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Foods You Can't Miss in Puerto Rico

sailawayblog
Dec 12, 2016
2 min read

Just call us "Los Gorditos" because all we do is eat and drink in Puerto Rico...

Fresh Oysters & Clams

At weekend festivals, beach shacks, and roadside kiosks, Puerto Ricans serve up fresh oysters and clams on the halfshell, especially in coastal towns like Boqueron. Spice them island style with life-changing >>Puerto Rican Hot Sauce<< and crack open a cold Medalla to wash it down because - YUM!

Empanadillas

These are little packets of fried joy sent from heaven. Little dough packets are filled with everything and anything you could imagine - lobster, crab, shrimp, chicken, rabbit, beef, goat, octopus, pork, cheese, peppers and even guava - and fried to absolute perfection.

Pinchos

Pinchos are basically kabobs... but glorified into a Puerto Rican masterpiece. You can pick them up at roadside food trucks, strip mall eateries, beach kiosks, and even at upscale restaurants. They're really a Puerto Rican staple.

Chicken, beef, shrimp, pork or sometimes shark is marinated (in magic?), then skewered, and grilled on a hot BBQ until juicy and tender. Typically the pinchos are slathered with a healthy heap of sweet BBQ sauce, and served with fresh garlic bread.

NomNomNomNom is all we have to say about that.

Mofongo

This may be the most Puerto Rican thing you can possibly eat. Green plantains are mashed into an assortment of shapes, usually a mound or a bowl to accommodate whatever type of topping your heart desires. Fried meat, thick gravy-like sauces, broths, seafood and vegetables are just a few of the things you'll see (and want to stuff your face with) to accompany mofongo on Puerto Rican menus.

Here's me about to stuff my face with this glorious mofongo creation, with THREE types of fried meats and gravy at El Pescador in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Tostones & Mayoketchup

A variation of tostones, or fried plantains, can be found in almost every Caribbean country. In Puerto Rico, unripe plantains are peeled, sliced thin, and twice fried in hot oil. After the first round, they're smashed flat, and thrown back into the fryer for extra crispiness. They're served sometimes with a plethera of sauces, but the most common is mayoketchup - which is exactly what you think it is.

Sangria

A nod to their Spanish history, Puerto Ricans love sangria.... and I don't mean the pouches of Sangriiia Gasolina (aka Capri Sun for adults) you'll see on every street corner convenience store - although I have enjoyed several of these myself. I'm referring to the original, house sangrias made by real bartenders in real Puerto Rican bars. Each bar has their own house recipe, which typically includes a mixture of rum, red wine, white wine, syrups, juices and fruit. These sneaky concoctions taste amazing, but will leave you knocked out if you don't watch it!