http://www.chow.com/boards/88 Fri, 24 May 2013 14:47:36 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903086#8094370 We are on our way back to Anguilla in a couple weeks and I am planning our dining while we are there. Veya is always at the top of our list and Jacala is a close second vying for first. Both have been amazing in the past. Sandbar and Blanchard's Beach Shack are great for our more casual nights. Koal Keel it appears is sadly closed. We are going to skip Blanchard's as the prices do seem to have gone beyond reasonable. So we have a couple more nights free. Interested in opinions on Hibernia, which shows up first on tripadvisor but gets little buzz here, where I put more faith in the postings. Also, the newly reopened Flavours at LaVue is getting incredible reviews on TripAdvisor as well but none of them with specifics about the food (oddly) and the menu looks like it would required very careful navigation to put together a meal that was unique and interesting. Finally, having eaten at StrawHat in the past I was not terribly impressed but it gets mentioned on chowhound again and again. Eating there makes me feel like I am on the patio of a country club. What am I missing? Is it really more for brunch? Do we need to make sure we ask for a table closer to the water? Please give me the informed opinions I trust chowhound posters for! AndreaPB Fri, 24 May 2013 14:47:36 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/903086#8094370 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/747161#8092284 See my response to you in the other thread regarding sights. Unfortunately, I am probably the worst person you could ask about vegetarian options. I did have cuy and really enjoyed my lamb seco. The choclo is delicious there though and they are known for their potatoes. There is a bakery next to the Hotel Monasterio that has very good bread and pastries. Porthos Thu, 23 May 2013 16:39:06 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/747161#8092284 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888932#8092239 Great to hear! We thought L'Esprit was a standout as well. Where else did you eat? mb luvs SBH Thu, 23 May 2013 16:23:15 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888932#8092239 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/851936#8092205 Just got back myself. Machu Picchu was gorgeous. I would also highly recommend Ollantaytambo prior so you learn about the stone work and terrace building before visiting Machu Picchu. You can then recognize the stonework associated with temples vs common houses. Porthos Thu, 23 May 2013 16:05:11 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/851936#8092205 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/902902#8090676 Hello, I'm headed to Peru and am looking for bars where I can find a well-made cocktail and/or some local flavor in Cusco or Arequipa. Anyone have suggestions? Many thanks. Desidero Wed, 22 May 2013 21:02:38 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/902902#8090676 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900567#8083110 Thanks Joanie. We are going to Lima for a wedding in June and have 3 days and nights free. This helps . I always enjoyed your posts when u were active on the Boston board. Corn is one of my main food groups so I am more looking forward to Peruvian food. Capeannetoo Sun, 19 May 2013 00:29:50 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900567#8083110 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/901390#8072666 It's an interesting idea but after a few days in Buenos Aires you will be sick of the stuff, it is everywhere! ( I do recommend dulce de leche ice cream though). bronwen Mon, 13 May 2013 18:13:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/901390#8072666 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/898485#8069418 I would really, really recommend renting a car, it's incredibly cheap and in my opinion, necessary. We got a great rate searching on Kayak. (I always get higher rates on the weekend, so you might want to wait until Monday) The island is only 100 miles wide and with a car you can see so much in a short time. Just curious, how much is the hostel because there are a couple of really cheap places to stay using AirBnb if you're up to it. Eating out here is pretty cheap to begin with, if its just the two of you, it would probably make more sense to order a couple of extra items at lunch and take home your leftovers for dinner. I haven't once eaten an entire meal and I have a very healthy appetite. As far as particular places, I know of two in Arecibo that are popular with the locals, but not foodie places by any means. If you're looking for the latter, you might want to skip them but if you want to eat what locals love, then head on over. They're family type restaurants with honest to goodness Puerto Rican fare made very well. First there is Dona Rosa's, moderately priced, do not go on a weekend night. Secondly there is Salitre Meson Costero, this is a little pricier but you are paying for the unbeatable views of the beach. Have a passionfruit daiquiri and you'll soon forget about all your troubles. Have fun on your trip, there will be a lot to soak in if it's your first time and don't forget to have a piragua! Below: views from Salitre Meson Costero. pixelsicle Sat, 11 May 2013 10:37:21 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/898485#8069418 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900345#8048654 I'm traveling with a group of 12 people to Lima and I'm looking for a place to get dinner on Sunday night. We're staying in Miraflores so I'd prefer to stay relatively near there. I'd like a place that serves traditional Peruvian food in a casual atmosphere. We're doing Astrid y Gaston the night before, so I'd like something that's different from that experience. Not so much concerned with cost, just would rather have a broader range of experiences in our short time visiting Lima. Thanks in advance for your recommendations. turkob Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:18:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900345#8048654 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/899752#8048328 Is her (or your) preference something fancy/upscale or something down-to-earth with great "typical" local food? And is the birthday person a bogotana or a visitor? quimbaya Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:00:23 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/899752#8048328 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/899707#8046279 I highly recommend Juana M. in the Retiro. Great food, great atmosphere, great staff. Very reasonable and a great place for families. http://www.juanam.com/juana-centro/ boboq Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:27:25 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/899707#8046279 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883568#8045828 Just returned from a great week in Grand Cayman and wanted to quickly report back on our eats. On a whole, we ate quite well on the island, especially considering we were somewhat limited in our choices dining with a toddler! The food at the Ritz was surprisingly decent for a big box hotel. Nothing we ate was terrible (which I can't say is always true when dining in resorts), and a few things were actually quite tasty. We most enjoyed the food at Bar Jack, the casual restaurant near the main pool. Really good jerk chicken, mahi sandwich and fish tacos. Not cheap of course, like everything else at the Ritz. Dinner at La Dolce Vita our first night was fabulous. Food, service and setting were perfect. Our fresh burrata appetizer was the best burrata we'd ever had. Unfortunately our dinner at Morgan's Harbour was less successful. The waterfront setting was sublime but nothing we tasted was particularly good. And dinner concluded with an inedible bread pudding. For lunch one day we walked over to the Sunshine Grill. A nice change from the Ritz, our conch fritters were delicious but their famous fish tacos left something to be desired. The best meal of our trip by a long shot was at Michael's Genuine in Camana Bay. Food was intensely flavorful and interesting (highlights included the chili chicken wings, lionfish and breadfruit salad), cocktails and service were terrific and we sat outside overlook the fountains while a tin drum band performed. There were kids everywhere at 6pm and our daughter was more than welcome. A really fun trip. We can't wait to return. mla19 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:25:46 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/883568#8045828 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900062#8044140 Just got back from a quick trip to St. Martin and had some great food. We hit many of the spots recommended in other posts and wanted to give a quick update. We stayed near Orient Bay and ended up eating exclusively on the French side. Seems like if you skip the wine and do either an appetizer or dessert with your dinner, you won't spend too much. Otherwise, expect to spend around USD$75/person. Bistro de Caraibes : A great restaurant. They service was outstanding and the ambience is relaxed. The decor of the restaurant would make you think long pants and shoes were necessary, but people were in shorts and sandals and still felt comfortable(though nice shorts with a polo shirt). We had appetizers of escargot and a salad with baked goat cheese and smoked duck breast. Both were great. Dinner was Veal scalopini and poached red snapper in a saffron sauce with mussels. Fantastic food and great service. USD$200 with 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 1 dessert and 3 glasses of wine. Spiga: We thought this was a good restaurant, though not a destination restaurant. The pasta was fresh and tasted good, but had clumped together a bit when cooking. The sauces for the pasta were also good, though there was too much of it. We had a pasta with shrimp and scallops, and there was very little scallop. The dessert was fine. You won't leave disappointed, but you will likely forget the meal very soon. If you want pasta and are looking for a good dinner, as opposes to an experience, this is a good bet. Ti Bouchon: As others have said, Momo, the owner, is great. He is friendly and welcoming and makes you feel comfortable. The ambience of the restaurant,which is situated on a wrap-around porch of a house, is a welcome change from the indoor restaurants we visited. The food that we got, the red snapper and mahi mahi, was very good. The desserts were also great and the wine selection is nice. All in all, it was a fantastic meal and I would go back there if I returned to St. Martin. Bacchus: We went to the one on the french side. It is located in a strip mall with little character and loses points for ambience. The service was fantastic, as it was nearly everywhere we went. The food was good - we had gazpacho, crab salad, a cheese plate and macaroons for dessert- but ended up spending about $50/person for lunch. For that kind of money we thought we could have had comparable food in a better ambience. It is only open for lunch. Unless you are dying for imported French food, I would say time is better spend during the day hanging on the beach having a fish sandwich or food from a lolo. Final review: If you head to St. Martin, definitely go to Bistro Caraibes and Ti Bouchon. You will remember those meals for a long time. Go to Spiga if you are in the mood for good pasta. Skip Bacchus - not worth the price or the trip into an industrial strip mall. droch Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:58:15 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900062#8044140 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/887177#8037732 Tweede kamer at the hofstraat, Paramaribo. They serve the best quality of meat, fish and vegetables i ate in any restaurant in Surinam.I know the kitchen staff shops everyday looking for the best ingredients. If you won't take my word for it, go around dinner time and you will see that the place is packed! Kukru Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:29:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/887177#8037732 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/713371#8037212 Just for the record, I bought "Curls of Honey," both the white and the dark, and I wouldn't describe either as "taffy-like" or "still melting while you eat them." They were very, very hard and had to be bitten into shards before you could begin to chew them. Flavor was good, but I'd strongly recommend that anyone not looking to replace a crown while in Antigua make a different selection. JoanN Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:06:41 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/713371#8037212 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894488#8031377 We ended up going to Trois Cente Onze, Pikayo and Marmalade. Loved all three, especially 311 and Marmalade. Enjoyed Parrot Club for lunch too. Loved PR - the people there are fabulous! Excellent service everywhere, happy people that seemed really genuine too. miss piggy Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:13:04 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894488#8031377 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888688#8031263 Have to admit it - I was a tourist, just passing through, so limited time. Thanks for your additions - more info always helps and hopefully more contibutions will be added. estufarian Mon, 22 Apr 2013 06:13:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888688#8031263 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/898027#8028978 A quick trip report on San Juan. It was a bit of a disaster, although still a lot of fun. First off, AirTran unexpectedly canceled the flight down while we were waiting to board, instead sending me and a friend on a 24 hour odyssey to Pittsburgh and then to Tampa for the night, where we grabbed a late-night dinner at the counter-top side of LA TERESITA. The Cuban plates were just what we needed after many hours sitting in airports and in random planes. Roast pork, ropa vieja, rice and beans, great buttery bread... But you didn't come here for Tampa recommendations! When we finally got to San Juan and joined our six other friends, weekend already well underway, we headed to CAFE MALLORCA for a sort of breakfast/lunch kind of mishmash. I had chicken fricassee with rice and beans, which was juicy and delicious. My wife and I ate there about 15 years ago and it looks like they've revamped the interior, but the cooking is still traditional and great. I also split a mallorca (sugary bun) with ham and melted cheese in it. Yum. For dinner we stepped out in our finest for VERDE MESA, since one in our party is a vegetarian and San Juan doesn't have a lot of options. This seafood and vegetarian restaurant has a charming interior and a pretty nice menu. We split a big assortment of appetizers (boquerones, swordfish ceviche, salmon tartare, slow-cooked tuna conserva) which was mostly great. The boquerones (little oil-cured fresh sardines with roasted tomatoes) and the ceviche were the winners. I had their take on nicoise with lovely seared tuna slices and a delicious mango couscous. The next day we had breakfast at CAFECULTURA (actually, the crew had breakfast every day... Being friends with the same group of people for 25 years tends to make you creatures of habit.) The ham and cheese on baguette breakfast sandwich was killer, as was their coffee. I wanted to head up to the hills of Guaynabo for a roast pig feast at a Lechonera but the fellas didn't feel the same sense of urgency so we lingered at the beach and by the time we made it up there for dinner they were all closed. No matter, we headed to Pinones for dinner and randomly found TITI LUCY, the same stand where we had pionones together ten years ago. Sitting on the ramshackle porch eating heavily-fried goodness was a great close out to the short trip. Pinones LOOKS like a great place to crawl from place to place trying different specialties, but one bite of the deep fried belly-bombs will finish you up for the night. And with all the noise and hub-bub (and people randomly riding through the dark night on horses) it's about as different a place as you can get from the typical vacation atmosphere. During the drive back to town we spied PIZZA CONO and, as a car full of New Yorkers must, had to try them. These pizza cones are filled with molten cheese and tomato sauce, plus smokey bacon and mushrooms. I feel overly stuffed just thinking about them. They were damn tasty, if dangerously hot. kukubura Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:17:21 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/898027#8028978 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835950#8024423 Hi Peppermint, Sorry I am just coming back to this post, and so you have likely already been and gone! Sorry about that. As you likely now know, you can shuttle to Dune, and while Athena is fab, they do not open for dinner (unless you do an early dinner before or 4:30!) Typically, they close when the customers are gone back to the ships. I forgot to tell you to have the octopus and the hummus at Athena! The octopus is so tender and divine, and the hummus is so nice and garlicky! MMmmm - everyone at the table HAS to have it! Hope you had a fabulous trip and found what you wanted and needed at Solomon's Fresh Market! Food on the brain Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:10:16 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835950#8024423 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897856#8012108 For wine, we had a descent Cab for a reasonable $47/bottle. ----------------------------------------------- I'd say so! We have been to Provo twice and really enjoyed both trips. It has been a couple of years, thanks for the report, it makes me consider another trip. cleobeach Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:18:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897856#8012108 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897807#8009872 Traveling to Chile for the first time with a couple of girlfriends, April 18-24, and we are looking for some good places to eat that won't break the bank. We are all flight attendants, so we are on a little bit of a stricter budget. No Astrid y Gaston on this trip. We have no problem going a bit out of the way or going to very local places. Two of us are Spanish speakers, so that shouldn't be a problem. We are adventurous - last year backpacked Peru for a month (and hope to have a much better food experience in Chile!). Thanks for any recommendations! KariAnneATL Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:26:04 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897807#8009872 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/874522#8003971 Wow, thanks for the rec on Kallari, Am off to online shop. We did try various types of Ecuadorian chocolate but I am by no means a connoisseur as you are. I appreciate the tip, :) P.S I just ordered some off of Amazon. New Leaf sells it as well. :) phelana Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:05:11 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/874522#8003971 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897385#8003740 Not a whole of info on Nevis lately, so I thought I'd do a short info dump on a recent trip. It was a pretty typical slate of island restaurants: some local "snackettes" that have flexible hours, an above-average group of laid back beach bars and a few upscale restaurants. Overall, I was disappointed that local joints with local fare weren't more prevalent or user friendly. They were almost always closed the week we were there, and once the sun goes down, good luck finding a place. Sounds nitpicky, but small dark signs set back from streets without street lights can get pretty irritating. Probably the biggest draw of the island (for visitors and cruisers, and locals at least while we were there, around Easter) is Pinney's Beach, a couple miles north of Charlestown. It's a long beach, but all the bars are in one spot, a short walk down the beach from the Four Seasons. Plenty of parking, which is sort of "stop your car wherever" random. All four bars (Sunshine's, Lime, Chevy's and Double Deuce) are roughly equal, all solid beach fare. Sunshine's gets the most press. Its rum punch is known as the Killer Bee. It's pretty good. The food wasn't special, a decent lobster salad, average conch fritters, burgers and the like. Lunches are a better value than dinner, but dinner entrees like grilled shrimp were still tasty. A lunch at Chevy's had a few local specials. The mutton curry was good. In fact any curry on the island is probably a good bet. Lime had a very good fish taco (both the grilled and fried versions) which was more like a burrito. Also a good house-made habanero sauce. Their rum punch is the Green Flash (supposedly the oh-so-brief instand when the sun sets, there's a green flash). In fact, Pinney's Beach is a great sunset spot. The Double Deuce (images of Patrick Swayze in Road House) was also solid food, nothing special. Though they did have a few nice details, like fresh nutmeg on their rum punch and fresh cut fries. (Chips, it's owned by a couple Brits.) One other beach bar of note is on the northwest corner of the island at Oualie Beach Hotel. Drinks are a bit more expensive, but if you buy from the bar they don't appear to complain if you also use their beach chairs and umbrellas/trees, which is nice as Pinney's is pretty much barren of cover. Their rum punch is also pretty tasty. A vegetable roti and fish tacos were passable for lunch. The dinner atmosphere drove us away after one drink: terrible menu and a depressing group of older Brits. But for daytime, I think the best beach option. Things might be different in high season (again, we were there close to Easter, which is a hopping holiday), but don't wait too late to eat. One night, nothing on the island was open at 8:45 p.m. aside from the Four Seasons dining room. Nothing special there, as you would expect, aside from a coconut souflee that was delicious. Four Seasons is typically overpriced, but also easy if you're not comfortable with the beach or local scenes. A few takeout options if you're feeling lazy. Youngs Chinese was pretty awful. Indian Summer was actually quite passable Indian food, aside from a tough naan, and a welcome break when you just want to eat at home. There are a few other local joints north of Charlestown, a drive through whose name I forget (and which isn't really a drive through, make sure you park first!) and Mansa's, a small store that also does some food. Several places do Friday barbecues (we weren't there over a Friday). Cooking gourmet meals at home if you're in a villa won't be the highlight of your trip; the grocery stores are definitely subpar. Rum is certainly cheap, though. And Carib is always a delicious beer. Service is average. I didn't see much of the so-called "Nevis Nice," more like bored and not really interested in being there, but pleasant enough folks. And if it's slow, most of the cooks get high, which makes them much more friendly. Overall, even quieter and fewer choices than St. John in the USVI, which I would consider pretty similar overall, but still decent. The bars on Pinney's Beach are a great way to relax. Bring bug spray, especially at night, and use it liberally. tmentzer Sun, 07 Apr 2013 03:28:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/897385#8003740 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/893085#8001491 ew. Maybe not dominican Vanilla- glad I did some research! http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_Dominican_vanilla_and_regular_vanilla amsuka Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:16:38 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/893085#8001491 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888448#7988440 Hector's and 39 Azul are two entirely different experiences. Hector's is tiny, can be cramped depending on where you're sitting, and barely manages to create a pleasing ambience. It has one harried, but very efficient waitress, and a menu that tends toward steak, duck, terrific burgers (for lunch), boeuf Bourguignon, and a fish of the day. And he has truly outstanding sweet potato fries. The offerings aren't nearly as adventurous as at 39 Azul, but I do think the food is as well prepared and almost as good. Hector's is an everyday kind of place whereas 39 Azul is more special occasion, based only on ambiance and service. JoanN Sun, 31 Mar 2013 01:08:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/888448#7988440