June 5th, 2010

Bar Restaurante La Sombra, Restaurant, Review, Orocovis, Puerto Rico, Longaniza?

All I can tell you is that I really do hope that the people that vacation in Puerto Rico during winter, take the opportunity to learn about this Island.  I had a great time doing so, revisiting so many places long ago forgotten and discovering new ones that took my breath away.

The heart and center of Puerto Rico is the town of Orocovis.  And, yes, you guessed it; there was probably a place that we needed to stop for lunch.  The specialty?  Longaniza.  Oh, no, what is it?  Not again!!  Well, wait a minute, let me tell you about it.

First of all as we entered the town of Orocovis the first thing you saw was the town Plaza.  All towns in Latin countries have their churches in the center of the town.  This church was very small when you consider all the other towns in Puerto Rico that have cathedral size churches as their town anchor.  Puerto Rico is predominantly Catholic.

Orocovis is a crowded little town, typical of all towns in Puerto Rico.  There was a coolness in the air, compared to the weather in San Juan that day.

We went by a cemetery that was so high up I could not imagine how all those people got there for the burial.

A bit of trivia?  During the Bad Boys II movie, which was supposed to have taken place in Cuba, but partially filmed in Puerto Rico, there is a scene of the Hummer going through the curvy town; yes, that is Orocovis.

We knew we were stopping at Bar Restaurante La Sombra.  If you are in the area of Orocovis this is were you will go for longaniza. 

Longaniza is a sausage or embutido.  Not a chorizo.  Seasoned meat, and in the case of La Sombra, pork, chicken or red snapper, is stuffed into pork intestines and is formed very long by hand.  I know some of my friends reading this might be gagging, but hey, that is the way sausages are made.  They should be happy I am not explaining how blood sausages (morcillas) are made during the Christmas holidays.

Once the longaniza is formed then it is hung to air-dry.  The longaniza can be fried in oil or cooked with rice and beans.

Our order consisted of chicken longaniza, rice with pork longaniza and you cannot miss the ever present red beans, and tostones (plantains).  It needs to be noted that everything is grown and freshly made at La Sombra, and therefore, you do not have a sense of fullness; the longaniza was not greasy, it was just perfect.

La Sombra is located on Rd. 156,  Km 2.8 on the road from Orocovis to Barranquitas.  Tel. 787-375-6846.  The restaurant is typically open, overlooking the back hills and banana trees. 

They are proud to tell you that they are the developers of the original red snapper, chicken and pork longanizas.  There is a full bar.  We did not have dessert but they do have them all; flan, tres leches, etc. etc.

And the bill?  Three of us with drinks and lunch, $35.00.

It really was an unforgettable day with my friends.  Talk to you later…yes, from Delaware…