Food

Ah, food… One of the greatest things about travel is the opportunity to experience food around the world, whether it’s a great meal or a terrific fast snack. Yes, even roadside stands can be a treat. This isn’t for the “foodies” out there. It’s just about real food, local items, and affordable eating. To read any full post, click its header.

Cooking Plantains in Costa Rica

 in Central America / Costa Rica / Food

In San Salvador my friend Frida served sweetened yellow Plantains with each meal she served to me. All through El Salvador, sweetened yellow Plantains were a part of my meals. Later, Oct 19, in Costa Rica… I asked the fabulous Alonzo (he runs a hostel I stayed at) to show me how to cook them. He used a touch of salt instead and I liked them better than chips. So throughout Costa Rica and into Panama, I started cooking slightly salted yellow Plantains as a filling staple part of my meals — and as a favorite snack. They are also easy on a traveler’s budget in Central America. These are some of my first. I didn’t have the slicing down well yet.    

Typical breakfast in San Salvador

 in Food

My last days in San Salvador I was thrilled to be a guest of friends. Having breakfast alone as they were out on errands or work, I read their newspaper. (I got much but not all and used my dictionary.) This was my breakfast – a typical breakfast in the homes of my Salvadorian friends. The toast is white bread. The whole wheat breads that have become common in the US are not commonly found there. The beans are what we in the US call refried beans. The egg… I don’t know if most Salvadorian families have eggs. This was how their housekeeper automatically made my egg for me and it happens to be how I like eggs. The cup always contained Chocolate. Hot Chocolate, that is. In El Salvador it is made with water. My plate doesn’t have Salvadorian cheese on it, which is common. It looks like Feta cheese. I […]

Favorite Salvadorian food near Hostal Cumbres del Volcan, San Salvador

 in Food

One of the great things about Hostal Cumbres del Volcan, THE hostel and B&B I recommend for your stay in San Salvador, whether you are a single backpacker, a traveler seeking a nice private room but interaction with others, or a couple or family seeking a private room — is that it is in an upscale neighborhood but there is no shortage of excellent. true local Salvadorian food. (And I do mean at Salvadorian prices.) There is also high-end food on every level, but the true finds are the homes turned restaurant or tienda. As I dig up my photos and my friends’ photos of these places, I will be sharing them here. This street, behind the hostel is called 87 Avenida Norte. It is also the street that runs along the Plaza Futura and Torre Futura. While the Plaza offeres upscale dining, this street and the small side streets […]

Fabulous Fillet at Ruth’s Chris San Salvador

 in Central America / El Salvador / Food / Food in El Salvador

Tonight  my two friends and I weren’t terribly hungry but we wanted a good meal. My friend Frida hadn’t had the opportunity to try the newly-opened Ruth’s Chris San Salvador yet, so it was time. She welcomed me into her life so warmly and has done so much for me that I wanted to take her out before I have to move on (whenever that turns out to be). It’s late but the meal was so good that I have to write about it while the tastes are fresh on my tastebuds and in my memory. A perfect steak dinner at Ruth’s Chris San Salvador None of us were very hungry so it’s great that Ruth’s Chris gladly served French Style — cutting our thick, juicy, perfectly seasoned, sizzling steak by our table, serving a piece to each of us on our own very hot plate. There are several cuts of steak […]

Ruth’s Chris El Salvador 1

 in Central America / El Salvador / Food

On my second day in San Salvador, my friend took me to the World Trade Center and Torre Futura to enjoy the breeze, the views, and the ambiance. I noticed the familiar wording, “Ruth’s Chris” on a new looking building and was impressed that the steakhouse I know to be excellent fine dining in Beverly Hills and the West San Fernando Valley, was here in San Salvador. For all of the weeks I have been staying here, I have watched it. Yesterday I noticed people enjoying the patio so I tried the front doors — and staff was there. Starting Monday, August 20, 2012, the folks of San Salvador have a new fine dining option for a perfect steak or, as I am told, great seafood. [Update: as of July 2016 or before now, this location has closed.] Personally, I go there for the USDA, grass fed Prime steak — perfectly flame […]

A restaurant to skip in Juayua, El Salvador

 in Central America / El Salvador / Food

A friend of mine who spent a week in Juayua El Salvador, just told me about a very disappointing $10 meal she had at R & R restaurant. It was recommended by Lonely Planet, but Lonely Planet once again missed the mark. Pehaps they are no longer updating their books or didn’t have a direct experience, or perhaps the restaurant has changed a lot. My friend relates this: She was the only person in the restaurant. The $10 for the mushroom chicken was a pretty steep price, a western price. Admittedly, she doesn’t speak Spanish, so that she struggled to order is understandable. She was very disappointed in the meal, but that was because she didn’t expect the very strong taste of an unexpected local herb. But the next day, buying shrimp at the town’s market, it turned out she was buying from R & R’s owner. The woman asked […]

Chinese food in San Salvador

 in Central America / El Salvador / Food

Note October 21, 2020: This place may be out of business. The website is not working. But I’m keeping the link in case it returns or works again. My friends here like two Chinese restaurants in San Salvador, so I have been to both. This is a meal at 168 – Uno Seis Ocho, [now gone, which was] located right across from the World Trade Center, WTC and its plaza’s iconic Tower Futura. Each dish was $8.50. They will give you glasses of filtered bottled water upon request, or if you are into unnecessary plastic poisoning you can buy bottled water. I don’t believe bottled water is necessary in this fine restaurant. Oh! Pollo Frito Con Fresas – Strawberry Chicken! I love Orange Chicken and Lemon Chicken in the states, but this was my first time ever hearing of strawberry chicken. It is good! A new favorite. All of the […]

Salsa at Pelicano’s restaurant in Guatemala City!

 in Central America / Deb in Guatemala / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Guatemala / Guatemala / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Guatemala

I am dressed in my nice new skinny jeans for the first time on this trip. Blue jeans, white shirt, makeup, the necklace my sister-in-law gave me for the trip, a bracelet I bought in San Marcos de Laguna, and as always, the bracelets my good friend Andrew gave me to wear and think of him. On my feet are the flat black bit-of-sparkle-on-the-strap Aerosoles that I bought in NYC for this trip. It is fun to be dressing up for a night out. I came to Guatemala City to meet Jewish Guatemala – and Motzie Shabbas found myself at Pelicano’s tropical style rooftop seafood restaurant having Margarita on the owner while my friends were the band to which everyone danced. On another weekend visit I actually danced. Salsa, me. Life never ceases to amaze me when I give myself the liberty to say “sure” or “I’d love to” or […]

Quest for chocolate

 in Central America / Deb in Guatemala / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Guatemala / Guatemala

I have heard over and over that the best cocoa beans are in Guatemala. Staying here among the lush vegetation in this volcanic region in the rainy season I can understand why. But I was not finding the people behind the chocolate and am not into taking a paid tour. Today I met the former neighbor of “Chocolate Bob,” the man behind ixcacao — so now maybe I will have to change my plans to go see him.

Local Roatan food in Roatan’s West End

 in Central America / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Honduras / Honduras

A true taste of local Roatan food in Roatan’s West End. The tiny beachfront street that runs through the West End is lined with dive shops and their guest houses, and bars or restaurants. A Thai restaurant offers Pad Thai for over 360L ($17). Pizza, burgers, other things westerners want so they feel at home. But that’s not true Roatan. Next to the Marine Park office/shop (or call it across from the church) a woman named Mazie sells her home made food. A meal is 120L ($6). If you don’t want to spend $6 she can sell you a half dish. If you want real good true local food find Mazy. I had her stew Conch (she buys it only from legitimate sources) which was fabulous. I forgot what is in it except for Thyme. I also liked her coconut cake. I saved a piece of that cake for an […]

A Sunday in Oakridge, Roatan

 in Deb's Travels / Food

Sunday May 20, 2012, 6:09pm I am sitting on the front stoop of my friend’s home. Omar and 11 year old Richard went out fishing today, so 11 year old More is helping Omar clean the fish now: scaling, removing guts, cleaning. Actually, they were just doing the last two as I arrived. More’s grandmother makes sure that the plastic bag goes into the garbage and not in the sea. He sweeps the porch. Some of the fish will be dinner tonight. The rest will go into the freezer. And now it’s bath time for the fishing crew. The street lights went on as I was sitting and writing this. This house is the end of the line for the lights. I wish there were a few more as there are now homes up the road. Someday. However this particular road ends at the jungle a ways up so although […]

Looking into WOFF

 in Deb's Travels / Food

A few weeks ago, a man I trust told me about WWOOF – World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms: living, learning, sharing organic lifestyles. So I am looking into the groups of it that are WOFF in Latin America for now. No plans with this yet though.

Still at Mango Creek Lodge

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Honduras / Honduras / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras

Although I LOVE it here, I cannot stay forever. I had planned to leave today, going to Dalia’s sister’s home (for a few days) when Dalia finished working. My clothes were clean, my backpack packed up nicely. But as it turns out, they felt water was too rough for me and my backpack to be comfortable and dry in Delia’s small boat, so I am back in my room up the hill, again enjoying the breeze from the fan above my head and the sounds of Roatan’s tropical jungle life and breezes outside my patio doors. Tonight’s dinner was a fabulous beef and shrimp kebab. It wasn’t quite Teriyaki. It is Dalia’s own concoction — a bit sweet and a bit spicy. Lucky for everyone who doesn’t get to eat Dalia’s cooking here, she is putting it in her recipe book.

Living on tacos; waiting for seafood

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Mexico / Mexico / North America

Living on Tacos in Merida, Mexico. In Cancun lived on Tacos and all other ready-made hot food at Chechrui, the local supermarket. Loving it. I expected seafood though, with the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean Coast. It was disappointing to learn from my friend Dalila that fishing wasn’t permitted on the coast in and near Cancun. It was also exciting to learn that in Chetumal there is seafood! I met a really nice guy (another CouchSurfing guy, friend of my host) who is from there and filled me in on his favorite restaurant. I’ll be dining there and posting about it for sure.

Arrived in Merida

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Mexico / North America / Traveling with Technology

I arrived in Merida while it was still light. While on the bus I realized I had not written down Daniel’s address so I’d need Internet. That turned out to be a very pleasant surprise! In the bus station I asked a man for help asking for a McDonalds or such for Internet. The woman who worked there replied in excellent English that there is no need to Burger King or MD because the downtown was all Internet – gratis. And it was only 4 blocks down and 4 blocks to the left. I enjoyed the walk, buying a real Mexican ice cream pop (paleta) to eat as I walked. I got chocolate this time, but the fruit pops are the true prize in Mexico. (Good thing I had my bottle of water to wash my hand after. I was covered in drips on this dry hot and humid day.) […]

Valladolid on to Merida Mexico

 in Deb's Travels / Food / Mexico / Sight-seeing / Sleeping Accommodations / Traveling with Technology

March 22, 2014

After waking in Vallodolid (va ya doulid) at 8:30 having a light hot shower and a leisurely morning that included doing my fingernails putting on makeup and Andrew’s bracelets as well as putting my hair up, I did some email.

I need to decide what to do about my work and writing. Can I really write on an iPhone? Get an iPad? Buy a new Air? I vacillate between the flexibility a new Mac brings me and the freedom of not having one. I have not yet released my upset over losing my Mac. Backpackers do travel with computers. I think everyone, save for a couple had one at last nights hostel.

There is a stylish church anchoring one side of the square but it locked up just as I touched the door. I walked through the small park, stopping to take a panoramic shot of it from church, past the fountain, to some of the regular buildings that are the style of this town. The town is Colonial, I am told. The buildings are right angles, deep golds and reds that are old world and elegant, simple, solid, honest, unpretentious, attractive.

Parque de Las Palapas, the true Cancun Mexico

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Mexico / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Mexico

My first night in Cancun my CouchSurfing host and hostess took me to a park that I loved. As we drove there and I have yet to see a true street map of Cancun, I had no idea where it was. Last week my friend Susan and I walked there en route to her hotel and I was excited to be there again – but I still did not really know where it was as we’d doubled back there through side streets. Tonight, hours after I planned to be gone from Cancun, my local friend Juan suggested another hotel, a hostel, and it turned our to be right on Palapas Park and I found out this great park is just blocks from my hotel. I had walked past the street leading to it from the other side of the park many times So tonight I learned where I could have […]

Second dinner in Mexico (Cancun)

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Mexico / Mexico / North America

Tonight Mario and Osman took me to there other favorite place to eat. We were also joined by Peter, the Australian guy we met in the park the night before. Peter and Osman actually spent the day together. Marion had to work. In the morning I went down the coast a bit to see the resort areas. Later, before dinner, I went to a nearby Internet place to Jailbreak my iPhone 3GS. (My very first days without a phone were hard on people I tried to deal with. It was so hard to say no, I don’t have a phone and figure out what to do.)

First dinner in Mexico

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Mexico / Mexico / North America

My host Marion and Osman picked me up at the bus station in Cancun. It wasn’t as straight forward as that because without a cell phone I was unable to communicate with them. But a few nice people and a calling card later, they found me. It was not an easy start for their hosting experience. I had expected to have all day to get to them but because Delta brought me in 5 or more hours late, that changed. Anyway, they brought me to a fabulous park for a dinner of Empanadas and Horchata. More later.