Old San Juan, Puerto Rico - Updates on your favorite Native "Comida Criolla"?

[rssfromsf]

I'll be in San Juan for 8 hours next month on a Monday from 2pm to 10am...

Do you have any RECENT updates for great native food,
and additionally perhaps recommendations for Non-Tourist and/or Local places to visit?

Here are a couple of updates I have seen recently, but they haven't been mentioned on Chowhound:

1/7/05 - Article "There’s more to San Juan food than room service at your resort"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6338897/

2/9/05 - DFriia's very nice chowhoundish travel journal on San Juan:

Cafeteria Mallorca:
http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/RSSCDiamondSanJuanRT22005/entries/629
(Check out the 4 photos here! -- yum mallorcas!
Note: They had heard mention about "cranky, gruff waiters" at La Bombonera, so they went here instead because the food is supposed to be just as good here.
)
La Fonda El Jibarito:
http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/RSSCDiamondSanJuanRT22005/entries/633
(Check out the Cabrito in the attached Photo #2 on this day
)http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/RSSCDi...
(See also attached Photo #10 on this day
)
Right now, I'm leaning towards visiting both Cafeteria Mallorca and La Fonda El Jibarito.

Note: DFriia has never posted here. I've asked them to think about posting here sometimes, because they have SO much to offer...

Thanks in advance for your tips and leads!
-rssfromsf-

[rssfromsf a.k.a. "rsjs from San Francisco" on this board]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I previously posted on this board as "rsjs from San Francisco".

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/intl/...

[jsig]

Was at Cafeteria Mallorca And the food was good!also in the Condado section we had a great meal at the Ropa Vieja Cafe {Cuban-PR}

[rssfromsf]

Thanks jsig and sorry for the late acknowledgement!

I might not have time to sit at Cafeteria Mallorca but if I can I absolutely will. If I can't, I plan to get things to go.

Did you know how late they were open (I'd go there around 9pm on a Monday unless they closed earlier.)
[I'll call them in advance just to confirm, anyway.]

Thanks! -rssfromsf-

[rssfromsf]

I found their website! Thanks.

Link: http://www.dreamday.com/webclients/cafeteriamallorca/english/main.shtml

Image: http://www.dreamday.com/webclients/ca...

[Rob64]

I am sorry to hear you will only be there for 8 hours. I just got back yesterday from a 6 day trip to San Juan/Rincon. I had never been there before. Planned my return trip on the flight back. PR is a gem of a destination, but let's keep that to ourselves. There were very few foreign tourists around--beaches practically deserted (on weekdays, at least). High season in PR means high prices, not crowded beaches. But avoid weekends, PRicans come out in force and everything, beaches and streets, are VERY congested.

Interesting that you found this article on the market in Santurce. This area was recommended to me by a local for native Puerto Rican food that other places advertising "comida criolla" do not have. I ate at "Don Tello" Monday night. I tried to eat at "El Pescador" Sunday night, but it was too crowded. Both of these places at the market came highly recommended by this trusted source. Many non-tourist restaurants such as these are either closed Sunday and/or Monday or are operating on reduced hours (and yet further reduced because they may very well close early if they feel like it). As a result, places that are open can be packed. I strongly suggest you call any restaurant (unless it is very touristy) beforehand, particularly if it is one of these two days. In addition, neither of these places take reservations.

Parking could be a problem in this area, but I assume you would be taking a taxi. I was staying in the Condado residential district and walked up a small street--can't remember the name--Maravilla, maybe (for those coming from the Condado beach area, it is perpendicular to Wilson and just east of Calle Cervantes) to go under I-26, it is actually very close to the tourist area, but being on the other side of I-26, it is isolated from it.

El Pescador is a seafood restaurant, smallish, and does not have air conditioning. I did not get a chance to examine the menu so I can't give you any details, but I am sure it is an excellent place. This is where I recommend you eat if you like seafood and you choose to come to this area, but I would strongly suggest, given your schedule, that you head straight to Old San Juan, where you can also catch some of the sights. Be sure to walk along the walkway along the water leaving the cruise ship area towards el Morro and visit the castle itself. Also, walk down Fortaliza and Calle Cristo. My recs there would be the Parrot Club or Ajili Mojili, which is not in Old San Juan, but on the way. They are not "houndish finds," but the food is superb and you will not be disapponted. I will post later on these.

Back to Santurce, the market is a square and a number of bars and restaurants are along the perimeter streets. These two restaurants, Don Tello and Pescadero, had the most people. If you want to go where the locals go, this is the place, as there wasn't a single tourist in site.

I ate at Don Tello, probably the largest place there, and air conditioned. I called beforehand and had a lively conversation with a very friendly waiter. I have lived in Latin America for 20 years and speak fluent spanish. I was looking forward to eating there. I was disappointed, though, with how I was treated once I arrived, my wife and I suspect they do not want non-locals in the place.

We seated ourselves and were promptly ignored. Several other parties, all locals arrived after us and were immediately given water. We had to call our waiter for everything, the water, the menu, the bill. Meanwhile, it was obvious they were giving good service to all other tables. Before we got our appetizer, tables that had come after us already had their entrees. We were not given a farewell greeting.

Now, before you assume there was some ugly American stuff at work here on our part, I'll remind you that I speak fluent spanish, I speak it as well (or badly) as english, and know the culture. In fact, I lived my first 20 years in a number of Latin American countries. I immediately struck up a conversation with the waiter when he showed up--he knew I was not a typical tourist. This was the only place in PR that this happened and was a complete anamoly. In fact after this trip, Puerto Ricans are now at the top of my list in terms of friendliness, having displaced the Spanish, who make you feel like old friends minutes after meeting them.

But on to the food. Firstly, when you get the menu in Puerto Rico at a place serving comida criolla, always ask for the specials list. At a number of places, I was not handed the specials listing until they realized I spoke spanish. It may very well not even be in english. The specials here were unique and not your typical PR restaurant fare. They included things like pigs feet with garbanzos, rabbit fricase, veal fricase. Perhaps there was some rabo encendido, too, but basically, not your typical PR criollo menu which will have mofongos, asopaos, pernil, etc.

We did not get any of the specials. I had been recommended the mofongo w/ camarones al ajillo and the rabbit fricase here by our source, but they were out of the rabbit. The wife does not like seafood, she had a churrasco, which is on menus all over the island. We had bunuelos de bacalao as an appetizer and they were excellent. These were codfish fritters, not the "bacalaitos" that is more traditional and is also made of codfish, but is flattened, sort of like a large chip.

The dipping sauce for the fritters was served in almost every restaurant we ate at, it was a ketchup/mayo combo with perhaps a pinch of cayenne and garlic. I need to get the recipe. The mofongo was a garlic seasoned "bowl" made of green plantains in which the shrimp were placed. It was excellent. The churrasco was very good, too, but of course, you are not here to have this.

Interestingly, a great deal of the meat served in PR comes from Costa Rica, at least that was where the supermarket meats identified their source. The quality of beef is really not up to our standards and should generally be avoided, except perhaps at the best of restaurants.

We did not try dessert here, as we were ready to leave. The food was great, but I can't recommend this place. El Pescador would be just as traditional, the same dish, a mofongo with shrimp or a mofongo with assorted seafood would be my first choice for a single dish. Don Tello did not have pernil (roasted pork), which would be my first choice for a non seafood dish, and perhaps El Pescador does not have it either. I am going to post on some other places I went to, there could be some ordering tips in them you may want to know about.

[rssfromsf]

Rob64, thanks for the great and extensive reply. [Sorry for the late acknowledgement.]

Yeah, I know I know DANG I should be there 8 days instead of 8 hours. With luck maybe next year or two.

The information you've provided is very helpful to me. I've stopped in San Juan once before, where I was in Old San Juan for less than 6 hours -- but I at least was able to get to El Morro and meander OSJ just for an hour.

Given my extreme time constraints (I'm taking a 2-hour "Night Tales in Old San Juan" tour), I probably will try dinner at El Jibarito this time. Your great recommendations will have to await a hopeful and wistful return.

Yes very interesting about "Don Tello". Could it be that the article brought a recent swarm of non-locals behaving badly, and you were an unfortunate casualty? Hopefully, in a year or so the service void won't be the case. If we had a week this time, I could just imagine how we might try Don Tello -- to see how far we could get through the Non-Local shroud.
[LOL -- I just pictured headlines the next day "Very impatient Non-Locals get rude, arrested". So, maybe never mind!]

Regrettably, my Spanish comprehension and communication skills are reprehensible -- especially given my 1/8 Spanish lineage [far removed] and that I "look" like a native hispanohablante. Fortunately, I'm travelling with a buddy who is fluent (and was born/raised in a Spanish-speaking country.)

El Pescador -- that sounds look something we'd like, as well.

Too bad this time, but maybe we'll be able to grab some additional Puerto Rican chow in Miami (4 days) on our way back home to SF.

I look forward to seeing your subsequent posts; I'm sure they'll be very helpful in our ordering choices also.

Thanks again -rssfromsf-

[Rob64]

wow! Somebody actually reads this stuff! If you are going to be in Miami, eat Cuban, PR is practically non-existent, as far as I know. Secondarily, Argentine or Portuguese, if you are into the ethnic scene. I personally fall back on Nicaraguan, Miami is one of the few US cities where you can find this cuisine, I lived there for four years back in the seventies--find yourself a good "fritanga"--a Nica eatery, and wonder at how you can eat so well for so little. There is a guy named s.m. koppelman who posts on the Florida threads who has sound judgement on eats in the Miami area, he will steer you right. Good Luck.

[rssfromsf]

Much appreciated for the extra good information.

I'll therefore keep my primary focus on Cuban in Miami, and check the Miami posts in the next few weeks before my trip to see if there are any worthy PR updates. Nicaraguan food is easier to get for me in SF; I know more Nicaraguenses here who are at least acquaintances who can guide me or even treat me to real home cooking. [The number or depth of excellent/good restaurants in the other cuisines mentioned are sometimes a little harder to come by here, so I like to note if I at least find these elsewhere, whenever I'm in another major city.

Salud!

[Rob64]

Sorry to drag this one out, but I mistakenly subsituted Portuguese for Brazilian and wish to correct. There is a "Little Brazil" thing happening downtown now for some years, could be interesting and rare, I think.

Nicaraguans in SF! Who'd a thought! My sister is married to a Pinolero...

[Rob64]

Not dragging it out at all -- I'm not leaving until 4/7 so I treasure the extra information.

THANKS Rob64 -- I'll see what I can find out in the Florida board about the Brazilian chow there... I'd love to get the best totally real feijoada that Miami has to offer!

[Brent]

Well the best fritanga is on 12th ave west and maybe north 6th street? in downtown. Right accros from the suntrust bank. It is a hole in the wall though, and if you dont speak spanish, just point. Ive been to a lot of fritanga's, and some nica' people I know drive an hour in traffic to go to that one of hundreds.

[Rob64]

I think you are referring to Fritanga Monimbo on 529 NW 12th. Ave. There are three.

[Rob64]

But can I afford these outrageous prices?!?!?!?

Link: http://www.fritanga.com/menu/menu.htm

[Nellie Mendez]

Looking for a Caterer to cater my daughters Quinceñero on saturday, 12/15/2007. I know it is a long way ahead of us, but need to start planing now. Would like to know pricing and if they would be willing to travel to North Carolina. Means alot to us. Most spanish restaurants here are mexican, not looking for anything that has to do with Mexican.

[dervauerbach]

El Pescador certainly does have air conditioning. Perhaps it didn't in 2005, but as far as I can recall it did.

[daantaat]

would totally second Jibarito's! we were there in December and it's a total local place, cheap prices for great food! ate lots of mofongo and other yummy things that I can't remember now. Poured the garlicky green chicken salt sauce on everything!

Another great local place is Bebo's Cafe (on Loiza St. in the Condado area). we were the only non-locals there both times we went. the whole menu is in Spanish, be prepared to translate it or point and see what you get! breakfast is not that out of the ordinary (lots of egg dishes) but would go for lunch, dinner or snack.

Parrot Club is excellent for upscale casual dinner dining. We liked it better than Ajili-Mojili, although both are good.

Ropa Vieja Grill in Condado is also very good, moderately casual and packed with locals. Went there twice and liked it both times!

[wendy]

HIGHLY RECOMMEND JIBARITO. (Dined there 02/15/05)We were taken to Jibarito by our taxi driver after requesting a place serving comida tipica. THIS WAS IT! At our request for a variety of "good typical dishes", the waiter handled the ordering for 4 of us, bringing us a delightful assortment of dishes including the wonderful mofongo, and their out of this world beef stew, a fish, a pork and a chicken dish. We had 4 different entrees, a couple of sides including those yummy fried plaintains, lots of rum and coke and local beer. As we were finishing, the owner walked in the door with freshly made flan which we of course had to try too. GREAT GREAT PLACE-the walls are covered with photos of all the dignitaries who have dined there through the years. Oh yea, and we've been in the kitchen trying to duplicate that YUMMY garlicy squirt bottle sauce since we got home.

[rssfromsf]

Hi Wendy. Thanks for the extra thumbs up on El Jibarito. This is it!

Coincidentally, the only 2 Puertorriquenos we spoke regarding San Juan(both in the last 3 days) also recommended El Jibarito, Period.

Please post if you're successful in getting a handle on the green garlicky sauce recipe!

Cheers, rssfromsf

[rssfromsf]

Thanks for the second on Jibarito, daantat!

If I had more than 8 hours I'd take your recommendation on Bebo's also, which Rob64 also followed up on [see below]. Next time!

Cheers, rssfromsf

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[dervauerbach]

El Jibarito is a bit touristy and overpriced. For lunch, the best alternative is Café Manolín in Old San Juan