Ronny Starlyn, de 16 años, choca con poste en el kilómetro 30; comunidad de Yaroa consternada. Ronny Starlyn, un adolescente de 16 años, perdió la vida en un trágico accidente ocurrido en la carretera turística Gregorio Luperón, en Puerto Plata. El joven, originario de la comunidad de Yaroa, perteneciente al distrito municipal Yasica Arriba, iba […]

A new family-run eatery is serving up specialties from Venezuela, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and other Latin American countries in Lehigh County.

April 6, 2026, 4:15 a.m. ET A new restaurant, Aqui E La Vaina, has opened in York, Pennsylvania, serving traditional Dominican food. Owner Ane Reyes uses fresh ingredients and family recipes to create dishes like mofongo and yaroa. The menu features a variety of Caribbean and Latin-inspired items, including empanadas, quesadillas, and a drink called morir soñando. Yorkers can get a taste of traditional Dominican dishes at a new restaurant that serves ingredients such as yucca, plantains and fried pork belly. Ane Reyes opened Aqui E La Vaina in a small, red building in the 700 block of East Prospect Street in York last month to sell breakfast, lunch and dinner. It sells authentic Caribbean food with Latin flavor. Reyes' daughter, Harleny Fabian, said that when she was little, her mother always tried to cook the best food for them, and she supports her mother’s decision to open a new restaurant. She told her mother: "Do it because I know you will do the best." Reyes, who learned to cook from her grandmother, arrives at the eatery early each morning to start preparing the food. She uses fresh ingredients, healthier cooking oils and little salt to make the dishes for customers of all ages. "We know it's ... the best option for everyone," Fabian said. Customers can see the steak and peppers, fried cheese, yucca, yellow plantains, and yellow and white rice waiting to be served from the hot food table. The meals are flavorful but not spicy. One of the traditional Dominican dishes that Reyes makes is yaroa, which consists of fried potatoes or plantains topped with a meat — chicken, beef, pork or steak. The combined ingredients give it a good flavor, Fabian said, adding: "It's one of my favorite plates." Mofongo, which is made with meat, plantains, garlic, lemon and olive oil, is on the menu. >> Want to stay up to date on the latest news? Sign up for our newsletters. The restaurant also serves quesadillas, empanadas, tacos and Dominican-style fried chicken. It offers specials, too. Reyes made a refreshing drink known as morir soñando, which consists of orange juice, milk and vanilla. It tastes similar to an orange creamsicle. The restaurant offers a small dining area for customers, and Fabian explained that it's decorated to reflect the Dominican Republic, which is hot and tropical. One of the walls features a photo backdrop with an LED neon sign of the restaurant's name and a coconut tree. Oil lamps sit on the table because the electricity can be out for periods of time in the Caribbean country. Fabian translated her mother's comments while discussing the restaurant. Reyes explained that her mother died when she was a teenager, and she went hungry. Nowadays, she gives out leftover food to help others. She wants to do something positive for the community, her daughter said. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Teresa Boeckel is a reporter for the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Contact her at tboeckel@ydr.com. Please consider subscribing to support local journalism.