Puerto Rico Confidential

by Karen Hudson

I found out that my friend Justin had the chance to meet Anthony Bourdain. Prior to our arrival in Puerto Rico, we watched an episode of Bourdain’s show, No Reservations. For those of you who have never seen the show, he spends a lot of time mocking other travel show hosts whose idea of visiting a new place means checking out a new spa. He seeks an authentic experience rather than a generic tour of the same places.

I’ve adored Anthony Bourdain ever since Kitchen Confidential and I love him even more in No Reservations. He’s the anti-tourist who seeks out what truly makes each culture unique, whether it’s local legends or local food. He is, as we learned in class – yes, we did have class in paradise – an anti-conquest travel writer. He immerses himself in the culture to observe, not to judge.

My Puerto Rico experience was a bit different than his, however. When we arrived in San Juan, I expected to see mofongo and roasted pigs in every store window. Instead, our hotel had a surprising number of sushi and Asian restaurants within walking distance. When we visited La Concha Hotel, the manager told us that sushi was really popular in Puerto Rico. “We make sushi with a Latin twist,” he said.

I didn’t feel that I had the real food of Puerto Rico until I visited the beach town of Luquillo. Next to the gorgeous, lush blue water and white sands was a stretch of kioskos. It seemed like the long, narrow building stretched a mile. There were so many food stands with many of the same things: empanadillas, fried mashed potato balls filled with meat, deep fried pieces of cod, and lots of rice and beans. It reminded me of the Oklahoma State Fair with a prettier background.





My classmates and I decided to eat pinchos, grilled meat (I chose chicken) on a stick. It was so tender and juicy; before the vendor handed it over, he brushed it with a thin layer of sauce. For our drinks, we purchased fresh coconuts with a hole cut in the top for the straw. This was the road food I imagined to be authentic in Puerto Rico.



Later that night, we returned for dinner. I tried a Puerto Rican favorite, rice and beans with chicken, and realized why people love it so much. It was so flavorful and seasoned perfectly. I say this as a person who only eats beans when they are mashed into a dip or inside of a burrito. I don’t know how they cook them in Puerto Rico but I am determined to find out.

Overall, I think Bourdain did a good job of seeking out authentic Puerto Rico, although he had the advantage of working with a camera crew, producers, and a translator. We could have used location scouts so Abigail, Marisa, Clint and I wouldn’t have wandered around Old San Juan looking for Barrachina only to discover that they were closed for a holiday. The show provided some insight about what makes Puerto Rico unique but I’m glad I was able to experience it for myself.

The Real Puerto Rico

Mofongo is a native dish to Puerto Rico. Bourdain explains in his "anti-conquest" form of travel writing that Mofongo is a dish that describes the "real" Puerto Rico, while the natives prefer simpler tastes like rice and beans.

By Clint Sloan

Anthony Bourdain was searching for the “real” Puerto Rico down the streets of San Juan. He started his search at Barrachina, the home of the Piña Colada. This would give him a glance at the traditional Puerto Rican culture. He soon became skeptical of how traditional it was after the drink was made from canned pineapple juice and delivered through a fountain station.

So Bourdain bragged about how he was destined to find this traditional Puerto Rico. He hires a guide to take him to various sites, because Bourdain cannot speak Spanish. He finally finds the perfect drink at a old beaten food stand next to a beautiful beach. “This is it,” Bourdain stated.

Even though Bourdain said he was going to present the real Puerto Rico to his viewers, he was actually presenting a view of the aristocratic tourist; he was not presenting a view of a middle-class curious individual wanting to explore the real Puerto Rico.

For example, in order to communicate with the local residents, Bourdain had to acquire a translator. Everyday people could not afford to hire a translator, especially in these hard economic times. It also leaves one without the experience of having to personally contact local people for essentials like food or lodging. An individual must go in there without a translator. Preferably, one should learn some basic Spanish phrases like ¿Comó Estás? and Buenos Dias. This would give one that communication experience needed to appreciate one’s stay in Puerto Rico.

Also, Bourdain seems to think Mofongo is the main dish in Puerto Rico. But actually it is not what most Puerto Ricans prefer. Traditional Puerto Rican food usually just consists of a meat such as pork or chicken mixed with rice and beans. Tourists are the main ones who like Mofongo; so, if one wants to enhance their experience, try some of the food Puerto Ricans themselves enjoy.

In the end, Bourdain’s portrayal of Puerto Rico is good for entertainment, but should not be misconstrued to be an accurate portrayal of the “real” Puerto Rico. This can be experienced by talking to locals, and one would see what makes this beautiful island so great.