PUERTO RICAN DELIGHTS

By Jeremy Cowen (Twitter: @JeremyCowen)

(Tags: Travel blogging, food, Puerto Rican Cuisine, seafood, restaurants)

                One of the best part of traveling, in my own and many others’ opinion, is sampling local cuisines. It is no different when traveling to Puerto Rico.

                When thinking of tourism, exotic locales and fancy hotels are usually the first thing a person imagines. Food, however, is something people HAVE to think about every day they are on a trip. Therefore, food may be one of the most underrated – yet growing – element of tourism.

                Puerto Rico, like any tourist destination, has its share of top-notch, high-end restaurants (Marmalade Restaurant & Wine Bar in San Juan - http://www.marmaladepr.com/ - comes to mind). The key to Puerto Rican food, however, is not in the five-star establishments, but more in the roadside diners and kiosks a traveler can find dotted all over the island.

                In Luquillo, for example, the row of kiosks brings many tourists to shop and eat. The Ceviche Hut (http://www.cevichehutpr.com/) offers wonderful seafood at a reasonable price, while many of the other kiosks do the same.

                Elsewhere on the island are some hidden gems: Restaurant El Maunabeno (https://www.facebook.com/restelmaunabeno), in Caguas, is another example.
               My experience in Puerto Rico is not to worry about finding the expensive, high-end dining locales one might usually find in the prime tourist destinations, such as Old San Juan. Instead, it is best to find the type of place Guy Fieri from The Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” program would prefer. It’s an opportunity to get a taste of REAL Puerto Rico and it also gives insight on one of the more promising and growing tourist attractions on the island.

Fancy feast — A pork mofongo dish is elegantly presented at Old San Juan’s La Mallorquina restaurant. Higher-end restaurants, such as La Mallorquina, are easy to find in Puerto Rico, particular in high-density tourist areas such as Old San Juan. (Photo by Jeremy Cowen).

Simple pleasures — A random assortment of Puerto Rican dishes adorn a plate at an all-you-can-eat roadside diner near Ponce. While the tablecloths might not be as fancy and the prices not near as high, tourists can find delectable dishes off the beaten path in Puerto Rico. (Photo by Jeremy Cowen)

Plantain passion — A row of stuffed plantains entice visitors to a restaurant in the kiosks in Luquillo. While far from fancy, kiosks and roadside stands can provide tourists to Puerto Rico a real look at the food tourism industry on the island. (Photo by Jeremy Cowen)