Since my family comes from a long line of big eaters, food was a major subject on our Puerto Rico Trip. When I go on a trip. I don’t want to eat at KFC or Burger King unless I’m in a huge rush. We did eat at many of Puerto Rico’s ‘food thingies’ as I mentioned in my first post, see (The Jeweled Isle). Most of the food looked American, but with a different flavor. I’ve never liked just to eat a raw banana, the glob nature of it sticks in my throat. But I do love food that’s made from bananas: banana nut bread, banana popsicles, and smooth banana pudding, no globs! I did eat one Puerto Rican banana, they are small and cute.
Enter the plantain— common to South American countries. A plantain is a banana that doesn’t taste like a dessert banana. Through my research I found there is a banana and plantain production company in Cowpens, SC. You can look for it if you’re ever hanging out in Cowpens. My daughter Stephanie, that name brand Spanish teacher I raised, introduced me to plantains before we left. I also had a crash course from my Physical Terrorist, Nelson Vasquez, at Blue Ridge Orthopedics, the Guantanomo Division, Seneca, SC. I came to refer to Nelson as my Puerto Rican Hand Man. I broke my wrist in January and Nelson tortured me from March-May. While bending my wrist back to my ankle, he told me about his native country and some of their eating habits. Nelson insisted I try, tostones aka, fried plantains. I’m happy to report I really like them, they have the taste of a potato without any of the glob of a regular banana. I ordered them at every lunch or dinner meal.
Another one of my favorites was red beans and rice. I’ve had really good red beans and rice in New Orleans, Charleston, and Salem, but the Puerto Rican version was exceptional…and I didn’t have to use a fire extinguisher in my mouth afterward.
The chosen restaurant on our trip was…Richie’s Café Richie’s overlooks Wyndham Rio Mar Grand Resort another of Donald Trump’s shacks and the Atlantic Ocean. We had the pleasure of meeting Richie who hails from the U.S.A. He bought the land for his restaurant at just the right time; it really took off. Just beyond the hill as you pass Richie’s is a poverty stricken area–there are many of those in this gorgeous island country.
Richie’s won the prize for beautiful desserts. The Pasion Restaurant by Chef Myrta was a close second. I really didn’t have a bad dessert there. However the bakery at the corner of Walk and Don’t Walk had good pastries, but the ceiling was caving in and I wondered what was inside the pastry–just sayin’.
Vanilla cake with cream cheese icing topped with shaved plantains
Richie’s Café
Warm chocolate canned cake with ice cream
Pasion Restaurant by Chef Myrta
(on the campus of Gran Melia Resort Rio Grande, PR)
I decided to take my grandchildren with me to the Pasion to give my daughter and son-in-law a break. As we were seated, Stephanie and Clay walked into the restaurant. The waitress, (who knew us by now), thought it was funny. Mom and Dad hid in the back room for their romantic meal and I kept the kids from crashing their party. That night I met Chef Myrta and her skirt steak. This is a tender part of steak from the underneath side of the cow. Myrta marinates hers overnight in marsala wine. I asked Myrta to come home with me, but no luck. My side order was mofongo made with twice fried plantains that is awesome. The grandchildren enjoyed the canned chocolate dessert above. They are dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of chocolate. Chow for now!
Join me for Part IV: Old San Juan and Escape From La Perla
Below: L to R: Joy, Stephanie, Clay, Mike, Ann
Front: Stephen and Faith
Richies Cafe and the SC Gringos