fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, caberete, sousua areas

young seniors

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Feb 1, 2012
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hi there

was wondering if there are alot of fresh vegetables and fruit to be found by road vendors. read they are cheaper than the supermarkets and better. if so, can anyone tell me what types and costs. we are both fish eaters as well, and where that can be found and what types. trying to preplan our budget ahead of time before we come down.

regards
linda
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Surprisingly,you will more than likely be very disappointed by the amount,quality,and price of "Seafood" here in the DR.The best thing you may find is red snapper sold along the highways along the beach by local fishermen,and deepfried by Haitian women at the beach.Most everything else,frozen,and imported.
Some here on DR1 will now "rave" about the abudance of great fresh seafood here,but they never lived in Maine,Newhampshire,or Massachussetts!
CC
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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The frozen junk that is shipped in and sold in the supermarkets is terrible. We used to go down to the beach where the commercial handline boats are pulled up on the beach and bought wonderful snapper, grouper and the occassonal fabulous tuna (usually yellow fin) If you buy from the street guys who usually have a couple of fish then buy in the morning when the fish is still cold. Stay away from barracuda as they are notorious for carrying ciguatera (fish poisioning). From time to time we also bought from the commercail market just down the hill past de lancer and on the same side of the street. There is excellent fish in Sosua but you have to look. The yellow fin tuna is wonderful when you can find it. Makes you never want to eat the canned stuff again. Its like filet mignon.
 

young seniors

Bronze
Feb 1, 2012
559
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Surprisingly,you will more than likely be very disappointed by the amount,quality,and price of "Seafood" here in the DR.The best thing you may find is red snapper sold along the highways along the beach by local fishermen,and deepfried by Haitian women at the beach.Most everything else,frozen,and imported.
Some here on DR1 will now "rave" about the abudance of great fresh seafood here,but they never lived in Maine,Newhampshire,or Massachussetts!
CC
OH NO.......... yes, i am disappointed, but better to find out instead of living in my dream world of fresh lobster, crab, shrimp. :disappoin waaah waaah
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
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There is plenty of fresh fish and lobster around. As Cris pointed out, not in the same amount, and the same abundance as the states he mentioned. But you will soon discover some local fishermen, with decent coolers to keep the fish fresh. You will be able to enjoy dorado (mahi-mahi). kings maquerel, wahou, and when in season yellow fin tuna. Lobsters are plentifull, but different in taste to the Maine lobsters.

Having said that... you might plan for a dorado and and up with a wahou....

Life over here.... enjoy it
 

2thebeach

New member
May 7, 2010
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The Dorado's are biting like crazy right now. We had a fishing tour yesterday and caught 6 in an hour. Enjoyed a fabulous meal tonight with fresh caught dorado!
 
May 29, 2006
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There are fruit trucks that go around to the small shops a few times a week, often early in the morning with a loudspeaker calling out what they sell. Aguacate(Avocado) is a common thing they shout out:


2ebspqa.jpg


Plantains, Bananas, Pineapples, Papayas, Cucumbers, Yucca, Eggplant, etc...
 

young seniors

Bronze
Feb 1, 2012
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There are fruit trucks that go around to the small shops a few times a week, often early in the morning with a loudspeaker calling out what they sell. Aguacate(Avocado) is a common thing they shout out:


2ebspqa.jpg




Plantains, Bananas, Pineapples, Papayas, Cucumbers, Yucca, Eggplant, etc...

Now thats what im talking about
 
May 29, 2006
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The best thing is to drink too much and mix your booze the night before so you have a raging hang-over by 7AM. Then they are sure to drive by with the loud-speakers.

:::Caution:::
May attract evangelical church groups as well, which are louder and harder to get rid of. If you just get roosters, you didn't drink enough.

The cure is to look for a fruit stand or cafe that sells Papaya Milkshakes. (Badita de lechosa) They're loaded with Potassium, Vitamin C, Sugar and other goodies. That and a few cups of good coffee makes it all better again. Fresh OJ is another of the perks of the DR.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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The Dorado's are biting like crazy right now. We had a fishing tour yesterday and caught 6 in an hour. Enjoyed a fabulous meal tonight with fresh caught dorado!

Thanks to your lucky charm.... take care of him!!!! whoehaaaaa
 
May 29, 2006
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Dolrado is known as Mahi Mahi in the US. Sometimes you'll see some guy carry one around on a stick.

tumblr_lcb0o6tka51qbantso1_400.gif


Lobster is WAY overpriced, but I'm used to New England prices. $9/lb is pretty common year round up here and we're inland.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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Where are u talking about. Lobster around here is $6/lb, and if you look around $4/lb is normal.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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There is lobster,and then there is LOBSTER!
Maine/New England lobster is REAL LOBSTER!!!!!!
Sweet,Juicy,"Taste-O-The-Sea" kind of LOBSTER!!!
The big "Cock Roach-O-The-Sea" they have here is dry as a bone,tough,and tastes like old fish!
Combine that with Dominican Cooking 101,"(PUT FIRE ON HIGH,Come Back Later),you get something that looks like a sugar cane stalk,AFTER,it's gone through the press,only difference is,the sugar cane stalk tastes better!!!
That is pretty much the same story as most DR "sea food"!
Those who like DR fish,have never had fresh cold water fish!
Just like people who have never been to China,thinking their local chinese restaurant has "Great Food"!
Come to Maine,The "Cape",even Long Island, if you want to taste delicious FRESH seafood.
But NEVER,order "Manhatten Clam Chowder",it is NOT "New England Clam Chowder".
It's "Tomato/vegetable,with clams"! GOOD,but not "Clam Chowder!
I better go eat,my mouth is "watering"!
Captain Colon,CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
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yahoomail.com
There is lobster,and then there is LOBSTER!
Maine/New England lobster is REAL LOBSTER!!!!!!
Sweet,Juicy,"Taste-O-The-Sea" kind of LOBSTER!!!
The big "Cock Roach-O-The-Sea" they have here is dry as a bone,tough,and tastes like old fish!
Combine that with Dominican Cooking 101,"(PUT FIRE ON HIGH,Come Back Later),you get something that looks like a sugar cane stalk,AFTER,it's gone through the press,only difference is,the sugar cane stalk tastes better!!!
That is pretty much the same story as most DR "sea food"!
Those who like DR fish,have never had fresh cold ocean caught fish!
Just like people who have never been to China,thinking their local chinese restaurant :chinese::chinese::chinese: has "Great Food"!:ermm:
Come to Maine,The "Cape",even Long Island, if you want to taste delicious FRESH seafood.
But NEVER,order "Manhatten Clam Chowder",it is NOT "New England Clam Chowder".
It's "Tomato/vegetable,with clams"! GOOD,but not "Clam Chowder!
I better go eat,my mouth is "watering"!
Captain Colon,CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Acira

Silver
Sep 20, 2009
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www.blazingfuries.com
The lobster here is indeed not like the Main Lobster but I don't expect it to be either. It isn't sold as Main lobster here either, they call it baby lobster. Taste reminds me more like cray fish from Louisiana which when prepared the right way is delicious.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
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If you like lobster from New England, you will probably be disappointed by the Caribbean lobster sold here. My wife was amazed by the difference when she finally had a lobster on Cape Cod. CC's comments are spot on about the local type. The variety of seafood and fresh fruits and vegetables approaches OK once you know where to look for them. Avocados are good. Tomatoes are almost always picked green. Iceberg lettuce is all too common, but other greens can be found. No spinach. Mangoes, small bananas, papayas, mandarins, passion fruit, tamarind,and pineapples are good. Cantaloupe almost always tastes bad and finding a good watermelon is very hit and miss. The local oranges are nowhere near as good as Florida oranges.

"Back of the truck" is a good way to buy as has been suggested. Be prepared for a very limited variety of all food locally compared to what you are used to back home unless you live in Santo Domingo or Santiago and pay expensive imported prices.
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
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There is lobster,and then there is LOBSTER!
Maine/New England lobster is REAL LOBSTER!!!!!!
Sweet,Juicy,"Taste-O-The-Sea" kind of LOBSTER!!!
The big "Cock Roach-O-The-Sea" they have here is dry as a bone,tough,and tastes like old fish!
Combine that with Dominican Cooking 101,"(PUT FIRE ON HIGH,Come Back Later),you get something that looks like a sugar cane stalk,AFTER,it's gone through the press,only difference is,the sugar cane stalk tastes better!!!
That is pretty much the same story as most DR "sea food"!
Those who like DR fish,have never had fresh cold ocean caught fish!
Just like people who have never been to China,thinking their local chinese restaurant :chinese::chinese::chinese: has "Great Food"!:ermm:
Come to Maine,The "Cape",even Long Island, if you want to taste delicious FRESH seafood.
But NEVER,order "Manhatten Clam Chowder",it is NOT "New England Clam Chowder".
It's "Tomato/vegetable,with clams"! GOOD,but not "Clam Chowder!
I better go eat,my mouth is "watering"!
Captain Colon,CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Great, now you've got me wanting it too...

At the restaurant I worked at in VT, the head chef said his salary was paid for by the NE Clam Chowder and the sous chef had his paid by the Chili. In high season, we'd sell 6-8 gallons a day in a restaurant that seated 300.

When I make it at home, I use fresh mahogany clams, bacon, Yukon Gold potatoes, and of course lots of milk and cream.

But I digress...
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
3,251
103
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There is indeed no comparison to the Maine lobster, or for that matter, the Norwegian ones. Then again, as I am a fantastic cook, I can make the local ones taste pretty good as well.:bunny:

I have seen fresh spinach here.

But if you have a weak heart, do not look at the price of fresh mushrooms. It is ridiculous what they charge for some fungus.