This community now includes many former capital city dwellers who are used to fine dining and will patronize the restaurants that best know how to cook up a meal. For this reason, prices in Punta Cana restaurants, with few exceptions, are low enough to lure the tourists staying at the mealsincluded resorts.

But what is not on the menu and is the biggest plus at many of the restaurants is the ambience. Mingle with tourists from other hotels, and meet young Dominican professionals and the Punta Cana

executive crowd that keep the restaurant business going.

Tourists are advised to call in advance to make sure the restaurant is open and find out if a reservation is necessary. Many establishments close on Mondays and Tuesdays, and in some cases the owners close for two weeks or a month for their own vacations.

For detailed descriptions, see the restaurant section at www.dr1.com/travel/puntacana