Cholera and Street Food Vendors

DRBounce

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Since some cases have been reported in the DR, I did a search on here and it said to avoid eating from street vendors. But I'm only going to be in DR for 5 days and street vendor dining is one of my favorite things. So...since this is "The Best of the DR" who are some of the best street vendors you know in the country (specifically Santo Domingo). Thanks.
 
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baby bori

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Since some cases have been reported in the DR, I did a search on here and it said to avoid eating from street vendors. But I'm only going to be in DR for 5 days and street vendor dining is one of my favorite things. So...since this is "The Best of the DR" who are some of the best street vendors you know in the country (specifically Santo Domingo). Thanks.

Dude street vendor dining is one of your favorite things?? Seriously do you care about your health?? Don't be wreckless with your health and when you're eating wow some people amaze me!!!!
 

Anastacio

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Santo domingo street food? I'd give it a miss, I occasionally buy the pork crackling, but only when drunk. The cob corns can be ok but again are boiled in local water, you might not be ready for that water for a month or two. Avoid street meat, very rare it is refrigerated while stored. You can eat the fish down on the bridge but you might take on hulk like tendencies eating fresh out of that water.
If I'm honest I do use these vendors on the beach, butnot in the capital. Straight off the plane into bacteria central might upset your tummy a little.
 

DRBounce

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You guys don't eat street food when you travel? Thailand? DR? etc.?

Um, I see what you mean, but isn't street food sometimes safer than restaurant food because I actually see it being cooked. Alot of the other food uses water from potentially unsafe sources, right? When you get drinks w/ ice in them, it can potentially be made from contaminated water. Um...I guess I won't eat any fruit from street vendors and if I want pineapple (for ex.) I'll just buy the whole pineapple and then just chop it up in my room.
 

Anastacio

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The fruit vendors are fine, all the fruit sold on the streets is skinned there, no washing involved.
Recently a street vendor in the capital was arrested for selling dog burgers! Why arrested I am unsure as can't imagine eating dog is illegal, maybe selling as other meats.
This depends what you mean by street food. If you are talking about stalls in the street outside a restaurant or bar then maybe. I'd avoid the trolley sakes though but hey, you're an adult and not new here, use your experience.
 

woofsback

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some vendors will use bottled water and some will use house water

make sure you bring immodium...just incase you get the house water :)
 

shawn27

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some vendors will use bottled water and some will use house water

make sure you bring immodium...just incase you get the house water :)

Are restaurants taking extra pre cautions given this cholera issue? I'm due there Dec 10 and am mildly concerned..
 

DRBounce

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I guess this latest concern is mostly because of the whole cholera thing in Haiti, because I could never remember avoiding any kind of water on previous Dominican Republic trips. BUT...thank you guys for the warnings. I will heed them and use my judgement on site.
 

AlterEgo

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South Coast
The fruit vendors are fine, all the fruit sold on the streets is skinned there, no washing involved.
Recently a street vendor in the capital was arrested for selling dog burgers! Why arrested I am unsure as can't imagine eating dog is illegal, maybe selling as other meats.
This depends what you mean by street food. If you are talking about stalls in the street outside a restaurant or bar then maybe. I'd avoid the trolley sakes though but hey, you're an adult and not new here, use your experience.

The dog wasn't served in SD - it was Haina. And the locals were upset he was shut down because they said it was so delicious!!!:bunny::bunny::bunny::bunny:

AE
 

ExtremeR

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Since some cases have been reported in the DR, I did a search on here and it said to avoid eating from street vendors. But I'm only going to be in DR for 5 days and street vendor dining is one of my favorite things. So...since this is "The Best of the DR" who are some of the best street vendors you know in the country (specifically Santo Domingo). Thanks.

Picalo, either on Lope de Vega or in Ave Bolivar.
 

Deyvi

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Dec 23, 2009
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The fruit vendors are fine, all the fruit sold on the streets is skinned there, no washing involved.
Recently a street vendor in the capital was arrested for selling dog burgers! Why arrested I am unsure as can't imagine eating dog is illegal, maybe selling as other meats.
This depends what you mean by street food. If you are talking about stalls in the street outside a restaurant or bar then maybe. I'd avoid the trolley sakes though but hey, you're an adult and not new here, use your experience.

Sorry, but this is not true. If the person handling the fruit or whatever the risk of Hepititis and Cholera is there. The outbreak of Cholera has again reminded us of the risk. Even if their grills and whatever is stored somewhere totally clean; let's remind ourselves of how many street vendors have access to bathrooms with toilet paper, sinks and running water with soap. Don't eat anything on the street!!!
 
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woofsback

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any ideas of how long will cholera last in DR?

one can't give a timeline on something like that
it may just be a hiccup in the life of the dr
or it could be a long term situation
all depends on the people,
thier understanding of the situation
and the medical professionals ability to contain it
i'd say the dr has a thousand times better chance of coming out of this than poor haiti does
 
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Cholera mostly comes from feces and water. It does not come from meat. If the street vendor is cooking/roasting/frying the meet in front of you and has disposable gloves (as I have taught the owner of my favorite chimi stand in Higuey) there is not much risk involved. Yes there is some but not that much risk as if you buy an orange juice form a street vendor. You have to see how the business is organized. If it is a business that is organized and stable and been there for ages, you are more likely on the safer side. If it is a trolley that moves around or is new in town I wouldn't buy.
 

Acira

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www.blazingfuries.com
You guys don't eat street food when you travel? Thailand? DR? etc.?

Um, I see what you mean, but isn't street food sometimes safer than restaurant food because I actually see it being cooked. Alot of the other food uses water from potentially unsafe sources, right? When you get drinks w/ ice in them, it can potentially be made from contaminated water. Um...I guess I won't eat any fruit from street vendors and if I want pineapple (for ex.) I'll just buy the whole pineapple and then just chop it up in my room.


Yes, as an experienced traveler I do eat street food for the same reasons you just described and as an experienced traveler you know for sure no matter what country you are visiting in an eye blink where you can eat safely on the street and where to back off. Peeled fruit, salads and drinks with ice, I always back of on, not worth it and you know why.
btw. did you try the rat sate's in Bangkok when it was the right season? Delicious! ;)
 

curlando

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At Boca Chica beach in 2003 my friend and I drank some juice from a street vendor. Eight months later my friend was complaining his stomach was bothering him. He went to the doctor and found his intestines were filled with worms.
February of this year I was in Santo Domingo for the Independencia, I purchased some pork from a street vendor. Right after eating the pork I was violently ill. My friend ate some pork and had the runs for the next two days.
I was in Sosua this September and didn?t eat from the street vendors. I took one look at the chimiburger that was pre made on the grill and lost my appetite.
I wouldn?t recommend eating anything from a street vendor in the Dominican Republic.