http://www.chow.com/boards/54 Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:08:20 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://www.chow.com/topics/660109#5201118 Just got back from a week in St. Thomas, and went to the following places. I'd done a lot of work to determine where to eat (ask people who had been, who go frequently, talked to chefs while there) and ended up at the following places. Blue Moon Cafe - Secret Harbor in Red Hook. We were staying @ Secret Harbor Resort so we had breakfast here every day. Breakfast was simple but very good, and lunch was very good too. The dinner was shockingly good (more so b/c the place is very nondescript and doesn't seem like it would crank out such good food). For apps, the wife got the local salad - greens, feta, vinagrette and I got the tuna three ways (sashimi, blackened, poke) and both were very good. For dinner, we had the pork chop (best pork chop I've ever had) which was in a crimini mushroom sauce, over garlic mashed potatoes. Wife got the wahoo which was simple but great, also served over garlic mash. Markup on wine is probably the least outrageous here, and a good selection. I ended up meeting someone from the Ritz who says he typically sends guests here and The Cellar b/c of how good they are. The Cellar - Red Hook Very good place. Had a potato/cheese/bacon soup that was very rich and very good to start. Wife got the lamb entree and I got the lobster pasta. Lamb was good - standard fare over lentils and was solid. The lobster pasta was one of the better dishes we had and very unique. A creamy sundried tomato sauce and was very rich. We also ordered desert - a brownie/ice cream sundae which was very good. overall, we really enjoyed the cellar. Oceana - Frenchtown/Charlotte Amalie Supposed to be one of the best restaurants on the island. Presentation and view is spectacular. Very secluded place in an old villa in Frenchtown. The food was very good too. We probably made a mistake by getting the tapas as appetizers, rather than getting something on the menu. We did 5 tapas (conch fritters, plantains and guava pork, pineapple salsa on crostini, hummus and ribeye salad) and enjoyed them, but nothing really stood out. Dinner was very good, they had two fish specials - one was a focaccia encrusted sea bass on lentils which was very good, and I forget my wife's dish unfortunately. Agave Terrace - east end ~10 minutes from Red Hook. This was a solid meal - nothing spectacular. Got the shrimp/scallop risotto to start - very underwhelming. Risotto is either excellent, or it's wet rice - this was wet rice. For dinner, my wife got the grouper which she really enjoyed, I thought it was good. I got the filet with mashed potatoes. I thought both were good, not great. The view is very good presunset. Havana Blue (2x) - Marriott frenchman's reef near Havensight - We went here day 2 and had such a fantastic experience, we went back. We should have just left it at the one experience. After speaking with a number of people, this isn't uncommon; it can be very hit or miss. Night 1 - Started with the Tacos Di Filet - Nothing spectacular, but very solid. 4 bite-size corn tortillas with tiny bits of filet, some cotija cheese and a little pico. Wife got the Miso Sea Bass and I ended up with Night 2 - Started with the same tacos (wife got the price fixed so those were the options we took). Wife got the Mojito skirt steak and I got the Relleno Snapper. Wife's steak was good, the snapper was bland - I didn't finish it. We did do desert and both were good - selection of 3 ice creams and the Havana Banana, which was great. Overall, it just wasn't quite the dining experience we had the first time. That being said - the view is extremely nice. It is more of a trendy atmosphere than any of the other restaurants. Asolare - Cruz Bay in St. John - Best view in town, food was underwhelming considering it was the most we paid during the trip. Apps were a pork belly nigiri (thick cut bacon over sushi rice) and duck dumplings (again, not bad but like dumplings). Dinner was a seared tuna which I enjoyed and the wife got the mahi mahi. Again, neither were really outstanding - good but not great. I unfortunately forget the name of the restaurant a couple of chefs were in agreement in attending on st. John. That being said, this is a spectacular view, and a very good experience. We didn't make it to Thirteen restaurant, but heard from many locals that this is currently the best restaurant on the island but a little tougher to get to. http://www.stthomasblog.com/?p=2048 Not in the same league, but did hear good things about Latitude 18 in red hook too from many of the people we spoke with. Limited menu, but very homey and good. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:08:54 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/660109#5201118 http://www.chow.com/topics/666953#5200124 I recently just returned from my own culinary journey to Marmalade, WOW! I was shocked to read that a reader didn't enjoy the ceviche. The preparation as I recall it was an ensembly of five different citrus fruits tangled with avocado and jicama all lightly laquered with this beautiful smoked chili emulsion/dressing. I loved the play of spice with the sweetness of the fruit and the natural acidity of the citrus. I enjoyed that with an Albarino from Spain, ( Chef's suggested wine pairing) for $5.90, followed by a lobster risotto that was so decadent and lovely I thought I was going to cry! This was paired with a typical wooded Californian style Chardonnay that worked quite well with the the roasted and nutty tones of the lobster. The third course was pure heaven, Bean soup with truffles and pancetta matched with a White Burgandy, crisp and clean as a nice contrast to the rich smoky ham and earthy truffle. The entree for me was the single greatest fish course I have ever eaten, a filet of snapper poached inside a clear bag with spanish sausage, red peppers, little neck c;ams and garlic. The bag is opened right at the table, brilliant presentation, sure it can be a little messy if you have never seen this presentation before, but very common in the finest restaurants in Europe. I just couldn't get enough, having lived the last four years in Europe, I became accustomed to the taste of crafted food. I do realize that now I'm back in the mainland the food becomes more and more processed at every restaurant. This was the first meal I have eaten that reminds me of the taste and craftmanship of Europe cooking since our return. And let us not forget dessert.....I had a three layered composition of Hawaiian Macadamia nut lyered beneath a milk chocolate mousseline kissed with fresh passion fruit. A perfect ending to a lovely meal, at the end of the night the chef came to our table to speak with us and thank us as well as giving us the recipe to his signiture soup which we had enjoyed. We were amazed at the grace and charm of the staff, willing to accomodate any request with a pleasant smile and a thank you. My only question is why is this fabulous restaurant in Puerto Rico? This restaurant would be a smashing success in any major city of the world....decor, food, ambient! Let's hope he stay's in Puerto Rico for a long time so we can enjoy it for our own selfish reasons. In the end we spent about $220 for two people which included six different courses for each of us, a total of ten different wines we tasted to match our food as well. Sure it is not an everyday restaurant, but you get so much more than what you pay for. You can spend the same money sitting in the hotel lobby eating processed food and drinking cheap wine. Treat yourself, you will not find better restautant in Puerto Rico.... If you like simpler food.....you will be in heaven with all the fast food chains, frozen vegetables and pizza parlors. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:20:10 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/666953#5200124 http://www.chow.com/topics/668855#5198666 I am heading to St. John for a week in mid December with my family. I haven't been there in 15+ years. I am looking for some really good places to eat and would appreciate any and all suggestions and recommendations. Thanks. Rando Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:34:45 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/668855#5198666 http://www.chow.com/topics/577258#5198479 My husband and I are heading there this xmas for vacation. If there are any restaurant suggestions, it would be most appreciated. We're planning on doing the Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour - any other culinary tours that are worthwhile? We'll also be in Kingston for a few nights, so if anyone has suggestions for the Kingston area, that would be great too. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:40:10 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/577258#5198479 http://www.chow.com/topics/663935#5190786 Nos Cunucu is excellent. Been meaning to do a write up but haven't found the time. But it's reasonably priced and tasty (stoba de kabrito, or goat stew, was excellent, as was the keshi yena). Much better than Gasparitos (which isn't bad, just nowhere as good at Nos Cunucu). Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:58:02 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/663935#5190786 http://www.chow.com/topics/524385#5189362 I just tried this and the "paste" wasn't thick enough and I did follow the directions so if you have tried this, how did the paste come out? Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:02:29 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/524385#5189362 http://www.chow.com/topics/664003#5186610 Sjalotte is actually really good and has a sexy modern vibe that seems to be lacking in some of the restaurants in Curacao. Also great for its ambience is Moon (near the Avila hotel). Also good for casual food on the beach is a place that we call "the container" but it has a real name. It's next too the Surf and Turf up by Lion's Dive and is literally a shipping container that is now a restaurant. Lot's of cool choices on island. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:55:21 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/664003#5186610 http://www.chow.com/topics/667647#5186422 Headed to Puerto Rico again in December, so looking for places to eat, and of course most info you find is on San Juan and vicinity. So on this thread I hope we can collect our finds throughout the rest of the island as well as Vieques and Culebra. Primarily we are looking for great local food, but if there is anything international that´s good and reasonably authentic please post that too. We are staying in Ceiba again but will be driving all around the island. On the previous trip we enjoyed morcilla and lots of other stuff at the kioscos in Luquillo, had lunch at a kiosco type place on the road to Yunque, great pinchos on the right side of the road back from Camuy to the northern coast, those were the highlights of that trip as far as local food goes. Also mofongo at that place on the right side of PR-3 when headed from Ceiba to San Juan, I wish I could remember any of the names. Somehow managed to miss out on lechón, won´t happen this time. I´ve read the threads on here about Guavate, so we´ll be there, maybe on Christmas day even. So please post your favorites. Also post if you know a generic way of finding great food anywhere in Puerto Rico on demand. Like for example in Colombia if you take an intercity bus or taxi you just ask the driver where he likes to eat, and that´s usually the place you want to be, even if the answer is "en mi casa". LOL I´ve read about mesones gastronómicos, but don´t know if they are the real deal or more of a tourist trap type thing. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:02:17 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/667647#5186422 http://www.chow.com/topics/663841#5185590 Thanks. Skin is the best part! It was great. Not the kind that is gummy, but crisp and full of flavor. Next time, I may try El Cunao, too, as I've heard very good things. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:42:15 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/663841#5185590 http://www.chow.com/topics/367489#5185214 We went to the Boathouse restaurant on the west end up in the hills. There is a spectacular view and the food was good. They were having an Indonesian buffet in which we had no interest so we ordered off the menu. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:49:13 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/367489#5185214 http://www.chow.com/topics/667447#5184503 I'm looking for half- or full-day cooking lesson in San Juan. Something that starts in a market and ends with a few real, local dishes would be ideal, but as long as I come away feeling I've learned something about the island's food, I'll be happy. Any suggestions? Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:34:54 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/667447#5184503 http://www.chow.com/topics/667362#5183841 Hey all! We love food, will eat pretty much anything, and are really excited about the fresh seafood in Belize. We realize Hopkins Village is a small village, but where can we get really great authentic fresh food? Or a really romantic meal? Or a really cheap and delicious one? Where are the best places to go? Or even maybe within 20 or 30 miles? We'll drive for a really great meal... Thank you in advance! Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:27:55 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/667362#5183841 http://www.chow.com/topics/647412#5182874 I just got back from Sosua. The best restaurant that I have ever been to- ever- is called "Chili". It is a Thai restaurant on La Mulata Road. That says a lot because I am from NYC and it is not always easy to find this standard in authenticity out of Thailand or a big city such as NYC. The phone no is 809-913-2159 and they are open Wednesday through Sunday. You have probably gone on your trip by now but if someone else is reading this-please don't pass this up. Also, if you are going to Sosua beach, I recommend going to store number 189 called Caribe- run by this guy named Adanas. The food is very good here and Adanas takes good care of you. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:11:46 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/647412#5182874 http://www.chow.com/topics/343468#5179175 Unfortunately PR has not yet embraced the internet like the rest of the US has, however, I can assure you that grocery stores abound. But I also must warn that the quality of produce is pretty dismal compared with the US. Typically tourists stay in one of three areas: Condado, Isla Verde, or Old San Juan. In Condado and Old San Juan you have a Supermax located on De Diego Ave in Condado and in Plaza de Armas in OSJ. In Isla Verde you have Pueblo (www.pueblo.net). Tracking down organic food is very difficult in PR. There is a chain of grocery's called Freshmart that carries a primarily of organic items, however, the selection in fairly limited. There is a Freshmart location that is in an area of San Juan called Hato Rey. It is a 15 min. car ride from any of the three areas listed above. They also have a website, www.freshmartpr.com Hope this helps Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:04:03 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/343468#5179175 http://www.chow.com/topics/666804#5177984 My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Puerto Rico in December. We wanted to spend part of our trip visiting the coffee plantations in the interior of the island... and just wanted to see if anyone here has recommendations for any of the places near Adjuntas or Jayuya. We've never tried this before, so we wanted to see also if there was a certain etiquette to visiting the plantations. Should we expect to be able to do tastings/cuppings even though we may only be buying a low volume of beans? Do most places require that we call ahead or is it possible to make a stop while we're driving by? Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:33:24 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/666804#5177984 http://www.chow.com/topics/663214#5177790 Hi, I have been to T&T about 20 times in the last 15 years. My wife was born and raised in Trinidad and we spend at least a few months there every year (From Christmas to Carnival usually). Some of the BEST restaurants are in Woodbrook (a suburb of Port of Spain) and the area is vibrant, exciting and full of nightlife. I highly recommend Il Collosseo (which is really in St. Clair by all the embassies) - amazing Italian/Corsican food and also Angelos in Woodbrook (equally as good but we prefer Il Collosseo). If you want to try top notch Trinidadian food done by a really skilled chef you should head to Batti Mamselle. I am assuming you are going to be up north in Port of Spain for the most part so the recommendations are primarily for restaurants there but if you do want to try really good, local Trini food you should head South to Chaguanas and/or San Fernando. Get yourself some Trinidad Chinese Food (you will be amazed at the taste and quality), some Indian Food in Debe or Penal or Chaguanas (it doesn't have to be street food and it doesn't have to be full of Pepper. If you are really adventurous, try some Roast Pork, Souse or Black Puddin from Charlies (in San Fernando). Here is a link for a site that covers restaurants all over T &T: http://www.cre-ole.com Enjoy and good luck. Make sure you make a lime in St. James, enjoy the local people and just be safe and smart. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:58:37 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/663214#5177790 http://www.chow.com/topics/666287#5172373 We are going to Eleuthera in the Bahamas in Feb. Any food joints or places that need to be hit would be appreciated Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:51:56 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/666287#5172373 http://www.chow.com/topics/663601#5167137 Missed this post, but for future hounds in Belize City, in addition to the Smokey Mermaid, you can walk across the swing bridge to JamBel Jerk Chicken. Also, the conch fritters at the Wet lizard in the Tourist Village are very good, but that's a bit touristy and a place to miss during spring break time. On Cay Cualker, you can look for Carlos out toward the split, past the soccer fields. Runs his own "grill" with what ever he catches that morning. Costa Maya is just rebuilding from the destruction caused by Dean. On the malecon in Majahual, there are some places popping up with good"street" food. Pez Quadros is suppose to have a good variety of food that beats most "all-inclusive resort" type places. But the new pier is loading up on the Fat Tuesday/Senior Frog/ Hard Rock Cafe type eateries that populate many Mexican and Caribbean ports. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:27:17 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/663601#5167137 http://www.chow.com/topics/660551#5159215 The Italian restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in Isle Verde was fantastic. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:48:51 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/660551#5159215 http://www.chow.com/topics/661014#5157742 We'll check to see if there's a Perla connection at the hotel. I'll report if we find anything interesting in the area. I'm excited about Marmalade and hope it meets up to all the praise. Thanks again for all your help. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:04:48 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/661014#5157742 http://www.chow.com/topics/642825#5144160 Interested in Curacao local food? Check out http://www.curacao-visitor.com for some tips on restaurants, local food and other cheap eateries. Good luck! Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:20:04 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/642825#5144160 http://www.chow.com/topics/663282#5142234 Great list...I have not been to FF in a few years..I had one great meal there in 97 and one bad a few years back...IMHO that would be a special evening...Do you realize NYE is perhaps the loudest craziest nights in the Dutch islands? Klap/fireworks/veerwerks is legal and everyone spends massive $ to buy goodies. Ask your hotel where the Pagara is New Years Day. If you love fireworks stay near town, if not hide down at Flying Fishbone WAYYYY down in Savaneta.... Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:50:17 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/663282#5142234 http://www.chow.com/topics/662849#5138444 Lunch at Pikayo? Dinner at Dragonfly and dessert and drinks and music at Carli's Cafe? Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:16:30 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/662849#5138444 http://www.chow.com/topics/658401#5138051 Seconding the recommendation for Marmalade! (And for San Juan as a culinary destination.) Just back from a recent trip myself and wanted to chime in on what a treat it was. I'd made reservations for Marmalade for the first night of our trip based on a comment here on CH that the chef (Peter) had prepared a vegetarian tasting menu for a member of a party. Since my partner and I are vegetarian, we thought this would be a good place to try. After the server explained the menu, I mentioned that I'd read there were some off-menu vegetarian dishes. Peter appeared a few minutes later and was super gracious, taking the time to explain the number of dishes he could make. After we scooped our jaws off the floor, we asked if we could do a tasting menu. What followed was incredible. It's super apparent how much he loves what he does, and that made for a delicious and exciting meal. Every dish we had was so creative and worked perfectly. I've never had such a consistent and unique meal. At the end of our meal, he took the time to recommend other restaurants in the area, including Jam Bar, which we tried and also thoroughly enjoyed (excellent mixed drinks there, too). Peter recommended Perla, at La Concha, which has a very different feel. It's a gorgeous space -- designed in the shape of a clam shell and overlooking the beach. Again, the meal was delicious and creative and the service was stellar. I can't comment too much on the menu, since what we had was mostly off-menu (another vegetarian tasting). But again, this was a great experience. Puerto Rico was a beautiful place to visit -- which I expected -- but it was not on my radar as a chow-worthy destination. Silly me. I'd go back for the food alone! Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:08:16 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/658401#5138051 http://www.chow.com/topics/462020#5130088 Metropole (near the Hilton) has great food! Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:54:01 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/462020#5130088 http://www.chow.com/topics/659624#5125430 Wacky Wahoos Yemanja Madame Janettes Bingo (great burger) Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:22:49 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/659624#5125430 http://www.chow.com/topics/660648#5125047 Was just thinking that too. Go offline, my email is pytw75@yahoo.ca. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:11:20 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/660648#5125047 http://www.chow.com/topics/659616#5116494 sonic, email me if you need info on AXA. I am running a culinary tour there so know the chow situation well. ann@antiguacaribbean.com Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:44:25 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/659616#5116494 http://www.chow.com/topics/642056#5111783 Island Grille in Islamorada ...very cool area of the Keys Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:50:45 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/642056#5111783 http://www.chow.com/topics/658803#5107423 Nos Cunucu is very good and very reasonable. The kid's menu is the entire menu, half portion, half price. Most entrees are just over $10, which is a relative bargain on the island. It's Aruban food and is excellent. Cafe Rembrandt has a soup and sandwich lunch special for $10. It may or may not be a chain, but they were friendly, the food was simple and good, and it wasn't too pricey for lunch. Gasparito in my opinion is overpriced and a tad touristy. Nice folk, but the Aruban food at Nos Cunucu is twice as good for less than half the price. (Keshi Yena was $26 at Gasparito and 25 afl at Nos Cunucu, for instance.) Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:51:31 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/658803#5107423 http://www.chow.com/topics/651600#5100744 thanks. we've been back 3 weeks, but I'll check it out for next time. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:24:23 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/651600#5100744 http://www.chow.com/topics/652649#5100334 would love to hear where you ended up for your anniversary! Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:59:48 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/652649#5100334 http://www.chow.com/topics/556050#5096241 Thank you Ewilensky -- yes, I do know about Happy Cow, but their listings can often be out of date. Also, I am interested in restaurants that aren't exclusively vegetarian as well -- recommendations for those with a handful of good, creative veg options are very welcome. Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:33:51 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/556050#5096241 http://www.chow.com/topics/482212#5092869 Hatch,thanks for the link.I found it very helpful and it gave me an insight before I leave in a couple weeks. Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:25:07 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/482212#5092869 http://www.chow.com/topics/630375#5086653 I suppose I should report back after starting this thread. The food in Aruba was not the highlight of our trip, each time we ate out we regretted it and towards the last week of our trip we cooked in our room - you'd be suprised what you can make with a little kitchenette toaster oven. Highlights -- BBQ on Saturday at the flea market. Simple BBQ but cooked with finesse. Mostly locals eating at this one. Past downtown heading North to the low-rise hotels on the right hand sign. There's a banner. La Granja (Savaneta) - it's off menu but they make a very good cebiche/cerviche. A bit on the expensive side but EVERYTHING is on the expensive side in Aruba. Chicken and beef is their specialty for good reason. Effe Amders (Savaneta)- Suriname food. HUGE portions for very little money. Menu is in Dutch/Suriname and not really willing to speak English. Nasi, Bami, Roti and Rijst - either with chicken, beef, or vegetarian. This was one of our favorite places. Point and smile. Zeerovers (Savaneta) - Means "pirates" matie. Really a fisherman's bar with snacks. But go for the fresh fish and shrimp. We cooked often in our little toaster oven but one night bought enough to entice a local family to let us cook on their grill at Mangel Halto beach. Best meal there. Nelo's Snack (Savaneta) - again, huge portions at cheap prices. Menu in Papiamento /Dutch. Ordered what I thought was fish. Got ribs. Didn't complain. Looks like a dump from the outside, which is pretty much how it looks on the inside. Good hearty food. Pelican Pier (Palm Beach) - Touristy but one of the better meals we had. Especially the grilled shrimp salad which had a nice curry spice to it. Heavy on the fried foods but some tasty wraps as well. Weakest. Drinks. Ever. Gasparitos - Tried the Keshi Yena. Good but extremely filling. Split with my wife and we ate only half of it and were full for days. Extremely expensive for what it is. Royal Taj - Standard Indian food, actually much better than we expected it to be. A bit more than we're used to paying but this is Aruba. Friendly drug dealers out front trying to sell sub-par weed at extremely high prices. Hey, they need to eat too... Sadly, no luck in finding Rijsttafel although there is rumor that an Indonesian place serves it on Wednesday only. I think we had given up by then. The best culinary find was my reacquaintance with stroopwafels which I had first discovered in Amsterdam. Two thin waffle like cookies with caramel or syrup between them. Great with coffee, especially when you put your cookie over your cup and let the steam warm them for a while. The big yellow "Super Foods" in front of Ling & Sons had by far the best selection. They freeze well. We brought 12 packages home, 11 actually since the customs guy was jokingly giving me a hard time about bringing so many home... A great trip, we actually spent about $50 less per day than we budgeted since we stopped eating out. And we lost weight.... Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:23:33 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/630375#5086653 http://www.chow.com/topics/657387#5086558 thanks for the link..will get some next time. My cabinet is full of Outerbridges Sherry Peppers. I used to love that stuff. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:51:01 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/657387#5086558 http://www.chow.com/topics/488717#5086557 I am a travel agent and know a few that will not accommodate the diet. Let us know where you end up. I have a client who has Celiacs Disease and he travels all over the Caribbean. I believe most items have gluten free items but what is your experience in other travels? Follow my www.anguillabliss.com Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:49:53 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/488717#5086557 http://www.chow.com/topics/261467#5082006 Great little restraunt called code zero on the beach in Bequia. There is a review of it at http://www.boat4u.com.au Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:22:02 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/261467#5082006 http://www.chow.com/topics/583344#5081845 Excellence Punta Cana. If you read the reviews on it you'll see most visitors had the same reaction as myself. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:15:25 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/583344#5081845 http://www.chow.com/topics/613788#5073901 Wow! I guess we must have missed something. We just got back and Cuba has the BLANDEST food I have ever eaten!! Let me preface this by saying, I in NO WAY expected gourmet meals. I was expecting, and looking forward to, rice and beans, a media noche, platanos, yuca, maybe some lechon....and I did get all of those things. The problem was, they were not very good. None of it. We went upscale and downscale (way down). We tried the paladars (casa dining) and the cafeterias. I had some "okay" food, but nothing that I thought was really good. One of the best meals we had was in the airport. That is just sad. On the upside, there is a great history there and there are beautiful beaches, buildings and areas of Cuba that are just stunning. I also did not have one bad cocktail while there. We wanted to go before it opened up and the U.S. influences the culture there. We wanted to experience Cuba before there is a Starbucks or McDonalds on every corner. I have never said this about any country we have ever visited - I embrace every country and it's unique culture- but Cuba is in serious need of some golden arches!!!! Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:06:34 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/613788#5073901 http://www.chow.com/topics/655598#5066404 One of the most underrated places is Casa Tua (the one in Arawak Garden). We love their thin crust pizza but see people eating everything else as well (it is always busy). It is VERY child friendly. It is outdoors and there are usually tables of young kids with various parents. The one downtown is NOT as good IMHO and is not as child friendly. (We live in Florida but are Sunbirds - we spend most of the year in Aruba) Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:20:52 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/655598#5066404 http://www.chow.com/topics/654083#5063391 Instead of two dinners in one night we could do a tapas crawl - kind of like a pub crawl but with food! Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:14:12 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/654083#5063391 http://www.chow.com/topics/654768#5056289 Hi! My husband and I are returning to Puerto Rico next week and will be staying in Guanica for most of our trip. We haven't really explored this part of the island, but we are looking for recs anywhere in the vicinity (Guanica, Ponce, La Parguera, Cabo Rojo, etc). We already have our favorite places in San Juan and I have family in that area so we really don't need recs there. Thanks in advance! Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:54:34 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/654768#5056289 http://www.chow.com/topics/618927#5042184 Over the Edge is all about the location. Have a drink here, but eat elsewhere.. tried it several times, the service sucks and the food is just so-so. Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:20:19 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/618927#5042184 http://www.chow.com/topics/652478#5030942 My husband and I will be taking a quick 3 day weekend to St. Thomas and will be staying at the Ritz Carlton. I would love any suggestions for both dinner and lunch (Casual lunch and more formal dinner) as well as any suggestions for live music and great nightlife. I have never visited the USVI so any additional ideas and thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks in advance Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:00:05 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/652478#5030942 http://www.chow.com/topics/651077#5016485 Never made it as far as Holguin so I'll just share what I've gotten from my guidebook. There are only two restaurants listed that sound interesting to me. One is called Restaurant 1720, which is described as "Holguin's finest dining" in a restored colonial mansion. It's on Calle Frexes between Manduley and Miro. The other is called Paladar La Ternura (Jose A Cardet No. 293). A paladar is typically a restaurant in a private home and the food is usually plentiful and simple. I would certainly recommend that you explore beyond the resort. It's a whole different world out there and well worth visiting. Cuban meals tend to have fresh seafood (fish, lobster, shrimp) or chicken or pork as a main dish, with rice and beans and salad. Desserts can be odd - like this very strange guava and cheese concoction my husband once ordered - or fresh fruit or custards. Street foods are typically pizza or pork sandwiches - and range from delicious to awful. There's very little in the way of spices used beyond garlic and a bit of oregano. I can't imagine why you wouldn't be allowed to leave the resort. We encountered no travel restrictions anywhere in Cuba - we rented a car and travelled mostly the mid to western part of the island. Some resort areas may have "checkpoints' where you have to show your passport to enter because they restrict Cubans from going into these places unless they work there, but I can't see anyone trying to prevent you from leaving. Do it. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:31:02 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/651077#5016485 http://www.chow.com/topics/643876#5011515 Some good recommendations by LRS here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/462020 Here are some good eats near tourist areas Old San Juan and Santurce. Non-fancy local: in Old San Juan: El Jibarito - Local fare http://www.eljibaritopr.com/ El Siglo 20 - Traditional spanish-local I have friends who have lunch here everyday. Don Tello - You can take the 75 cents ferry from old San Juan to Cataño, on the other side of the bay and right in front of the ferry terminal you will find it. Try the fried red snapper. http://www.dontellorestaurant.com/http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2770227-el_siglo_xx_san_juan-i in Santurce/Condado: El pescador - Spanish seafood in the Santurce marketplace. http://www.concierge.com/travelguide/sanjuan/restaurants/30439 Bebo's Cafe - Dominican-local best buy in town, filled everyday with locals, large quick moving. La Tasca de Yiyo - Cuban-local similar to Bebo's, less crowds, a little further down Loiza street. Try arroz con pollo a la chorrera. La Casita Blanca - local traditional, simple and nice. Well into the local area into the "other" side of Santurce. Open during daytime only. http://gopuertorico.about.com/od/purepuertorican/gr/LaCasitaBlanca.htm Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:10:43 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/643876#5011515 http://www.chow.com/topics/563371#5009187 Oistens Fish Fry, Friday Night.. Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:07:49 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/563371#5009187 http://www.chow.com/topics/649539#4999602 We are staying at the Breezes resort for 5 nights a very well needed break fro the reality of two kids under 3! It is our first time to the Bahamas, I was wondering about a great place out, not looking to drop $300- on dinner but want something really nice and fun! Any thoughts on the Columbus Tavern? Also something local, not a watered down tourist attraction for great local cuisine! Thanks! Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:17:36 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/649539#4999602 http://www.chow.com/topics/459659#4996753 Perhaps the cheapest route of all? Bring your food with you from the US. We just did that last week. We brought ribs, steaks and chicken. Enough for three dinners for two families. To surround them, we stopped at local markets and bought what we needed. As for good, we had several terrific dinners including Skinny Legs, Shipwreck, and Sweet Plantains. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/649113 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:35:52 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/459659#4996753