love my pizza," one Bronx resident says.
Italian cuisine was the top choice among white residents of the Bronx—48 percent preferred it for takeout. That includes pizza.
"I think probably the Bronx is where the pizza was born," says Stan Petti, owner of Full Moon Pizza.
Of course, head south to one Bronx landmark and there is a whole other type of fast food that appears to be the top choice.
"A lot of people ask about the hot dog," says one hot dog vendor.