SJU Dining Puerto Rican Specialties

San Juan is one of those places you can find a wide variety of cuisines the choice rivals most major cities. But still manages to keep that traditional feel that one would expect from an old world sort of place like San Juan.
Puerto Ricos 400 year long history has led to a mixture of four cultures African, "Taino" (Amerindians), Spanish, and, most recently, North Americans. This mix is ever present and worked its way in to the local dishes making for some awesome restaurants.

Locals call their cuisine "cocina criolla" Creole cooking. It is quite normal to start with appetizers both at lunch and dinner, favorites include bacalaitos crunchy cod fritters, empanadillas turnovers filled with seafood, or sopon de pescado fish soup, the fish is caught locally and widely available. One of the most traditional soups is asopao, a hearty gumbo made with either chicken or shellfish.

San Juan is famous for its fresh seafood and fish caught daily. Caribbean lobster is widely available but not cheap, shrimp cooked in beer (camarones en cerveza) is the main way you will find shrimp prepared. To savor some of the more traditional dishes you may want to head of the beaten track a little and try some lechon asado, or barbecued pig one of the best places is the roadside food stands east of San Juan near Luquillo Beach great for a day trip with a picnic.

Finish your meal of with some nisperos de batata (sweet-potato balls with coconut, cloves and cinnamon) some strong, black, aromatic Puerto Rican coffee produced locally. And not lets forget that rum is the national drink, the lightest driest rum is white and can easily replace gin or vodka if you are looking for a mixed drink with a difference.

Hair flying

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