February 24th, 2016
My friends, Cindi and Jody, on their first trip to Puerto Rico, found the island very charming. When you visit with a local you get a different perspective. The people, the island, the food take a different meaning. So, this was our second day in Puerto Rico. We stayed in the areas of Old San Juan, Condado, and the northeastern side of the island.
 Luquillo Beach On this Thursday, we took off for the area of Luquillo Beach. It was around 1 p.m. when we stopped to eat at La Parrilla. La Parrilla is #2 Kiosk out of about 60 that have been in this stretch of Luquillo Beach, right next to the famous Balneario Monserrate. They have been there as long as I can remember. They have also evolved, keeping their very relaxed open air dining. Some have seating, others you just stand and eat local Crab Tacos, Alcapurrias, Pastelillos and all that wonderful grub that you don’t eat on a daily basis.
We were on the look out for Caribbean lobsters. You know, when I lived in Puerto Rico I thought the local lobster was the best. Living in Delaware…I totally love the Maine lobster. But this particular search for a grilled lobster had me excited about tasting again that sweet local PR lobster.
So we picked our 5 pound lobster right from the tank. Here we were.
 
Okay once that was done, a little Sangria for the group. What a job!!
Our open air seating was perfect. If you look closely you can see Jody, Cindi, and my cousin, Sonia, on the right hand side.
We ordered the Sample Boricua for a little tasting. Filled potatoes, mini piononos, corn sticks, and fried Puertorican cheese. Knowing we were having a full lunch we had a light breakfast. You have to plan when eating in PR.
That 5 lb lobster was to be shared. We ordered Puertorican rice and beans and the tostones, also known as fried plantains. The grilled flavor was so distinct and as you can see we loved it all.
Why dessert was ordered, I don’t know. We were completely satisfied but a sweet ending of not 3 Leches Cake but 4 Leches Cake was a must. It is vey Spanish and usually served at all restaurants. Sweet, delicious and very fattening.
The Luquillo Beach Kiosks are great because you have options, even though a lot serve the same local food. Some families have owned their kiosk for so many years. At night you may find some offering local music entertaining and during the week-ends they are very crowded.
Please note that La Parrilla is on social media. Their website is http://www.laparrillapr.com.
Second stop was a drive through El Yunque. This is the only tropical rain forest in the national forest system. 29,000 acres, is is one of the most biologically diverse of the national forests. Please call 787-888-1880 for more info. the Forest is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Also, you may visit http://www.elyunque.com.
A stop at La Coca Falls. The temperature already had come down. It can get quite cool and humid as you go up the Forest.
For day trip tours, please visit http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com.
Have a great day…..Next? The Bioluminescent Lagoon in Cabezas de San Juan in Las Croabas.
February 14th, 2016
This winter in order to get guaranteed warm weather you better go way south, past Florida…..needless to say, my friends, Jody, Cindi and I took off for La Isla del Encanto, otherwise known as Puerto Rico. I think the best time to go to Puerto Rico is February. The temperatures? 77 degrees to about 84 degrees. I cannot believe that on my last day there I was complaining that it was too hot. Well, that stopped me on my tracks when arriving in Baltimore it was a mere 34 degrees. Brrrrrr!!!
My friends had not been there. I told them that the airport could be a little hectic. Guess what? It made a liar out of me. Smooth arriving and picking up the luggage. It early evening, and after a little wine on Ashford Avenue in the Condado section of San Juan we took off for some Puerto Rican fare.
Ashford Avenue is a tourist destination. Oceanfront hotels and a great avenue to do some shopping, exercising or hitting some of the hotels for a little nightcap or some gambling.
We decided to stop at Orozco’s Restaurant at 1126 Ashford Ave. Tel. 787-721-7669. This little restaurant has surprised me on other visits. Even though is in a tourist area, the food is true Puerto Rican. It is small and cozy. You can sit street side or go inside. Latin music is always playing.
A little Sangria for us….it was the first of many Sangrias on the island.
We ordered some Corn Fritters or Sorullos de Maiz. Every restaurant has them. They are served with a sweet sauce. They are stuffed with a little bit of cheese. I was trying to have my friends get a taste of “comida criolla”.
Plantains are a staple of the Puerto Rican cooking. They are used like a potato. You get it in different ways…..tostones (fried plantains) or Mofongo. The traditional Mofongo is shaped in a mortar, adding bacon crumblings, garlic, and broth until mashed to the right consistency. Then it would be turned over on a plate and served with broth on the side. The purists still like it that way like my cousin, Sonia, who was with us through the whole week.
Through the years as innovative chefs in the island learned that the Mofongo could be stuffed…..a new way of serving started. You can get it stuffed with lobster, crab, beef, pork, you name it. We ordered the one stuffed with beef.
Another walk after our meal completed our first evening in Condado.
May 31st, 2014
My uncle Guiso, who is in his 8Os said to me…”this is true Puerto Rico, local color at its best”. Uncle Guiso does not go on the computer, let’s hope. Here is a photo of part of my group as we enjoyed La Placita in Santurce, Puerto Rico, on a Saturday evening.
It is Saturday and going to La Placita is something Puerto Ricans do every week. In reality it is the Plaza del Mercado, the true market in every sense of the word. La Plaza del Mercado was established in 1910. It was a farm that was donated to the Puertorican Government with the condition that they would build this type of market. Many years ago, before supermarkets came into the scene, people went to these markets and got everything they needed. They got to know their vendors up close and personal.
This Plaza del Mercado in Santurce is the only one in Puerto Rico with its own Code of Arms. You can see it on the photo above displayed. It is located at Stop #18 between Ponce de Leon and Baldorioty de Castro. It opens Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday until Noon. Website? http://www.placitasanturce.com.
After 6 p.m. locals gather and the open air block party begins.
You can buy drinks from the bars around La Placita, like we did. That’s my group waiting for twilight.
You can also buy homemade coconut ice cream. The best!! The vendor will be strolling with his cart anouncing “Helao de Coco”.
I know that Cuban cigars are sought after, but in Puerto Rico the cigars are also well known. Right at La Placita you will find the home of Don Rey Cigar. Don Rey Cigar has been preserving the tradition and artistry of cigar making. In 2005 they made a cigar that measured 62.5 feet and earned them the award for the longest cigar in the world given by the Guinness World Book of Records and, therefore, breaking Cuba’s record holder. If you want to know more about Don Rey Cigar, please visit http://www.donreycigar.com.
They call him El Azuceno….he sells the most fragrant flowers, and in Puerto Rican homes you can usually find them displayed in vases. El Azuceno was there that evening, but you also can find him in different areas of metropolitan San Juan.
 
Surrounding La Placita, many restaurants and bars have opened and all of them compete to see which one is the most popular. La Placita is a place where many Puerto Ricans come to socialize after work. Puerto Ricans are gregarious and love to party.
We went to Tasca El Pescador. Usually, know for their good food. On that particular night, it left us very disappointed. The food was okay, but nothing to write home about. It should have been excellent. Everything we order was so local. The service was definitely lacking.
Like I was saying….Puerto Ricans love to party and dance….and when it is on the streets, it is even better!
March 5th, 2014
Oh yes!! Still cold and snowy. Looking foward to daylight savings on Sunday!! Life’s simple pleasures like a short getaway to the island of Culebra. My last post is from the beautiful Flamenco Beach.
Culebra is very laid back; you disconnect from the ordinary.
Club Seabourne is located on Fulladoza Bay, with its own private dock in case you arrive by boat. It is a boutique hotel. Tel. 787-742-3169 Website? http://www.clubseabourne.com
Relaxing by the pool or bar…
The restaurant? Guava….Caribbean Creative Fusion under Chef Maira Isabel.
So now that I have given an excuse to get rid of your coats and boots….all you need in Culebra is your bathing suit and flip flops!!
February 13th, 2014
 
You cannot blame me for the continuation of my posts on the Island of Puerto Rico. Have you looked outside today? Delaware Beaches are getting rain but the tri-state area is getting snow. So, Puerto Rico, is a quick get-away for many. Only a few hours from major airports in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, PA. No passport needed. Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the U.S. English is spoken for the most part throughout the island.
One of my favorite cities in Puerto Rico is Old San Juan. Strolling through Old San Juan will set you back over 500 years. Gorgeous cobblestone streets, wear comfortable shoes. This walled city is so unique that the United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. It is a 7 block museum, where people, live, shop, dine, and party.
A few months ago a friend stayed in Old San Juan with her husband. Both were so surprised to see and experience how Spanish the island is. Not Latin American but Spanish from Spain…food, buildings, and traditions.
I don’t have to think twice when someone asks me where to stay in Old San Juan. My answer is always the same: El Convento Hotel, located at 100 Cristo St. Tel. 787-723-9020. Website? http://www.elconvento.com.
 
Hotel Convento…the word convento is convent; it was a Carmelite Convent 356 years ago. In 1959, under Operation Bootstrap….Operation Bootstrap gave U.S. companies tax incentives to come to Puerto Rico. Hotels, Pharmaceutical companies and Oil companies came to the island looking for those benefits.
Robert Frederic Woolworth, heir to the Woolworth fortune, began converting the convent into the El Convento Hotel in 1959. Since then, other major renovations have taken place in the 1990s and in the 2000s. The hotel has 58 rooms, and several restaurants.
 
El Convento has a rooftop pool. Visiting the Island of Puerto Rico would not be complete if you do not visit its beaches, as well. El Convento has beach and pool privileges at La Concha Hotel located on Ashford Avenue in the Condado section of San Juan and in Isla Verde at the Marriott Hotel. These are both great beaches if you are in San Juan.
The forecast for the Delaware Beaches looks pretty good this week-end. Hard to believe that you think it is warm when the temperatures raise to 40 degrees!! Oh, well spring is around the corner.
See you,
February 9th, 2014
I am so sure that Puertoricans are getting ready for their weekly trip to the “lechoneras” or pig on a spit local eateries or cuchifrines in the country side. Plenty visitors to the island of Puerto Rico just park themselves on the beach. Believe me, that would be the thing to do after the winter we have had and continue to have in the U.S. But, a visit to this island would not be complete without a sampling or tasting of the local cuisine. It is called “comida criolla” or “comida del pais”.
Puertoricans usually go on Sundays and the “restaurants” can get very crowded, so, the best day would be Saturday. That’s what we did.
We stopped in 3 Lechoneras. Arriving with our stomachs empty and looking forward to so many of those dishes that I have not had in a while. By the time we finished, we were totally satisfied and I was thinking that if I had another morcilla, toston, pork or lechon, chicharrones or crispy fat, bananas, cuajo, rice, it would be too soon.
From San Juan the town of Cayey is about 34 miles or 55 kilometers. It will probably take you about 45 minutes, hoping you do not hit a traffic jam or “tapon”. The town of Cayey is surrounded by La Sierra de Cayey. It is mountainous, with cool weather and foggy mornings, especially in the “winter”. Don’t laugh, it is true, Puerto Rico has its winter. Definitely, much cooler in the months of January and February.
La Ruta del Comelon was iniated by me on this trip. It is for those that like to eat or sample the different foods PR has to offer. Full of spices, and herbs, the “comida criolla” has a special aroma and taste. It is just Puertorican yum!
La Ruta del Lechon or the Pig on a Spit Rute is well known and documented. It is in Guavate which is part of the town of Cayey. The first “Lechonera” we tried was El Cunao which is in the area but not considered a true Ruta del Lechon. Located on Carr. 1, Km 65.4, Cayey, PR. Tel. 787-263-0511.
Some of the Lechoneras can be very simple and others look more like full-fledge restaurants such as El Cuano. It is still run by the same family. It started small and now it is a thriving restaurant. Every Puertorican has a favorite and my cousins thought this was one of theirs.
Richard took care of us and he took me through a tour of their restaurant. The pigs were ready to roast for Sunday and even though you might not like this picture, it needed to be taken because it is how they prepare the pigs for roasting on the spit.
After they are roasted and it does take awhile, then they are carved and ready to eat.
These ladies’ job was to peel plantains for the mofongo and tostones, and green bananas which are cooked in Puerto Rico and eaten as a vegetable and at times in a marinade. Really good!!
On the photo, on the right, is Richard, who also makes the best “pique” and hot sauce.
We decided to share our bounty, due to the fact that this was not the only place where the Ruta del Comelon would take us. Of course, drinks were ordered.
Tostones made out of green plantains, I do love and these ones were perfectly cooked. Thin, crispy, with a soft center and also huge!!
Morcillas are blood sausages with rice. They a bit of bite to them which made them even better. Don’t wrinkle your nose because if you have not tried them, you don’t know what you ar missing.
Cuajito….this is another one that you don’t want to analyze too much but was so good I would go back for more. It is stewed hog maws or the stomach of the pig…the lining of the stomach. It does sounds disgusting but you just have to try it. Next to the cuajito are green bananas cooked and eaten as a side dish.
Roasted Pig…..the top part is the crispy….you got it; the fat. Even thought this first tasting of the roasted pig was very good….the one we all decided was the best was at the last stop….in a later post.
The next table had sat down to enjoy one succulent lunch….and no, I was not stalking them.
Not missing and very much enjoyed was the pique made by Richard.
My brother and his wife….they were ready for the next stop.
On a personal note….my husband who passed away 5 months ago….we met in Puerto Rico and he would have loved my plate….He was a foodie when that word did not even exist. He loved Puertorican food, and my plate would have been much enjoyed by him.
Have a great day!
February 9th, 2014
 
Puerto Rico is pretty popular this year. Many visitors looking for the swaying palm trees and warm weather. Too cold and snowy this winter.
Visiting the island of Puerto Rico is not just basking in the warm sun…the island is full of history.
When I saw the man selling the guiro I had to take his picture. I was never an expert playing this percussion instrument, but I don’t think you need to. Just play it.
The guiro is a traditional Puertorican music instrument believed to have originated from the Tainos. It is a notched hollowed-out instrument.
It is made by carving the shell of the gourd and carving parallel fluting on its surface.
To play it hold it on your left hand with the thumb inserted into the back hole to keep it in place. The right hand holds the scraper and plays the instrument. Check the photo above.
The scraper is also called a “pua”. Scrape up ad down. The guiro is usually played by a singer. It is more for folk music than for salsa.
See you!!
January 31st, 2014
 Playa Los Machos, Ceiba My last post showed a cold winter day in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware…..Leaving the Delaware Beaches to a warmer climate in the Island of Puerto Rico,where the temperatures are in the 80”s with low humidity, found me tasting the Comida Criolla; the best!
The Ruta del Comelon….that’s us, following the path of those that love food. If you like Puertorican food, then, this post is for you.
Meeting with family and friends….first stop is always a must at the Metropol Restaurant right after getting off the plane.
This restaurant is one of those iconic Puerto Rican eateries where you can get a good taste of the local flavor at the best price.
A little spread was placed on the table.
Loved the octopus salad or ensalada de pulpo the best. It melted in your mouth. Yum!
Breakfast on Friday morning was not the usual bacon and eggs. I am once again staying at Hacienda Pellerano…a private enclave.
Frying some granitos indigenous from the town of La Ciudad Gris or Humacao hit the spot, along with bite size morsels of papaya.
Accompanying the above was one of my favorites….morcillas or blood sausages….I know, I know, they don’t look so appetizing but believe me when I tell you that they are amazingly good.
La Ruta del Comelon took us to the town of Naguabo on the eastern side of the island.
The restaurant of choice was El Makito. We started with the pastelillos de chapin. Chapin is a fish and these turnovers are sought after by anyone visiting the east side of Puerto Rico.
The beer was so cold and was the perfect side dish for our next dishes.
The Mofongo is made out of plantains. Stuffing it is the new craze. So, 3 of them were ordered, stuffed with Salmorejo de Jueves (local crab criollo), Chapin (the little fish), and Conch….shrimp were ordered, as well.
The Caribbean lobster or langosta was served to our fellow diners…I don’t want to be thought of as a food stalker but I guess I was….they let me take the photo. You can see that the side dish of mofongo traditionally prepared is on the right, but then the stuffed one was also served.
And how big were the lobsters at El Makito? You be the judge.
Dessert!! We were looking for casquitos de guayaba, which is a fruit that you do not find it as easily in the island as before, served with cheese. And the other is a dulce de lechoza, which is papaya. Homemade and awesome!!
Hours later, at Hacienda Pellerano, a little “picadera” or “tasting” of pasteles, also made with plantains just like the mofongo. Filled with chickpeas, raisins…it reminded me that we need to really walk on Saturday if we are to continue on La Ruta del Comelon when we will take off for Guavate or La Ruta del Lechon (Pig).
Buen Provecho!!
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