EAT LIKE A LOCAL IN PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rican cuisine in Puerto Rico is some of the best food you'll find out there. There is so much variety that you can visit the island for a week and never eat the same meal twice. I jet setted there recently and kept notes of where I ate (in Old San Juan and Condado) so that when you jet setters visit Puerto Rico, you'll know exactly where to go and what to order. Buen Provecho!

OLD SAN JUAN- If you are staying in the Old San Juan area, or just visiting during the day, the following places are delicious and won't break the bank.

La Bombonera- (One of the oldest bakeries in P.R.) Try one of their mallorcas (Spanish pastry) and Cocoas (similar to a pizza). They also have great typical Puerto Rican lunch food like arroz con gandules (rice and beans), pernil (roast pork), arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), bistec empanada (breaded steak), etc. Also good to eat here is a Tripleta- a sandwich made with ham, chicken, beef, mayo, ketchup, fries, lettuce and tomato.
La Mallorquina- The 160-year-old restaurant is known for its family-style cocina criolla, or traditional Puerto Rican feasts: seasonal favorites include lechón (suckling pig), and their house specialty- Asopao (A heavy rice soup stewed with annato and sofrito with aji dulce (sweet chili peppers) and herbs such as cilantro. It is cooked with either chicken or sea food and topped with tiny green peas and red spanish peppers.Barrachina- birthplace of the original pina colada (1963) Located on Calle Fortaleza. It's delicious! Drink them here & all over P.R...it's the thing to do! CONDADO- If you are staying in the Condado Resort area in San Juan, the following places are great to check out, and they are all fairly inexpensive (with the exception of Ropa Vieja).
Hacienda Don Jose- This is a good breakfast spot. The place may not look like much on the outside, but the views from inside of the ocean are beautiful. You can get a complete breakfast (meaning coffee, juice, and your meal are included) for less than $8.
Orozco's Restaurant- This is a really good spot for either breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you go for breakfast, order the traditional fried eggs, pan tostada (toast) y jamon (ham) or the avena (oatmeal). If you go for lunch or dinner, try their bistec encebollado (steak with onions), or Pasteles (yucca-vegetable- wrapped in a banana leaf and tied with a string. It is filled with diced pork, olives, capers, raisins and chickpeas and it is boiled). Latin Star- Another good breakfast, lunch or dinner spot because it is open 24 hours/ 7 days a week. If you go for breakfast- you MUST have their Avena (oatmeal)- the BEST on the island!Ropa Vieja- The food is excellent here! Go here for dinner and make sure to order the Mofongo con Ropa Vieja (smashed plantain with pulled beef), and the Arroz con Pollo (Rice with chicken is also fantastic).

PLENTY TO DO IN P.R.!

A few months ago, a jet setter who reads this blog emailed me asking for ideas of things to do for her vacation to Puerto Rico or P.R. I came up with a mini "Hit List" for her of where to go, what to see and do, and where to eat, and I wanted to share that list with all of you jet setters. I am also thinking about jet setting to Puerto Rico later this year, and re-reading this list made me that much more excited about going there. Please share any of your ideas if you've jet setted to Puerto Rico with me! PUERTO RICO- SAN JUAN
- Best time to visit: December-March
- Get lost in Old San Juan's cobblestone streets, pastel-colored houses- Visit the ancient fort of El Morro- Feed the pigeons out of your hand at Parque de las Palomas- If you have time, head over to Isla Verde area & Condado (two other great beach areas with more restaurants, bars, hotels & shopping)- Another thing to see if you can is Balneario de Luquillo (Perhaps the prettiest beach in all of Puerto Rico). It's about a 1/2 hour drive east of San Juan on Route 3.- El Yunque Rainforest (you will be amazed how such a tiny island can have such an enormously beautiful rainforest).Shopping:- Make sure to buy a Guayabera ( a linen or cotton shirt/ either long or short sleeve- worn by men and women for a casual look or even dressy that come in all colors). I have one in white and get so many compliments when I wear it! You will see them for sale all over San Juan- so try and get one.- I also love to buy sarongs when I go (they are sold in shops in Old San Juan & on the beaches). Some of my favorite ones that I own are from P.R...they are so pretty & colorful, inexpensive & make good souvenir gifts.- A coqui (ceramic or picture of one) - a small frog that lives in P.R. They are found all over and make a beautiful chirping noise. The thing that's incredible about the coqui is that it can ONLY survive in P.R. The coqui has been taken to other locations with tropical climates similar to P.R., and it has not survived. So there is a saying in P.R. that if you are born and raised there then "You are as Puerto Rican as the coqui."Bars for a night scene in Old San Juan:
- Baru (Calle San Sebastian)
- El Cafe Seda (Calle San Sebastian)
- Marrero (Calle Sol)
What to See:
* Catedral de San Juan Bautista, Old San Juan (151 Calle Cristo)* It's one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere (1520) and is home to the tomb of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.* El Morro (Calle Norzagaray)* It's a massive fortress that extends out on a rocky peninsula into the Atlantic. When you go, also see Fuerte San Cristobal (built by Irish).*La Fortaleza* (The Governor's Mansion)Eat:
- La Bombanera (one of the oldest bakeries in P.R.) Try one their mallorcas (Spanish pastry) and Cocas (similar to a pizza) They also have great typical Puerto Rican lunch food like arroz con gandules, pernil, etc. Also good to eat (if they have it here) is a Tripleta- a sandwich made with ham, chicken, beef, mayo, ketchup, fries, lettuce & tomato.- La Mallorquina- The 160-year-old restaurant is known for its family-style cocina criolla, or traditional Puerto Rican feasts: seasonal favorites include lechón (suckling pig), arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and pasteles (yucca and meat wrapped in a banana leaf).- Barrachina- birthplace of the original pina colada (1963) Located on Calle Fortaleza. It's delicious! Drink them here & all over P.R...it's the thing to do!