Christmas Dinner in Puerto Rico
Dec 2nd, 2001, 01:52 AM
#1
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Christmas Dinner in Puerto Rico
We will be in Puerto Rico for Christmas week - first time away from home for the holiday. Any suggestions for a great restaurant for Christmas Dinner? Called Mark's at the Hotel Melia in Ponce and they said they were closed on that day! Thanks and Happy Holidays to all!
Dec 2nd, 2001, 11:02 AM
#5
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Hi Annie! There are many choices depending on budget, type of food, type of environment that you want, etc. Unfortunately, I have never had dinner in Ponce, so I don't have any suggestions for that.
The traditional Christmas meal in Puerto Rico is roasted pig (lechón asado). The area of Guavate in Cayey (in the mountains between Ponce and San Juan) is famous for it's roasted pig. These are not "restaurants" though - they are more like glorified shacks that roast pig. They will serve you the food in paper plates and plastic utensils, but the food is glorious and super cheap. Besides lechón, they will serve you rice with pigeon peas (a cross between a bean and a lentil), and a variety of tubers. Even if you prefer to go somewhere nicer for Christmas, you may want to stop here on another day for a non-touristy taste of Puerto Rico. Or, if you prefer, they will pack it up for you and you can take it back to your hotel. The only web-link that I could find on the lechoneras was this one: http://www.mcayey.com/ihotelera.htm. Call ahead to make sure that they are open.
You might want to check out this list of Mesones Gastronomicos, which are good, typical restaurants that are Tourism-office approved (there's links to the websites, when available):
http://www.travelandsports.com/espanol/mg.htm
For a really great (and expensive)Nouveu Latino meal, some of the best places in San Juan are
Chayote, Pikayo, Ramiro's and Chef Marisol. For traditional Puerto Rican food, a really nice restaurant is Ajili-Mojili. For traditional continental food Augusto's has been highly recommended to me, and for traditional Spanish cuisine, Compostela is suposed to be very good too. Call ahead becuase Puerto Ricans celebrate Christmas dinner the night before (Nochebuena), so some restaurants may be closed on Christmas day.
The new Travel and Leisure (DEC 2001)has a section on San Juan too, that includes restarants.
The traditional Christmas meal in Puerto Rico is roasted pig (lechón asado). The area of Guavate in Cayey (in the mountains between Ponce and San Juan) is famous for it's roasted pig. These are not "restaurants" though - they are more like glorified shacks that roast pig. They will serve you the food in paper plates and plastic utensils, but the food is glorious and super cheap. Besides lechón, they will serve you rice with pigeon peas (a cross between a bean and a lentil), and a variety of tubers. Even if you prefer to go somewhere nicer for Christmas, you may want to stop here on another day for a non-touristy taste of Puerto Rico. Or, if you prefer, they will pack it up for you and you can take it back to your hotel. The only web-link that I could find on the lechoneras was this one: http://www.mcayey.com/ihotelera.htm. Call ahead to make sure that they are open.
You might want to check out this list of Mesones Gastronomicos, which are good, typical restaurants that are Tourism-office approved (there's links to the websites, when available):
http://www.travelandsports.com/espanol/mg.htm
For a really great (and expensive)Nouveu Latino meal, some of the best places in San Juan are
Chayote, Pikayo, Ramiro's and Chef Marisol. For traditional Puerto Rican food, a really nice restaurant is Ajili-Mojili. For traditional continental food Augusto's has been highly recommended to me, and for traditional Spanish cuisine, Compostela is suposed to be very good too. Call ahead becuase Puerto Ricans celebrate Christmas dinner the night before (Nochebuena), so some restaurants may be closed on Christmas day.
The new Travel and Leisure (DEC 2001)has a section on San Juan too, that includes restarants.
Dec 2nd, 2001, 11:08 AM
#6
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We live in PR and would rec the following:
1.Pikayo: located in the new PR Museum of Art in San Juan. Outstanding, innovative cuisine in a beatiful, chic setting
2.Augustos (Santurce): Number1 or 2 place in PR
3.Hotel restaurants: Mortons at the Caribe Hilton, Ruth Chris at the SJ Intercontinental, The Palm at the El San Juan Hotel
Good luck
Bill
1.Pikayo: located in the new PR Museum of Art in San Juan. Outstanding, innovative cuisine in a beatiful, chic setting
2.Augustos (Santurce): Number1 or 2 place in PR
3.Hotel restaurants: Mortons at the Caribe Hilton, Ruth Chris at the SJ Intercontinental, The Palm at the El San Juan Hotel
Good luck
Bill
Dec 2nd, 2001, 11:20 AM
#7
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Posts: n/a
Thank you all so much for the great information, tips and suggestions for Christmas Day dinner. We are looking forward to a dining adventure that day. I am saving all your suggestions for dinner in my trip file for ideas for all the other days we are there. This will be quite a change from our traditional Christmas dinner at home here in the Boston area. Thanks again!
