El Castillo @ Mayaguez Resort & Casino
Puerto Rico is known as the Gastronomic Capital of the Caribbean. And one of it's shining stars is the award winning El Castillo Restaurant and it's Executive Chef, Alexander Saez. While here you will enjoy some of the finest International, Caribbean and Puerto Rican cuisine on the island, From Spanish Paellas to sumptuous Nouvelle Cuisine.
Our Chef invites you to enjoy our local cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, our cuisine is not spicy-hot, but exceptionally tasty. If you have a heart for spicy meals, or local "pique" native hot sauces are available for the asking.
We have endless... More
Visiting the San Juan Cathedral
The Cathedral of San Juan isn't a mere tourist attraction. And it's not an ordinary church. This is the one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere, the seat of the archdiocese in Puerto Rico, and an iconic landmark of Puerto Rico.
But it's not just its historical prominence that makes the Catedral de San Juan Bautista a must-visit stop in Old San Juan. This, as a friend of mine put it, is the Grande Dame of the city. It's long been looted and pillaged of its riches trappings (thank you Earl of Cumberland), but it does have two very interesting attractions: the tomb of a man who became famous for hunting after a mythical fountain, and the wax-encased mummy of a Roman martyr. And it's one of three churches on Cristo Street alone, making this one seriously sacred stretch of road.
On your tour of Old San Juan, plan for a stop at this elegant gothic-inspired house of worship, which has been watching over San Juan for almost 500 years.
Visiting the San Juan Cathedral originally appeared on About.com Puerto Rico Travel on Saturday, May 19th, 2012 at 17:11:38.
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Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: BLT Steak
If you're in Puerto Rico this week, you're in luck, because so is Restaurant Week. And I'm concluding my reviews of participating restaurants with BLT Steak at the Ritz-Carlton, San Juan.
I became a fan of this place as soon as I sank my teeth into one of their custom-made popovers (comes with recipe), an appropriate teaser for the rest of the meal. After munching on this treat, I glanced over at the chalkboard menu (updated daily) to decide my meal, which ended up being a chilled tuna tartare (I know, it's a typical starter, but it's flawless here), a cooked-to-perfection porterhouse, and a trifle that was inhaled more than it was eaten.
For Restaurant Week, BLT is offering a three-course meal comprised of Caesar salad or grilled double-cut bacon for an appetizer; a 6 oz prime filet, pan-seared snapper, or airline chicken breast for entree; and peanut butter chocolate mousse or caramelized cheesecake for dessert. Not a bad way to spend $39, no?
Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: BLT Steak originally appeared on About.com Puerto Rico Travel on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 23:44:40.
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Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: Bistro de Paris
There are very few things in Puerto Rico that would remind anyone of France, but Bistro de Paris is one of them. The menu, featuring all the most popular staples and some of the more exotic ones, is extensive and traditional French (no messing about with fusion fare here).
The place looks like it was crane-lifted out of a sociable corner of the city and transported straight to the island. It's elegant without getting too stuffy inside, and the outside terrace is a pleasant alternative for an evening out.
And their $39 prix fixe menu for Restaurant Week offers a nice variety, from onion soup, escargot or scallop mousse for an appetizer to lamb, trout Meunière, or mussels marinière with fries for an entree, to chocolate mousse or apple tarte tatin for dessert.
Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: Bistro de Paris originally appeared on About.com Puerto Rico Travel on Saturday, May 12th, 2012 at 01:37:55.
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Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: Budatai and Bar Gitano
Continuing my restaurant reviews leading up to Restaurant Week (you can see an updated list of participating restaurants here), I'm focusing on two restaurants that are the creations of one of Puerto Rico's most celebrated chefs: Roberto Treviño. No stranger to the global culinary circuit, Chef Treviño brings his signature flair for inventive cuisine to two very different eateries in Condado.
If I had to pick one in which to have a memorable dinner, it would be Budatai. The Asian-fusion fare here is just too good to pass up. From the tropically inclined sushi rolls to the churrasco with flat noodles, the food here is delicious and delightful. Not far away, Bar Gitano leaves Asia far behind and puts the Treviño twist on classic Spanish food. The meal I had was at once quintessentially Spanish and distinctly New World, with flavor combinations and techniques that you would never expect. The squid-ink dusted calamari and pinch0-style garlic shrimp skewers attest to the marriage of traditional Spanish fare and Treviño's whimsy.
These two restaurants are fine additions to Restaurant Week, and two more reasons to enjoy this terrific culinary promotion, which starts on May 14.
Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: Budatai and Bar Gitano originally appeared on About.com Puerto Rico Travel on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 03:36:41.
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Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: El Picoteo
In honor of Puerto Rico's first-ever Restaurant Week, which is right around the corner, I'm going to spend the next few days reviewing restaurants that are participating in the promotion. For those who don't know about Restaurant Week, this is a foodie- and budget-friendly event that has been held in cities around the globe. The deal is this: participating restaurants offer up an affordable prix fixe set menu to entice visitors to either try them for the first time, come back to sample something new from the menu, or simply have another reason to return to an old favorite.
And one of the restaurants that is offering a prix-fixe menu for the week is Picoteo, the elegant Spanish tapas bar and restaurant at the El Convento Hotel. The knock on El Picoteo has always been that it's a bit pricey, and it is, but it also offers superlative cuisine in a charming setting. And hey, if price kept you from visiting before, Restaurant Week gives you the perfect opportunity to try it out!
Restaurant Week Restaurant Reviews: El Picoteo originally appeared on About.com Puerto Rico Travel on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 at 08:55:06.