Your experience of a place would not be complete without a taste of its culinary offerings. In Puerto Rico, its criolla dishes are a must-try although international and fusion cuisines are also provided in a lot of restaurants. Dining options run the gamut from upscale places to casual diners. The capital, San Juan, offers a wide and fascinating variety of restaurants and is the ideal place for the ultimate Puerto Rican food experience.
Comida criolla or creole food relates to the local cuisine in Puerto Rico. It’s a melting pot (no pun intended) of traditional Taino food, Spanish culinary influence, and African cooking. Some of the most popular criolla dishes are lechon asado (roasted pork), adobo (seasoning made of vinegar, paprika, oil, garlic, and oregano), asopoa de pollo (stewed chicken), habichuelas (rice and red beans served with meat), and sofrito (a sauce made of cilantro onion, garlic, pepper, and other seasonings and spices). Criolla cooking also features several manners of cooking plantains. There’s tostones which is mashed green plantains, platanos which slightly varies from tostones in cooking style, and mofongo which is a ball of crushed plantains mixed with meat or seafood that were fried and flavored with seasonings such garlic and tomato-based sauce.
Being situated in the abundant waters of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico certainly cannot do without seafood cuisines. The tastiest seafood dishes can be found in the coastal cities. The Caribbean lobster is one of the premier catches in restaurants although the dolphin fish and red snapper are popular as well. The most well-known seafood specialty however, would probably be the conch stuffed with tomato for a fritter or served with a ceviche salad.
To additionally promote criolla cuisine to travelers, the government has created the Mesones Gastronomicos program. In this project, the 30 participating restaurants throughout the island will serve conventional Puerto Rican coffee fare. It doesn’t mean though that you can only taste genuine criolla cooking in these cuisine places, but smaller restaurants do offer native cuisines around San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico.
Other elegant restaurants specialize in the Nuevo Latino cuisine, a culinary style similar to criolla but predominantly uses fruits, fish, and tubers as main ingredients with exotic marinades and dark rum sauces as primary flavors. Most substances in Nuevo Latino cooking are locally obtained so as to maximize the fresh tastes of the produce. Restaurants offering this cuisine are mostly found in San Juan and other bigger cities of Puerto Rico. Tourists who crave for international cuisines won’t be disappointed as well. There are a lot of dining areas in San Juan that serve Italian, French, Arabian, Mexican, American, German, and Latin American dishes.
Along with the sumptuous food, a different major part of Puerto Rican food is the beverage. This Caribbean island is also known for its strong drinks, it’s national drink is rum. There are about 20 different varieties of rum here. Puerto Rican coffee also packs a strong punch. It can be served as espresso, sweetened or with milk which is known as cafe con leche. If you’re looking for a milder drink, you can try coco frio which is served on a chilled coconut and a selection of fresh fruit juices.
Budget meals in Puerto Rico generally range from $ 5 to $ 15 while higher end dining can go up to $ 35. Upscale restaurants often require a dress code such as collared shirts for men and fashionable apparel for women while the most costly dining venues are usually black tie. Making a reservation is recommended especially from mid-November to April when tourists are usually flocking to Puerto Rico.