In this episode:
Find out about Puerto Rican food culture and where to find the most mouthwatering dishes.
Angie Orth:
Last week, we talked about the beauty of Puerto Rican beaches and the celebratory nature of the people that makes Puerto Rico such a lively and fun place to visit. You might also remember a few mentions of pulled pork. If that got your appetite going, then this mini-episode is your main course. Jessica van Dop DeJesús, “The Dining Traveler,” is back to tell you where to find the best food on the island.
Jessica, you wrote Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico, so I'm willing to bet you have more than a few foodie experiences to share with us. Are you ready?
Jessica van Dop DeJesús:
Yes.
Angie:
What is the most classic Puerto Rican dish people need to try when they visit?
Jessica:
Lechón, the roasted pork; arroz con gandules, rice and pigeon peas, and some tostones, fried plantains.
Angie:
My mouth is literally watering right now. That's so good.
What is your top unmissable restaurant for a discerning foodie?
Jessica:
From a fine dining perspective, one of my favorites is called Orujo, Taller de Gastronomía. It's small space, it's like an extended living room and Chef Carlos Portela—an amazing Puerto Rican chef—tries to use 80% of locally sourced ingredients. So, he does not have a menu, you just go there and they’ll serve you whatever he felt like making that day. It's a really unique experience.
Angie:
You just have no idea what you're going to get, but you know it's going to be good.
What is the best restaurant for an authentic homecooked meal?
Jessica:
That's a tough one. For me, personally, there's one that I always go to because it's open all the time. When I get off the airport, I go to a bakery called Kasalta. I love the sandwiches there. I love the media noche sandwich, which is soft bread, ham, roasted pork, and cheese. They also have a hot food bar, so you can have your rice and beans and grilled chicken.
Angie:
What are the top 3 food-related goodies that travelers should bring home with them?
Jessica:
Coffee. Puerto Rico is really interesting because I would say a lot of the coffee that is produced is for local consumption, so it's very difficult to find outside of the island. There's a place called Hacienda San Pedro that I love; that's one of my favorite coffee places.
Second is rum. Puerto Rico is the rum capital, and my favorite brand is Ron del Barrilito.
The third one for me would be the pastry. Going to a panadería, there are these pastries called quesitos that I'm obsessed with. So, those are definitely my top 3 things.
Angie:
You can mail these kinds of things home via the U.S. Postal Service because it's the U.S. I know people forget that, but Puerto Rico is the U.S., so you can just mail stuff just the same, right?
Jessica:
Coffee? Yes. Maybe don't try to mail rum. Check with the customs before you try to buy some pastries and stuff to take home.
Angie:
Is there a unique dining experience you'd recommend? Something unusual in terms of food or location?
Jessica:
If I was to go outside of San Juan, there are 2 places. One of them is called Estela, and it's on the west coast in the town of Rincón. Chef Abel Mendoza is a super creative guy. He is Puerto Rican, but he's also traveled. He did a stint at Central, which is like the number 1 restaurant in Peru, so he brings a lot of those elements to his food. But again, using a lot of the local ingredients and local flavors. That's one of my favorites.
The second one is Casa Vieja, which is located in Ciales. It's literally in the heart of Puerto Rico, you have to go through the mountains, but you get there and it's woman-owned. There's this lovely woman, her name is Lilliam, her and her whole family work there. And it's a lot of fun, they have live music on the weekends. Get there early because it does get really packed. But it's a really fun place and the food is absolutely delicious.
Angie:
Well, I'll be extending my next weekend trip to Puerto Rico so I can fit in all those delicious recommendations. Jessica van Dop DeJesús, thank you for joining us, and thank you to our listeners for being with us.
If you're planning a trip, be sure to connect with a AAA Travel Advisor, check out AAA.com/travel, or visit your local branch. If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and leave us a review. I'm Angie Orth, thank you for traveling with AAA.
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