Gastronomy Galore!

NALs

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Jan 20, 2003
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Last night I was at Restaurante Samurai taking in the Japanese flare of that restaurant here in Santo Domingo. Although, the sushi was ok (I'm not a big sushi person), everything else was delicious and overall I had a wonderful time.

Now, this was not the first time I have been there, but out of curiosity I would like to know what restaurant would you personally consider to be the best and worst you have been to in Santo Domingo or the entire DR.

Here are my choices:

In Santo Domingo, my favorite restaurants would have to be David Crockett. I must confess, their "Wild West" decor is a bit corny, but the rack of lamb and the prim ribs are to die for!

Also, the famous and almost historical (it has been around since Trujillo's time) Vesuvio on the malecon. They do have a vast array of delicious pastas. However, what I truly like at Vesuvio is the mostaccioli arrabiata, the risotto con frutas del mar, and gnocchi gorgonzola. My my, these people truly know how to cook.

And the last of the 3 best in SDQ in my opinion would have to be Caribbean Blue. I haven't been here in a while, hmm, maybe I'll go there tonight. However, the atmosphere is both relaxing and hip. But, of course, what good is a restaurant with only ambiance! The food here is really really good, but especially the goat meat enchiladas, the shrimp risotto and the salads are to die for. I'm not a big candy or dessert eater, but I can never leave this place without eating the oh so fabulous trufas magicas de chocolate. MMMM!

In the rest of the country I have five restaurants that makes my mouth water:

1. Giacosa in Altos de Chavon. The seafood risotto is memorable to say the least.

2. La Capannine in Las Terrenas. The lobster and the octopus in ink is just excellent. I have only been there once, so you know its good since I remember the name of the place.

3. On the Waterfront in Sosua. This is always the deciding factor whenever I choose to visit Sosua. Teh seafood is out of this world and the sweeping oceanfront patio just adds to its appeal. I thought I was in heaven when I tasted the red snapper and the lambi (conch) and lets not forget the delicious lobsters. All in all, this is a great place to splurge! I would have mentioned La Puntilla de Piergiorgio, since they are also good, but I've noticed a slight dip in the standards.

4. Vento in Cabarete. The view of the water is exceptional to say the least and the cuisine is just as awesome especially the lamb dishes. In addition to all of that, they have quite an extensive wine list which is always nice.

5. Pez Dorado in Santiago. The Pollo a la diana, grilled octopus, garlic shrimp and the sea bass are very very delicious. I also found some of the chinese offerings to be quite excellent also.

So, there you have it. These are the best restaurants in the DR in my opinion. I'm not too sure if the ones I mention outside the capital are still open, most of them are at least, because it has been a while since I have been to them. But, rest assure, these are among the best places to splurge here in the DR!

So, what are your favorite dining places???? :classic:
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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I must agree with some of your choices.......and add a few!

In juan Dolio I was quite impressed with the new Jardin Caribe. Everything I tried was good and their "sotto copperto" dish was by far one of the nicest surprizes I've had in a while! El Sueno is always good but seemed a little less than perfect this past winter while both other Italian restaurants are most enjoyable.
 

quejeyoke

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um good!

il vesuvio is thumbs up to go work on some italiano food and el rancho steak house is also thumbs up for a nice steak & whisky/wine treat.
 

bochinche

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try the fish in any one of the many dining spots in guayacanes.

the chimis in jarabacoa's town square at 2am in the morning after a night on the shant are as good as any restaurant's food and service

there's a place on nicolas de ovando (cristo rey) that does the best mondongo. don't worry if you get one of those fleshy pieces that look like an italian woman's armpit - that is considered lucky.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Nal, I thought Caribbean Blue (on Hostos) closed down ages ago. Last time I looked it had been turned into a nightclub. Has it reopened?

My favourites in the capital include:

Zona Colonial
Meson de Bari for top quality Dominican cooking, colonial setting, character and atmosphere. (Hostos)
Cocos for international food, charming setting and incomparable hospitality. (Billini esq Catolica)
S Bar/Rey del Falafel (Billini esq Sanchez)

Rest of city
Govindas (vegetarian) next to Super Nacional off Av Maximo Gomez
Zona Fria (Taiwanese) on Romulo Betancourt
La Lasagna (Czech ;) ) on Gustavo Mejia Ricart (2 branches)

There is also a small restaurant called Regalado that does good paellas, I think it's in Cristo Rey, but the last time I went there was years ago before I knew the city well.

In Samana we always go to Le France, on the Malecon.

Can't wait to go back and revisit these, and discover new places.

As for the worst, there are too many to mention. One place I think is overrated is Vizcaya on San Martin. It is lively, the prices are relatively low, and it has an air of long-established tradition but I have had some pretty awful meals there.

Chiri
 
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rafael

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I like Davey Crockett's for steak as well.

For italian I like Bricciola on Merino in the colonial zone.

Mexican I dig Fridas on independencia because I can walk there and the fajitas are good.

I also eat at the american chain restaurants a lot. Fridays, Outback and Tony Romas.

My favorite place is Costelao en Plaza Espana, Brazilian Churrascaria done pretty well.
 

Formosano2000

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Some other good options

Nal0whs said:
Now, this was not the first time I have been there, but out of curiosity I would like to know what restaurant would you personally consider to be the best and worst you have been to in Santo Domingo or the entire DR.


Too many "worst" ones to list here :)

Here are some "better" ones. I have yet to discover a single "best".

Both Vesuvios have been mentioned. One I like very much is Noa Noa (located right behind Plaza Central). It has a very smark ambience with blonde wood and nice decor. But above all, the food is excellent, along the fusion (Euro-Asian) line. The prices are quite reasonable for a restaurant of this range.

Taboo Bamboo (on Roberto Pastoriza) is another high-end option, aslo along the Euro-Asian line but I detect more European (especially Italian) than Asian flavor. This is a very EXPENSIVE restaurant and ordering a la carte you'll be lucky to get away with RD$1,500 per head.

Myto (on Paseo de Locutores, just a few doors away from Espagettissimo) is a very hip lounge-restaurant option catering to a younger crowd. Expensive again, but the portions are also big. The decor is a sort of retro-70's Tribeca/Soho hip. Quite unusual in Santo Domingo.

Here are some I'm interested in but haven't tried:

Fellini
Chez Asian Bistro
Da Vincci
Agio
Boga Boga

Any opinions on these ?
 

Sanson

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Apr 14, 2003
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In Santo Domingo, you should try the following restaurants:

Spanish food:

Casa Vicente & Donosti. Both are located in Naco near the Tiradentes. The second is dedicated to food from "el pais Vasco."

Creative

I would recommend Taboo Bamboo and Peperoni located in Plaza Universitaria, Ave. Sarasota con w. Churchill.

Italian food.

You can try Caff? Bellini in Plazoleta Padre Billini, Zona Colonial.

Chinese & Japanese

Try Soya in Av. Gustavo Mej?a Ricart, Plaza Anadaluc?a I, 1er Nivel, Piantini.
They offer both types of food.

If you are looking for Sushi, I`ve heard that Aqua has great sushi. I haven`t tried it as i don`t like sushi.
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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David crokett has the best steak. I ordered a mix BBq grill with all kinds of steak meat, chicken breast and also (I think) some seafood. It was delicious.
I went to carribean blue about 3 years ago. I was given the tour of the restaurant by the owner. Let me tell you, the kitchen was so clean and organized that you could eat off the floor. Even the items were neatly organized in the huge comercial fridges. Unfortunately, I was silly enough to order a bad dish (fish steak of some kind). I didn't really like it but the rest of my group had ordered delicious meals.
Samurai used to have (I don't know if they stll have it) a sunday brunch. There was a 600 pesos entrance (old prices when dollar was 18 to 1) and let me tell you, you could anything and everything, all you can eat deal. It was really delicious and the choices were unlimited.
 

prismaspeck

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Aug 29, 2004
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Nal0whs said:
Last night I was at Restaurante Samurai taking in the Japanese flare of that restaurant here in Santo Domingo. Although, the sushi was ok (I'm not a big sushi person), everything else was delicious and overall I had a wonderful time.



In the rest of the country I have five restaurants that makes my mouth water:

1. Giacosa in Altos de Chavon. The seafood risotto is memorable to say the least.

2. La Capannine in Las Terrenas. The lobster and the octopus in ink is just excellent. I have only been there once, so you know its good since I remember the name of the place.

3. On the Waterfront in Sosua. This is always the deciding factor whenever I choose to visit Sosua. Teh seafood is out of this world and the sweeping oceanfront patio just adds to its appeal. I thought I was in heaven when I tasted the red snapper and the lambi (conch) and lets not forget the delicious lobsters. All in all, this is a great place to splurge! I would have mentioned La Puntilla de Piergiorgio, since they are also good, but I've noticed a slight dip in the standards.

4. Vento in Cabarete. The view of the water is exceptional to say the least and the cuisine is just as awesome especially the lamb dishes. In addition to all of that, they have quite an extensive wine list which is always nice.

5. Pez Dorado in Santiago. The Pollo a la diana, grilled octopus, garlic shrimp and the sea bass are very very delicious. I also found some of the chinese offerings to be quite excellent also.

So, there you have it. These are the best restaurants in the DR in my opinion. I'm not too sure if the ones I mention outside the capital are still open, most of them are at least, because it has been a while since I have been to them. But, rest assure, these are among the best places to splurge here in the DR!

So, what are your favorite dining places???? :classic:

Have you been to Mezzaluna in Santiago?...you have to try it it's very versatile, although my favorites are the pasta dishes. Oh and Pez Dorado is still open after all these years and the food's still great.
 

chica

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Feb 9, 2004
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Hi,

Has someone eat at one of this places.
Find them on the internet.
The are all in and round Puerto Plata

Valter's

Victorian pub

De Armandos

Thanks
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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You guys are making me hungry...
As I travel all over North America almost every week (because of my job) and eat at restaurants almost daily, I've gotten to the point where I'm really hard to impress with food. Whenever I go to The DR I find myself searching for these little, obscure places and trying out their food which I sometimes find to be better than food at an expensive restaurant. Ok, a few of my favorites:
For Italian I think Vesuvio (already mentioned) is pretty good. Been there a few times and never had a bad meal.
For seafood (BTW I don't think The DR is a great place seafood...that's one category where Mexico - Mazatlan area - beats The DR hands down, but I digress) there's a guy that has one of those stands you see by the sea on Avenida Espana. It's called D'reymonds or something like that. The way I know to get to it is that there's a huge french style house across the street and a strip joint where the building is shaped like an arabian castle thing (never been in there BTW). Anyhow, this guy has the best fish and at a fraction of what some of these restaurants charge. Try it steamed...delicious. Add an ice cold Presidente, the nice breeze from the sea, and hot looking Dominican woman...perfect. For a more formal restaurant I think the waterfront in Sosua is pretty good. Liked the atmosphere.
I also did like Taboo-Bamboo, even though I prefer a bit more authentic asian fare.
I'm so sick of eating at the chains here (Applebees, Fridays, etc.) that I rather eat at subway while here in The US.
Last but not least....Love cachapas from Alma Llanera, pollo al carbon (con WASAKAKA - What the hell is WASAKAKA anyway?), and of course Chimis from "El Pesao" in Cotui at 4:30 AM...mmmm...good!
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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Guasacaca

Love cachapas from Alma Llanera, pollo al carbon (con WASAKAKA - What the hell is WASAKAKA anyway?),

Wasakaka, or the more correct 'guasacaca' originates from Venezuelan indians. It's a very hot chili sauce (like 'guacamole') that usually goes with barbecued beef and yucca. In many Venezuelan restaurants you can ask for one of two versions, the green or the red guasacaca. The green guasacaca is made with green sweet peppers and is not hot.

Mirador
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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prismaspeck said:
Have you been to Mezzaluna in Santiago?...you have to try it it's very versatile, although my favorites are the pasta dishes. Oh and Pez Dorado is still open after all these years and the food's still great.

I haven't been to Mezzaluna, but maybe I will next weekend. I will be up in the Jarabacoa area horse riding around and relaxing from this big city mayhem. Usually, I head for Santiago and the Moca area to visit some family and friends before heading to the capital and I might eat at Mezzaluna.

Where in Santiago is it located?
 

prismaspeck

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Nal0whs said:
I haven't been to Mezzaluna, but maybe I will next weekend. I will be up in the Jarabacoa area horse riding around and relaxing from this big city mayhem. Usually, I head for Santiago and the Moca area to visit some family and friends before heading to the capital and I might eat at Mezzaluna.

Where in Santiago is it located?


I'm very bad with streets but Mezzaluna is in villa olga. I'll give you the correct address later maybe tomorrow or during the week.
 

Tordok

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Oct 6, 2003
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Restaturante LINA (Avenida M?ximo G?mez) still offers very good standards. Not hip at all, but not a bad choice if you're meeting someone for a business meal.

Among newer places I've had very enjoyable pasta in MYTOS (Paseo de los Locutores) and also in ALFATORI (Arzobispo Meri?o). With the way the economy has been lately, I don't know if they're still open.

By the way, LA GIACOSA (in Altos de Chav?n) is in my opinion, bland and overpriced. The setting of course is great, but Nal0whs and I must have been serviced by different chefs. When I went there a few months ago everything was barely passable and the risotto in particular was just awful.

- Tordok
 

Buzzard

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Feb 28, 2004
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Costambar
Wasakaka Sauce

Mirador said:
Wasakaka, or the more correct 'guasacaca' originates from Venezuelan indians. It's a very hot chili sauce (like 'guacamole') that usually goes with barbecued beef and yucca. In many Venezuelan restaurants you can ask for one of two versions, the green or the red guasacaca. The green guasacaca is made with green sweet peppers and is not hot.

Mirador

I don't know from whence cometh your information, but my "source" of info on the "sauce" comes from dear old Aunt Clara, and it is NOT hot, as it contains only water, garlic, salt and lemon juice. And it is usually put on chicken, not beef.
 

Buzzard

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Feb 28, 2004
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Costambar
Out of date info?

chica said:
Hi,

Has someone eat at one of this places.
Find them on the internet.
The are all in and round Puerto Plata

Valter's

Victorian pub

De Armandos

Thanks

Oh boy! I could be wrong here, but I think you've made the 'hat trick'. To the best of my knowledge, Valter's & De Armandos have been closed for years. And the same may be true of the Victorian pub.
My recommendations for restaurants in POP are:
Manquito (sp?): left off the main road right before Costa Dorada (going East)
Los Dos: left off the main road right before Cofresi (going West)
Suiss Jardin: on the Malacon
Cafe Cito: right off the main road, near Harrison's Jewlery and Costa Dorada
Solo Mio: in Costambar

I'd love to know of more!!!!!
 

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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this is a great thread. In the past i used to work in some 4 star (and some other places that are better than the 4 star places) places here in NYC and in Boston. Havent been involved in restaurants in about 10 years...but i still consider myself a "foodie". I have had some decent food on my travels on the south of the island.....have not really had time to travel north yet (really hoping so on my next visit). a few of my dominican co-workers have told me about neptuno's in B.C. I asked my hotel owner about it...said it was good...but kinda pricey for B.C. I dont mind spending more that 50 USD pp. I just wasnt sure if it would be worth it or not.

well..i dont really have much to offer to this thread...just wondering about any decent places in b.c. i will check out some of the recommendations in the capital tho.
 

Formosano2000

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Mar 5, 2003
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Da Nancy

Try Da Nancy, which is tucked away in a back alley behind Hamaca. Decent rustic Italian food, though not as cheap as before. It's still (well, relatively speaking) well-shielded from tourists, so you'll have a better chance running into locals and (mostly Italian) expats there.

jrzyguy said:
well..i dont really have much to offer to this thread...just wondering about any decent places in b.c. i will check out some of the recommendations in the capital tho.