{"id":1704,"date":"2022-03-15T10:09:59","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T16:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/?p=1704"},"modified":"2022-03-17T11:29:39","modified_gmt":"2022-03-17T17:29:39","slug":"guide-to-eating-in-puerto-rico-pt-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/messysuitcase.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/15\/guide-to-eating-in-puerto-rico-pt-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ricardo_mangual\/10313662306\/<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are the best places to eat in Puerto Rico?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many prospective travelers to this wonderful island seek gustatory advice in advance, as part of their trip planning. And this is understandable! So Messy Suitcase is here to help you eat authentically and well, in a new series, The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are of several minds about PR meal planning. First of all, most Puerto Ricans would probably say the best place to eat is in Abuela\u2019s (Grandma\u2019s) kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, while you\u2019re searching for that recommended restaurant, you may be passing ten others that are just as good or better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everybody\u2019s taste is different, be it flavor, style, formality, familiarity, level of spice, authenticity, or whatever makes your tongue sing. So one person\u2019s Michelin 5-Star restaurant may be another person\u2019s disappointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Adventurous!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Half the fun of Puerto Rican food\u2013or really, any country\u2019s food\u2013is making discoveries. You\u2019re sunning on Playa Combate, the day is ending, you see lights of a restaurant twinkling at the north end of the beach. You wander over and stumble upon a restaurant overlooking the ocean at sunset, with excellent cocktails and unparalleled views. No recommendation necessary! Just explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trying something new doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you\u2019ll like it, but it\u2019s still important to be adventurous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example #1: Pi\u00f1ones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We have visited the Pi\u00f1ones food stands<\/a> area just east of San Juan, driving along the ocean and picking out unassuming food stands from which to order traditional Puerto Rican food, prepared the way Abuela makes it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Source: flickr.com\/photos\/beruff\/2132545678<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Pi\u00f1ones is a local tradition, especially on weekend afternoons. These ramshackle food stands have been operating for years. No matter which you pick, the atmosphere is rustic, to be kind. The service is slow, to be kind. The food is really greasy, to be kind. But the pi\u00f1a coladas are perfection. Carrying your oily lunch to the beach to picnic in the sand while watching the waves crash is an unforgettable experience, not to be missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know what IS forgettable, though? The food. For example, alcapurrias<\/em> (al-kuh-por-EE-yuhs) are grease-laden lumps of dough with a dash of some sort of meat or seafood. They soak into your tongue before you can swallow, then sit in your stomach and take up residence like guests who refuse to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Source: commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Alcapurrias-many.jpg<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Am I sorry I had this experience? Absolutely not. It\u2019s true Puerto Rico. (And now I know to avoid alcapurrias<\/em>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. (But maybe just once.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid Chinese Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A word to the wise, though: Don\u2019t eat Chinese food in Puerto Rico. We have had excellent Chinese food in many places, including Guadalajara, Mexico. But on the Island of Enchantment? Not once. Just don\u2019t go there. It is universally terrible. The meat has a weird texture. The sauces are limited, and taste odd. The vegetables are sparse, and none of them are Chinese. Every dish, inexplicably, comes with a side of soggy French fries. (Gotta get that deep-fried in!)  Please. Anything but this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food Truck Parks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The latest trend in Puerto Rico is our favorite\u2013food truck parks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are brilliant for a number of reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n