104 replies to this topic

[Jenny McClure]

I recommend Chayote as a great place to celebrate your husband's birthday. It has a nice atmosphere on Fridays especially but is not too raucous. It has been around for a few years so it si not a sceney place, but it is a firm favourite with locals. I think you could do it for about $200.00 with wine. The Chef uses a lot of local ingredients. It is high end modern Puerto Rican food. That is how I could best describe it. If you are not too bothered about a focus on local ingredients, other great choices for a birthday splurdge would be: Agustus...expensive
Il Perigino....Italian, expensive
Compostela, Spanish, great wine selection, expensive. If you want a bit more ambience, Dragon Fly is very popular, it is Latin/Asian fusion. It is always busy and you cannot make reservations so you can expect a wait. Baru is another happening place, especially at the weekend. The owners are Columbian and the food is kind of modern south American, they make great mojitos.
That is all I can think of for now. I'll post again, when my pregnant brain, starts to function again. Also explains the spelling errors.

[CSASphinx]

When i was last there, eons ago,

I think that pretty well sums it up

You know an eon is only 7 hours?
But seriously Ed, what's in the menu at Barbarosa? is it local fare?

Well it's been a good four years since anyone has popped anything in this thread so this will give it a huge bump! ;-)

Seriously, we will soon be leaving for our third year on Culebra and things sure have changed when it comes to food there even in that short time.

Food is one of the things we always look forward to on Culebra (the fact that we share a house with the executive chef of Maine's Cape Arundel Inn, notwithstanding)

A small store near the airport makes great Cubanos, El Batey has one of the best burgers anywhere (or maybe it just tastes great with the Heineken after a day at the beach).

Now, just atop the hill near the ferry terminal is Juanita Bananas, a delicious high-end restaurant that plays on the island flavors and other cuisines. It would easily be a contender and successful in any city.

For lunchtime fare Try El Eden deli, it has very good sandwiches, salads and the like. Or just try the foodstands at Flamenco Beach--a beach that will knock your socks off with its beauty.

And yes, the aforementioned Barbara Rosa's is still in business, though now at a different location.

Granted, Culebra is what many would consider a "downscale" island experience (which is why we like it so much), but as long as you don't expect white linen (or terribly prompt service) there is plenty of good food to be found.

I'll report on my eatings there during my upcoming stay.

[mandabear]

I recommed Pikayo in the El San Juan, I believe that is the name. Had a wonderful feat there in a cool and sexy looking space with great cocktails, Plus if you haven't had a drink in the lobby of the El San Juan, you need to before you die. It is the most fabulous place on earth.

[Risi e Bisi]

I always make a point to visit El Jibarito, on Calle de Sol in Old San Juan. Especially when I need that bean (w/ sofrito) and rice fix. Mainly traditional Puerto Rican food with a twist. Very local and inexpensive.
If you go for lunch, try around noon, to beat the 1:00 lunch rush.

[K8memphis]

I guess I don't have a specific recommendation but we vacationed at the Hyatt there before it got turned into time shares, the one next to the Doral with the river pool. Puerto Rico gave us the best everything we ever ate kid you not. Umm, it was a slow night in one of the hotel restaurants and I got the Mother of All Lobster Tails. It literally melted in my mouth like buttah. Of course I understand that is how lobster is supposed to be but good luck finding it.

But I think you will find the commonest food to be stellar. We did anyway.

Hope your trip is fabulous!

[Catherine Iino]

I'll be in Puerto Rico in the middle of June. Thanks to all the posters already, and keep those recommendations coming!

[Catherine Iino]

Another bump: I'll be in Puerto Rico in the middle of June. I've never been before. I'll be at a conference in San Juan for a few days but would like to spend some time in other parts of the island. I'd be grateful for any recommendations of places, restaurants, markets, and experiences not to be missed. Thanks in advance!

[Catherine Iino]

Thank you, nibbs. I'll be going to Puerto Rico in June, and your post really feels like advice from a friend. I'll probably have fewer mojitos, though.

[sus]

First,

Let me start by saying that all the recommendations given already are great...so I will not repeat them. Also, I come from a family of eaters, foodies so we have tried way too many restaurants in our little island. Casita Blanca is and has always been known as THE place to eat traditional Puerto Rican fare. Make sure you have a Mayorca at La Mallorquina. In San Juan, I am also a big advocate of Dragon Fly. i love their sushi with tostones, platains...the concept of fusion Puerto Rican/Asian just really appeals to me.

There are plenty of good argentinian places around. Chimichurri comes to mind and on my last trip my mother took me to TIERRA DEL FUEGO RESTAURANTE ARGENTINO
Plaza Las Américas Hato ReyTeléfono: 787-294-7018. This place was surprisingly good, given that it is located in the mall, and had this specific dish where you order a number of fine meat cuts that come on the grill for you to try out. The cuts were, as I said, surpisingly tasty and well seasoned.

If, however, you are looking for off the beaten path in other parts of the island, here are some places that come to mind:

La Casa del Guanime, I believe in Arecibo....delicious native indigenous food. The guanimes con bacalao will take you back to colonial times...not that I ever lived in them but the kind of food is very combination of african and indigenous traditions.

In Yauco, you should try the Chuletas Cancan...Guardaraya is a particularly good restaurant for this.

In Fajardo, by the Conquistador, El Ancla has very good seafood...at least it did years ago. I also know that one of the better Mexican places in the island is here...Lolita's but I have never been to it. My brother makes the treck over there whenever he can (I love Auroritas in San Juan for Mexican though)

On my last visit to PR I also went to Jajome Terrace in Cayey...gorgeous view and very very good food. I can't remember what I had for the life of me but it was delicious and different. I remember, however, that they had a sophisticated twist on traditional puerto rican fare. They had amazing chuletas can can.... http://www.jajometerrace.com/ The route in Cayey, La Ruta tends to have really goos lechoneras, specialized in "lechon a la vara" pork cooked at an open fire before your eyes. Oh yum yum. My family and I went to the very first one, El Mojito...a bit weary because well...we just dont like jumping to conclusions and the first one seemed a bit rush but boy were we happy when we tried their food and their mojito (not the alcoholic drink). When I go back to visit my family again I will definitely lad at el Mojito again. Carr 184 Km 32.9 Bo Beatriz Cayey, PR 00736 (787) 738-8888

I know I have been to some fabolous places in Ponce and Mayaguez, two other major cities that might be easy to get to...but I cannot remember off the top of my head many. I know there is anothe El Ancla in Ponce that i really really enjoyed. The seafood there is well worth it. My family is from Ponce and they would have a heart attack if they read this.

This is long enough...I hope this gives you some off the beaten path options to try out on your trip!

[Catherine Iino]

sus-

Thank you so much for your reply, and sorry it took me so long to say so; sometimes I don't seem to get notified of replies even when I've checked off that option. I am off for Puerto Rico tomorrow, with your reply printed out. It all sounds wonderful; I'll report back.

[markabauman]

Just came back from a short trip/conference. Places we got to try: Metropol for Cuban/Puerto Rican; El Jibarito in Old San Juan-very local; Casa Dante & Mi Casita in the Carolina area-good mofongo, asopao; Yamato in El San Juan where we were staying-excelllent young itamae-san at the sushi bar-made great suggestions-very talented-a very different experience apparently than those sitting at the hibachi tables. Got to eat at a family-run place on a tour to the rainforest. Everything deep-fried- not too healthy, but tasty- esp. the bacalaitos! Anxious to return (this was our first time in Puerto Rico)- would like to range further and have further cultural/culinary adventures.

[sus]

Catherine,

Let us know how it all went!

[Catherine Iino]

sus et al.--

Hi, all. We got back from PR on midnight Wednesday to find our house in unlivable condition. I won't bore you with the details, but I didn't have internet access until today. (Puerto Rico looks all the better by comparison!)

I had a lovely time in Puerto Rico. I was in San Juan for four days; then we drove to Rincon for another four.

Unfortunately, the conference that brought me to San Juan had almost inedible food. When I escaped on foodie adventures, I found some real treats. On the first day, I met someone who had lived in Puerto Rico on and off for quite a few years and recently moved there; he took me on a walking tour of Condado and Santurce. We hit the Mercado in Santurce (extremely generous portions of excellent batitas--is that the right name for the fruit shakes?) and a neighborhood restaurant called Bebo’s. We had the mofongo with crab and a goat stew, both very tasty. I'll write more about the place later; really enjoyed it. Our guide also highly recommended El Pescador near the Mercado, but we only walked into it, since it was about 10:30 in the morning.

One lunchtime, we took a long walk down the beach from Condado to Pamela's, a lovely, more upscale restaurant right on the beach. I think someone mentioned it upthread. It was excellent. I had a very good fish sandwich with a variety of condiments; others at the table had the chicken and melted Manchego sandwich and the crab quesadilla (not actually called that on the menu). A highlight was the corncake appetizer we shared, with black beans, cheese, peppers. I would recommend Pamela’s highly. It was wonderful to actually sit at a table on the beach.

Our last evening in the city, we had an expensive dinner at Pikayo, in the art museum--an extremely pleasant experience. The dining room is attractive and comfortable. The food was quite impressive overall. For our first course we tried the truffled cheese empanadillas, the alcapurrias, and a tuna tartare served on little crisp rice cakes. This last was outstanding, but unlike so many restaurants, the entrees were better than the appetizers. I had a dish of perfectly cooked shrimp served with a very refined mofongo, and my husband had a wonderful halibut topped with “Japanese squid”; we agreed that they were the best dishes we’d been served in a restaurant in quite a long time. The cheese flan I had for dessert was excellent; the other desserts at the table—key lime pie and a cheese soufflé (which had been ordered at the beginning) were not memorable.

I can’t say we found any superb food on the west coast. Since we were there off season, a lot of places were closed, and the supply of fresh fish seemed limited. We had a nice meal at Capriccio in Anasco; again, my fish was expertly cooked, as was my husband’s pork stuffed with guava. And the people running the place, which is very small, were incredibly warm and welcoming. We ate there the first night, on the recommendation of one of our guidebooks, and we probably should have gone back. Instead, we had a very mediocre meal at in Mayaguez one night, and some good barbecued pork at a place called El Cerdito in Cielito—I think—served by the charming second-grade daughter of the chef and the hostess. The “Flying Pig” is quite new, and the menu says everything is made there; indeed the fried sweet potatoes and cole slaw seemed to be.

I’m disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to try any of the lechon asado or more of the fritters. I was delighted to find that people in the restaurants were generally so friendly.

Thanks again to all whose advice we studied.

[mandabear]

Hello!
I am hosting a wedding the weekend of June 21
looking for a nice restaurant in Old San Juan to hold a dinner for the guests
abotu 15 people
any suggestions might help?

[Hassouni]

Going on Tuesday for 4 days, was wondering if anyone had any up to date suggestions? No idea where I'll be going, but I imagine at least a day or two in San Juan