Rare, medium rare, and raro.

johne

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Jun 28, 2003
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I had a lively discussion yesterday with five (5) Dominican waiters when I complemented one of them that my salmon was exactly the way I discribed it and they prepared it. I thought the word was "raro". However, I was assured there is no such word in the RD that is used to describe what is "Rare to medium rare".
I must say it was an entertaining 20 minutes with 5 of them and my guest .
What do you think the right word is for this (in the RD)?
 
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Kricke87

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The word Raro in Spanish that could be translated into English as Rare, does have more to do with something being unique, special, weird, unusual etc. So the English term for Rare in this context would be "medio crudo", as it has to do with meat, and meat being rare is basically what it means "half raw", or not cooked all the way. So yes the correct term in Spanish would be "medio crudo", and if you used "raro" they would just look at you asking if you wanted some "weird meat".
 

johne

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I had to translate that because I didn't know what crudo meant. The phrase translates by Goggle into 1/2 raw. Not too appetizing!
crudo (in a couple of languages) is sushi, tartare, raw. So, media crudo is very rare.
 

johne

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The word Raro in Spanish that could be translated into English as Rare, does have more to do with something being unique, special, weird, unusual etc. So the English term for Rare in this context would be "medio crudo", as it has to do with meat, and meat being rare is basically what it means "half raw", or not cooked all the way. So yes the correct term in Spanish would be "medio crudo", and if you used "raro" they would just look at you asking if you wanted some "weird meat".
But I had a ton of fun learning one word over a bottle of wine!!
 
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johne

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Cool! Can we round this out and go for medium well and well done? Google translate and DeepL are saying bien hecho for well done and medio bien for medium well. Are they right?
But now, we have to hope and pray that the waiter we are ordering from is as smart as we have become!
 
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NanSanPedro

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But is that what you want? or are you saying they are doing "their way" and not "your way"?
I first tried saying medium well in English. It came well done for about 6 months. Then I tried medium, still well done, all gray/brown. It's their way.

We were just at RIU Bavaro and I was amazed at 2 different steaks were done medium for reals. Color me impressed.
 
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