More and more, stateside Americans are learning about this small village in the Puerto Rican hills. Bourdain and Zimmern have both reported on it, and both declared it to be the best pork known to man kind.
Having eaten it today, I concur. It’s simply marvelous.
What we couldn’t believe was the lack of gringos around. Literally, we were two of maybe six white folks walking around. The rest were nationals. And loving every minute of it.
The town starts jumpin’ around noon on weekends. You park your car in the main strip (though there are Lechoneras — pig roasts — all the way down HWY 184), and start in. Any one you choose will be good, but we went with El Rancho Original (the first around) and Los Pinos, which had great musc being performed live.
But that all matters little . . .
The food:
1/2 lb of cerdo (roasted hog)
1 oreja (pig’s ear)
1/4 lb of pavo (turkey)
1/4 lb of pollo (you betta comprende)
1 piece of morcilla (blood sausage)
1 piece of longaniza (pork sausage)
1 bowl of cuajo stew (pig’s innards)
1 Medalla cerveza
All that for $23. Just silly.
And then, a pina colada ($4.50), and a traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink called a coquito, which is a rum and milk based cocktail akin to something like a Mexican orchata: $4
What a place. I am full.
I am going to sleep now. Bye.
-seth
Consumed With Discretion 