Dominican dishes. What to try in the Dominican Republic? Medical care in the Dominican Republic

When going to the Dominican Republic, most of us would prefer not to worry about the issue of food and choose a hotel from the all-inclusive series. On the one hand, this is correct and very convenient. But! You will never know a country without trying the local cuisine. And Dominican cuisine is worth it.

08.06.2018

Updated June 11, 2019

1713

Food and drink in the Dominican Republic is not just at the hotel.

When you get tired of lying on the beautiful Dominican beaches, go beyond the all-inclusive. What else can please you in the Dominican Republic? Food!

Take a walk around any of the Dominican resorts, go to some small family restaurant, ask for any local dish at the owner’s discretion, raise a glass of rum with the local guys. And this wonderful country will immediately sparkle for you with new colors and impressions!

What is worth trying in the Dominican Republic?

Let's take a closer look at the cuisine of the Dominican Republic. The Dominicans themselves call their cuisine comidacriolla. It's a tasty, sometimes a little greasy, blend of Spanish, African and Caribbean cuisine. Each region of the Dominican Republic has its own flavor in this cuisine.

Meals typically include rice and legumes. The most common dish is rice with fried chicken in the favorite local sauce, asopao.

Almost always, the main dish is served with platanos - plantain or as it is also called vegetable banana. This local delicacy is fried and served with ketchup or other sauce of your choice.

You are also often offered a salad of raw cabbage, carrots, and onions, dressed with mayonnaise. These are not separate dishes, these are all just additions to the main one!

The local breakfast is usually very large, filling, and varied. It is designed for locals who, after eating, will go to work and spend calories all day. A typical Dominican breakfast is:

1. Scrambled eggs, to which meat and some vegetables are often added;
2. Mangú - porridge made from the already familiar vegetable banana, which locals like to decorate with fried vegetables;
3. Fried cheese is a local favorite for breakfast;
4. Orange juice;
5. A cup of strong coffee (possibly with added milk) with sugar.

Dominican lunch is healthier and lower in calories. Locals usually have lunch between 12.00 and 14.00.

But dinner for them is usually a family event. In addition to chicken, which locals almost always eat, Dominicans prepare mondongo, a local soup for a strong stomach.

It is prepared from the entrails (usually the stomach of a cow or pig) with vegetables and a variety of seasonings. The locals like to eat mofongo for dinner - it’s the same vegetable banana, pork, vegetables and lots and lots of spices. For dinner in the Dominican Republic, they often eat a large steak with onions, peppers and spices.

Fish is a must for tasting in the Dominican Republic. Traditionally, there are 5 types of seafood preparation:

1. Criolla - in a delicious spicy tomato sauce
2. Alajillo - in a thick garlic sauce
3. Alhorno - fried and generously sprinkled with lemon
4. Al - in a creamy sauce with fresh oregano and spices
5. Concoco - in a sauce made from coconut milk, tomatoes, garlic and spices.

Dominican desserts will not leave you indifferent. They are very tasty, but often too sweet, so take drinks with them. A less calorie and perhaps more delicious dessert option is tropical fruits. Among them, the most common are bananas, papaya, pineapple, mango, strawberries and other local delicacies.

Where can you eat in the Dominican Republic, besides the hotel?

Eating in cafes and restaurants in the Dominican Republic is quite inexpensive, and the local establishments will not disappoint you and your taste buds. The cheapest place to eat is the local cafeterias. These are very modest establishments, where your lunch options are presented not on the menu, but in stands behind glass, where your dish and its price can be seen in the picture. For 100 Dominican dollars you can eat well here

Advice! Come to Dominican cafeterias at lunchtime - this is the ideal time when the food has just been delivered and the preparation has begun. By dinnertime, the food may be a little stale and weathered.

It will cost you a little more to go to comendores - small family-type restaurants - very modest interiors with incredibly tasty food.

For a small snack, you can buy food from street vendors. Your modest “lunch on the go” will cost you between 2 and 10 Dominican dollars.

If you want to have a nice dinner, as they say, there are first-class restaurants in every major city in the country. Don't even expect to spend less than 300 Dominican dollars on dinner here. And do not forget that such establishments have a strict dress code. No one will let you sit at the table in shorts and a bikini. Here you can taste French, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and other cuisines, but you get lost in the chic tables and smartly dressed waiters local flavor the Dominican Republic itself.

What to drink in the Dominican Republic?

Dominican coffee is considered one of the most delicious in the world. As a rule, locals drink pure coffee with a couple of spoons of sugar. If you leave your hotel during breakfast and walk along the Dominican street, street vendors on every corner will treat you to the most Dominican coffee for 2 Dominican dollars.

Another favorite morning drink is orange juice. They squeeze it right in front of you, fresh, sweet and incredibly healthy.

Advice! Immediately ask your juicer not to add anything extra to your juice. You gape - and now you already have an orange peel or 1-2 tablespoons of sugar floating in your juice.

During the day, locals like to treat themselves to coconut milk. Dominican batidas are also popular - a mix of fruits (papaya, mango, banana, pineapple, etc.) with ice and milk. A similar drink that the locals love is morirsoñando - an incredibly tasty combination of orange juice, milk, sugar, and crushed ice.

Classic drinks like CocaCola, Pepsi and others can also be easily found in any corner of the island.

The Dominican Republic has several local beers. Among them, the Presidente brand is singled out as the most delicious. Local rums include Brugal, Barelo and Bermudes. They are almost never drunk neat - as you might have guessed, they are added to the CubaLibre cocktail.

Also pay attention to the local cocktail MamaJuana. It is very strong, made from a combination of local wines, rum, honey, leaves and bark of local trees (locals claim that these ingredients are added to prolong life and enhance sexual activity). You can drink a cocktail at the bar, or buy a bottle to take home at the gift shop.

Don't be afraid to get out of your hotel and experiment with food in the Dominican Republic - the local cuisine will not leave you indifferent. Any tourist with any taste preferences will be satisfied here.

Culinary discoveries await you in the Dominican Republic, treat yourself to local delicacies - you won’t regret it!

Representatives of the Latin American Academy of Gastronomy and the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy have chosen the Dominican Republic as the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean in 2017. the site found out what the country managed to conquer with world-famous chefs.

The Dominican Republic is a country of color, “many sounds” of colors and tastes. Culture and location seem to have predetermined the vibrant gastronomic prosperity of the Dominican Republic. The fertility of the earth, on the one hand, and the diversity and mixture of cultures, on the other, have created a unique palette of simple but spectacular dishes, seasoned with remarkable imagination and creativity.

Dominican cuisine today is a fusion, a fusion of cultures that have left their mark in the form of a distinctive culinary heritage, which Dominicans treat with great pride and respect. The basics of cooking go back to the gastronomic customs of the indigenous Indians and Spanish conquistadors with African and European influences. Asians and immigrants from the Greater Antilles also contributed.

From the Taino Indians, the Dominicans inherited root vegetables: yuca, taro, potatoes, celery, sweet potatoes and others. One of the most famous dishes that time, still occupying important place in Dominican cuisine, is casaba, or “bread of the conquerors,” as the Spaniards called it when they arrived on the island. They are flatbreads baked with cassava root vegetable flour in a huge frying pan.

From the conquistadors, the indigenous population of the island of Hispaniola, as the island of Haiti was formerly known, learned to cook food in boiling water, use livestock brought from Europe and flavor food with Indian spices such as pepper, oregano, saffron, turmeric, curry and paprika.

During the second and third voyages of Columbus, Spaniards from the Canary Islands landed on the island of Hispaniola. It was they who brought the first sugar cane sprouts to the continent and taught the locals how to prepare broth, which over time became the famous sancocho soup - a puree soup of several types of meat with corn, nutmeg pumpkin and spices.

Thanks to the Africans, Dominican gastronomy was enriched with giant yams and plantains, which are eaten boiled, fried or mashed with garlic. The method of frying food also came to the country from Africans. Large fryers and palm oil are used for this.

It should be noted that the Antillean influence is most strongly manifested in the cuisine of the Dominican Republic. The islanders local residents adopted the skill of using coconut milk and oil, corn flour in combination with various vegetables such as okra (okra) with fruits similar to chili peppers and taro. An example of the most popular dish of Antillean heritage is Yaniqueque, or Johny's Cake - deep fried, with or without filling.

Arabs also made a significant contribution to the development of Dominican cuisine when, at the end of the 19th century, immigrants from the Middle East, mainly from Lebanon, came to the country. Thanks to them, Dominican cuisine was enriched with the famous kibbeh breaded meat balls (quipes, kibbeh libanés), cabbage rolls and various eggplant dishes.

Knowing the origins and history of Dominican cuisine, it is interesting to try new tastes and aromas of modern national dishes:

. El Moro- rice with the addition of various legumes (beans, peas, guandules, etc.)
. La Bandera- white rice, beans and stew with a side dish of tostones (fried platanos)
. Sancocho- broth made from platano, taro, yuca, beef, chicken and pork
. Locrio- different variations on the theme of rice with meat and seafood, the most popular of which is locryo with chicken, shrimp and brisket
. Mangu- puree from pre-cooked plantains. Usually served with scrambled eggs or fried salami.
. Sweet beans- beans cooked with cow's and coconut milk, with the addition of sweet potatoes and raisins
. Fish in coconut milk- fried fish stewed in coconut milk sauce. Served with rice and beans and tostones
. Morir sonando(“to die dreaming”) - a drink made from milk, orange juice and a lot of ice
. Mofongo- fried green plantains, mashed with garlic and cracklings
. Mondongo- stewed pork tripe
. Chivo lineo- goat stew with lots of chili and oregano

Dorada in Dominican style

Dorado 1 piece, garlic 2 cloves, paprika 1 tsp, sea salt (fine) 1 tsp, corn oil 2 tbsp. l, peanut butter 1 tbsp, shallots 1 pc, bell pepper 1 pc, coconut milk 0.5 cups, cilantro, black peppercorns, watercress

Peel the sea bream, salt and pepper and trim the sides. Place on a baking sheet previously lined with parchment. Cut the pepper and onion into strips, add chopped garlic, cilantro, coconut milk, oils, salt. Mix everything and place on top of the fish. Bake for 20 minutes at 190 degrees. Serve along with vegetables. Garnish with watercress.

This article was prepared with the assistance of

Representative offices of the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

Dominican cuisine is typical Creole food, which was influenced by African, European (especially Spanish) and Caribbean traditions.

Her distinctive feature is the widespread use of stewed or fried Platano bananas in combination with meat ingredients,

"Platano" with rice and chicken

Legumes, rice and vegetables. All this is generously seasoned with various spices, but despite this, the spices do not interrupt the taste of the products themselves due to their skillful use.

Classic breakfast

A day in the Dominican Republic begins with a hearty breakfast. Scrambled eggs with slices of ham " Huevos Revueltos" (huevos revueltos)

AND "Mangu"- puree of green bananas, seasoned with moniok greens, plantain, onions, cheese and pieces of meat,

"Mangu" with meat

And also coffee with a lot of sugar - the best morning menu in the Dominican Republic. The hotel may also offer breakfast "Queso Frito"(Queso frito) - pieces of cheese fried in oil that melt in your mouth.

Crispy Queso Frito pieces

As in many Spanish-speaking countries, lunch is the largest meal of the day in the Dominican Republic. At this time, the following dishes are served on the table: "Arroz con Pollo"(arroz con pollo) - cheese with chicken,

"Arroz con Pollo"

"Sancocho"- an amazingly tasty stew of five types of meat with rice and stewed vegetables; any meat or seafood with a side dish of rice or beans;

"Sancocho" - thick and hearty Dominican soup

Or the most popular dish, "La Bandera" or "Dominican Flag", which is a combination of white rice, red beans, green fried plantains,

"La Bandera" - the national dish of the Dominican Republic

Vegetables and certain types of meat - usually boiled, fried or grilled chicken.

Dinner usually consists of the same dishes as lunch, only the portions are served in much smaller sizes.

Snacks throughout the day

If you suddenly feel hungry during the day, this is another great opportunity to try new Dominican dishes. On the side of most roads there are small street stalls serving delicious food. "Chimichurri"(chimichurri) - a kind of hamburger with sauce,

"Chimichurri"

"Pollo finto"(pollo frito) - fried chicken

"Pollo Finto" - fried chicken pieces

And “Finturas” (frituras) - hot snacks.

Meat and meat dishes

Dominicans prefer chicken, pork, goat and beef to all other types of meat. The last two are prepared mainly on major holidays with the addition of spices, wine, onions and garlic. One of these dishes includes "Chivo a la Diabla"(Chivo a la Diabla), which is usually served with a side dish of yucca root vegetable. A very unusual and tasty dish "Service", consisting of meat and vegetables, baked in banana leaves. They also love it here "Puerco en puya"- baked pieces of pork and "Puerco asado"- vegetable stew with meat.

"Puerco asado"

Seafood and seafood dishes

In the Dominican Republic, if they prepare seafood dishes, it is quite simple - preserving their original appearance. Basically, fish, crabs, lobsters, mussels are boiled or grilled, and also fried with coconut flakes.

The main highlight is the variety of sauces served with them. Impossible to tear yourself away from the dish "Lumby"- truly traditional Dominican food and "Pescado con Coco"- fish with coconut sauce.

The recipe for Pescado con Coco is actually very complex.

The country is so rich exotic fruits that they completely replace real desserts in the Dominican Republic.

Although there are still a few signature delicacies here, for example: "Dulces con Coco"- coconut flakes with molasses,

"Dulces con Coco"

"Dulces con Leche"- a mix of milk and molasses,

"Dulces con Leche" - the most delicate coconut dessert

"Dulces de Naranja"- jam made from orange pulp with molasses

"Dulces con Naranja"

And dessert "Coco Nueve Con Leche" from coconut pulp.

"Coco Nueve Con Leche" is made from coconut pulp.

Fresh juices

And fruit smoothies, coconut water or milk, soda are very common in the Dominican Republic.

Definitely worth a try Chinola juice,

Prepared from the pulp of the yellow and purple fruits of this tree.

But locals prefer the Malta Morena drink. Despite having similar ingredients to beer, Malta Morena is a completely non-alcoholic drink consisting of water, corn flour, hops, sugar and malt. It is rich in vitamin B, and tastes very sweet, like stream. It can be mixed with condensed milk to give the drink a richer, creamier taste.

Among alcoholic drinks, preference is given to ice-cold beer "Servieza"(cerveza) of such popular brands as “Bohemia” and “Presidente”.
A bottle of ice-cold Servieza beer

Another favorite drink, which is to some extent business card country is rum. About 15 varieties of rum are produced in the Dominican Republic. The most popular brands: "Brugal",
The signature drink of the Dominican Republic is Brugal.

Barcelo and Bermudez. It is used in the preparation of cocktails such as "Cuba Libra"(rum + Coca-Cola),

"Daiquiri"(rum + lemon juice + crushed ice)
Cooling "Daiquiri"

AND "Pina colada"(rum + pineapple juice + coconut milk + ice).

"Pino Colada" in the Dominican Republic is not at all the same as in any bar in Russia

Some Caveats

Drinking unboiled and tap water in the Dominican Republic is extremely dangerous. You can catch it intestinal infection. For cooking, drinking, and even brushing your teeth, you should use specially purified, factory-packaged bottled water. It is recommended to rinse fruits, vegetables and fish thoroughly before cooking. It is better to buy food in stores rather than in markets.

Latin culture is close to me not only because of my knowledge of the language, but also because of my taste preferences. Of course, evaluate local cuisine impossible without getting to know street food. What's worth trying? Is it possible to get poisoned? Why can you get jailed in the Dominican Republic? And what helps in the fight against cancer? All this is discussed in the article about unusual products.

Fruit stalls in the Dominican Republic

When we walked in places far from the tourist area, we saw many shops: bakeries, butchers, confectioneries. People were looking at the product, which means there was demand.

Butcher shop

The first days we looked at the kiosks with disbelief. I wasn't very attracted to the trash scattered on the sand. And if you watch how some locals prepare food, your appetite may disappear.

Doesn't inspire confidence

But then I reminded myself that it’s been almost two years, and after that I’m not afraid of anything 😅. So, putting aside our prejudices, we decided to explore street food to the fullest.

DominicanEmpanadas

The first thing we tried was " empanadas/empanadas» – fried pies with various fillings. We took one from " pollo"- chicken, although it was clearly visible that other ingredients were added to the minced meat. Cost 1 piece. – RD$9 ($ 0.18).

Empanadas Pies-chebureks

They are fried in large quantities butter and outwardly resemble an ordinary cheburek. It was topped with ketchup, which was more reminiscent of sweet chili. And the filling tasted like boiled salmon 😳. Still, we liked the empanadas. Even in Santo Domingo we took several pieces with cheese and ham.

Fried empanadas

Sapota - exotic Dominican Republic

When we saw this fruit from afar, we thought that there was a coconut in front of us. Roundish, with brown skin. But I've never seen the name " zapote”, which means there was something exotic on the counter. Price for one - RD$29 ($ 0,57).

Sapota

In the room they cut open the fruit and gasped. The pulp was bright orange, with a large seed. At first I thought it was tasteless. But then, having tasted it, we realized that it was somewhat reminiscent of persimmon. But the consistency... It seemed that the pulp stuck to the entire oral cavity, leaving an unpleasant coating. Vitalya dubbed it sweet plasticine.

Sapota pulp

In defense of the fruit, I can say that it was simply not ripe. When we brought a couple of pieces to our family to try, it was much softer and the structure was more reminiscent of an avocado. By the way, if you are interested in learning more about prices in Dominican supermarkets, read the article.

Yucca - sweet medicine

When I lived in China, I often ate sweet potatoes instead of potatoes. And at first, I thought that this was exactly what I was holding in my hands. But no. IN Latin America An equally popular root vegetable is yucca. It has a very beneficial effect on the body and is used in folk medicine for many diseases. The crisp white flesh contains starch, protein, fiber, as well as minerals and vitamins.

Yucca

Chips, flour, and bread are made from it. To prepare any dish, yucca must be stewed or boiled for a long time. Most often we used it in the form of flatbreads. Something like our potato pancakes/deruns, only sweeter. Price in the supermarket – RD$22 /lb ($ 0,43 /0.45 kg ) .

Sugar cane is the key to healthy teeth

Sugar cane is loved not only by pandas, but also by cheerful Dominicans. It still remains a mystery to me: how can a plant with such a high sugar content have a low glycemic index and be beneficial for diabetics? How can one protect teeth from caries and keep them so snow-white? I also read somewhere that sugar cane juice creates an alkaline environment in which cancer cells die.

Sugar cane

We tried it when we were in Santo Domingo. A man from Haiti had a whole cartload of sugar stalks. One of these was worth it RD$77 ($ 1,52 ) . A peeled portion of three pieces, 25-30 cm long, cost RD$25 ($ 0,49 ) . The cane turned out to be very juicy and sweet. The smell reminded me of a peeled twig, and that’s basically what it is 😃.

Refined Sugar Cane

Coconut

Yes, yes, this is already a familiar exotic. In general, I can’t say anything new. In addition to the obvious information on prices. On the beach we bought a coconut for RD$200 ($ 3,95 ) . And in the supermarket - RD$39 ($ 0,77 ). True, the store was small and not so attractive ♀️ 🤷.

Coconut from the beach Price of a coconut in a supermarket

Pina Colada - a Caribbean classic

But what I liked was the non-alcoholic Pina Colada. When we were on Saona Island, the cocktail was served in a pineapple, with an umbrella and a cherry - everything as it should be. Fixed price – $ 10 . This was probably aimed at those tourists who added free rum to their drink. And yet - a little expensive. And considering the fact that it was also stolen from us, it’s a shame. Most likely, these were vacationers from the category of freebie lovers. They left their things, but the pineapple was simply stolen from the sunbed. Disgraceful.

Used Pina Colada on Saona Island

We also bought a tin of Pina Colada at the supermarket for $ 2 . The combination of smooth coconut milk and pineapple juice was reminiscent of condensed milk.

Used Pina Colada from a Dominican supermarket

Non-alcoholic liqueur

As you have already noticed, I do not drink alcoholic beverages. But I always try to try something different and unusual. Usually the tasting goes well. But there are misfires. What happened with the non-alcoholic peach liqueur of the Spanish brand “ Enseña" The composition includes water, fruit juice (10%), acidifiers, sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives and dyes. For a bottle of 0.7 liters. I paid RD$179 ($ 3,54 ) .

B/a liqueur

Maybe I chose the wrong flavor: the assortment also included apple and blackberry. But I didn’t even drink half of it during the entire vacation. Firstly, the liqueur was too sour. And secondly, it seemed to me... rotten. I don’t know how appropriate such a characterization is. However, I will not recommend it. You can see the price list for alcoholic and soft drinks in the Dominican Republic at.

Seafood in the Dominican Republic

Every time we relax by the sea, I tune my locator to delicious crustaceans. Of course, there are a lot of them in the resort area, but you need to choose wisely. Merchants on the beach sell 6 pieces for RD$300 ($ 5,93 ) !

Shrimp from the Dominican Republic beach

For this money you can buy a whole grilled chicken in the supermarket! Seeing my skeptical face, the seller added 3 more shrimp as a “gift” 😄. And if it weren’t for the need for an interview, we would hardly have forked out the money.

Moreover, we were already expecting a free dinner in one of best restaurants Boca Chiki. And we preferred to take the lobster there. You can read more about Dominican Republic establishments.

Delicious lobsters

Fish in the Dominican Republic

As I said at the very beginning, we wanted to try real street food. On the one hand, it was scary. When I watched the locals roll the fish in the sand and simply rinse it in the sea, a feeling of anxiety appeared. But you can't escape fate.

I caught fish in the Dominican Republic and washed it there

Somewhere in the middle of our trip, I met two cheerful Dominican women: Charita and Classica. They worked in a fish shop and were willing to answer my questions about life in Latin America. And to maintain the balance of the universe, we agreed to have dinner with them.

The girls prepared fried fish. Incomparable: juicy, tender! And most importantly - not bony! But I have an innate gift of coming across bones even where there are none. Vital was not so impressed with her... Probably because he paid 😅.

Our dishes

Really, $ 10 – Overpriced for a street food dish. Even taking into account that the price included a side dish: fried bananas, potatoes, avocado, lime and even a traditional flatbread called “Yaniqueques”. It is made from corn flour, baking soda and water. Typically deep fried. I liked her very much.

Yaniqueques - Dominican flatbread

As Klasika later explained, the price was so high because the fish served turned out to be a blue scar (“ Loro"), or more simply put, a blue parrot. The fish is unusual in that it eats algae and, excuse me, poops sand. In general, an important orderly for the eco-system. And since the cleanliness of the ocean directly depends on their quantity, they are prohibited from being caught under threat of fines and even arrest 🚫😮. Thank you for informing me on time, it’s called 😫.

Loro - blue scar

So if suddenly they offer you such a fish, refuse. Yes, it's delicious. But conscious consumption on a global scale is much more important than your own stomach. Better buy Dominican sweets: guava marmalade or lechera.

Guava marmalade

I will tell you what this is in one of the following articles about souvenirs. In the meantime, I suggest you subscribe to updates at

If you are going to visit the Dominican Republic as a tourist, then you cannot help but worry about one of the main questions: “What is the food like in hotels in the Dominican Republic, so distant and exotic?” You can be absolutely calm about this. The hotel food system in the Dominican Republic is organized at its best high level. The offered range of dishes can satisfy any client, regardless of his culinary preferences.

What do hotels offer?

The buffet (All inclusive) includes a huge selection of appetizers, salads, cold cuts of meat and cheese, dairy products, hot dishes of meat, fish and seafood. Some of these dishes will be prepared for you right before your eyes. If you are a fan of Italian cuisine, you will be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of pastas and pizzas. For lovers meat dishes – pork, beef, chicken, turkey. Some hotels offer duck and rabbit.

Fast food lovers have the opportunity to assemble their own hamburger or hot dog to their liking. There is a huge selection of desserts, confectionery and ice cream. And of course fruits*, from the usual ones, such as grapes, apples, melons and watermelons, to exotic ones, such as passion fruit, mango, papaya. You will be offered fresh juices and milkshakes with fruit, the so-called batidas.

Cocktails

Many hotels in Punta Cana have Special offers for people who follow a certain diet, such as gluten-free.

In addition to the buffet, there are restaurants serving Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and French cuisine, which operate on an A la Carte system, where the choice of dishes is made according to the menu. Most hotels in the Dominican Republic have menus in Russian. The assortment of dishes and alcoholic drinks according to the A la Carte system differs for the better. It is in these restaurants that you can taste culinary masterpieces from the chef. Registration for such restaurants is required in advance. And visiting them requires compliance with a dress code.

The food schedule in hotels is organized in such a way that meals can last almost continuously, almost twenty-four hours. And it’s not the quality of the prepared food that depends on the class of the hotel, but its range. It should be borne in mind that food is of excellent taste and high quality, but in such quantities it can threaten overeating and gaining extra pounds.

National cuisine

Each country is proud of its national cuisine. And the Dominican Republic is no exception. Immersion in culture national food helps to better understand the character and traditions of the people living in the country. That is why tasting traditional national dishes is an integral part of any tourist trip. So what is she like? National cuisine Dominican Republic? Surprisingly, the national Dominican cuisine is not very diverse. The main dish in any Dominican family, regardless of its income, is rice. Even the holiday menu (New Year's or wedding) includes rice.

Rice is eaten every day. Arroz criollo (rice with vegetables and meat, similar to our pilaf), Morro (rice cooked in a dark sauce with legumes), Arroz con maiz (rice with corn) and Arroz blanco con habichuela (white rice with red bean sauce). Usually, chicken, pork or beef and “Verde” salad (lettuce leaves with coarsely chopped cucumbers and tomatoes) are served along with rice.

This salad is dressed with either mayonnaise or a special dressing. The dressing includes vinegar, olive oil and spices. The Codito salad is popular. This is a pasta salad with canned tuna, bell peppers and onions, dressed with mayonnaise. One of the most national dishes is plane trees. This is a type of vegetable banana. They are used green and ripe. Ripe plane trees are baked in the oven with honey. Greens are pureed with the addition of fried onions and bacon (Mangu). Mangu is one of the traditional Dominican breakfasts.

Also Platano frito. They are prepared in a very interesting way. Plane trees are cut into small pieces and deep fried. Then they are flattened and fried again. You can safely eat it with any sauce as a main dish or as a side dish. This is one of the most popular side dishes for fish.

Although the Dominican Republic is island state, fish dishes are not included in the daily meal. This may be due to the fact that fish costs much more than chicken and meat. Fish is mainly cooked on the grill or deep-fried. Fish fried in coconut oil has a simply delicious taste and aroma.

Food at Captain Cook Restaurant

Soups

First courses are not particularly popular in the Dominican Republic. There are only four types: chicken soup, fish soup, meat soup and sancocho. What is definitely worth trying is Sancocho. This is a thick, very rich creamy soup. When preparing it, 5-7 types of meat and local vegetables are used: yucca, sweet potato, pumpkin, plane trees, corn. This dish is considered festive and is always prepared for the occasion.

Miscellaneous

Another must-try holiday dish is pastelon.. It is prepared from banana puree, minced meat, bacon, cheese and raisins. All this is laid in layers and baked in the oven. At first glance, these are not very compatible products, but it is this composition that gives this dish a unique taste. Due to its taste, you can eat a lot of pastelon, despite the fact that it is a very filling dish. As the Dominicans themselves say: “You can never have too much pastelon!”

Pastelon

But the most national holiday dish is considered to be a whole pork carcass roasted on a spit. They fry it right on the streets. At Christmas and Easter, the streets of the city are filled with the delicious aroma of roasted meat.

Personal advice - what to try

• Breakfast - Mangu
• Dessert – Tres leches (very sweet)
• Lunch - Sancocho soup or Langoustines with lemon
• Dinner - Churrasco meat with mojito sauce, and steamed vegetables as a side dish

Alcohol

The Dominican Republic is one of the largest producers of rum. Rum is a traditional national drink. The entire population of the Dominican Republic was divided into two camps. Some prefer Brugal rum, others Barcelo rum.

Rum "Barcelo"
Rum "Brugal"

And in order to decide on your preferences, you should taste both. Traditionally, rum is drunk in pure form with plenty of ice or in Cuba Libre (rum and cola) or Santo Libre (rum and Sprite) cocktails. Very popular cocktails are Pina Colada and Coco Loco (when rum and a little grenadine are added to fresh coconut). These cocktails need to be drunk with great caution, as they are incredibly easy to drink and you can drink a lot of them. Also one of the popular cocktails is Banana Mama. Dominicans consider this alcoholic milkshake to be their invention. Presidente and Bohemia beers are extremely popular.

Cocktail “Banana Mama”
Beer "President"

They drink it anywhere and everywhere at any time of the day. They don't just drink it cold, they drink it ice cold. The beer quality is not bad. Bohemia has a more pronounced rich taste. As for the Presidente, it is sold in two types, Light and Normal. I can only recommend Presidente Normal.

Rum "Punta Cana Club" from the company "Oliver and Oliver"
Rum "Opium" from the company "Oliver and Oliver"

Bars in hotels and what you can order in them

Instead of a conclusion

Dominicans take great pride in their national traditions (Costumbre). And they are in no hurry to let something new and exotic into their lives. The exception is Italian Cuisine and fast food. Dominicans are incredibly fond of Italian pizza, but they don’t cook it at home, preferring to buy it in cafes and restaurants. Sushi bars are now gaining popularity.

Dominican Republic is an amazing country with a magnificent climate, stunning nature, an incredible abundance of vegetables and fruits, unique traditions and culture. The country is sweet, warm and slightly intoxicating... When going to the Dominican Republic, try to immerse yourself in this atmosphere as much as possible.
The first time he set foot on the land of the Dominican Republic, Christopher Columbus exclaimed: “This is the most beautiful land that human eyes have seen!” And he was right.
And perhaps you will find your own little paradise there!