Marocha - Monte Cristo in the DR

It makes sense to begin with breakfast. For the past 3 Sundays I've been having breakfast at Marocha. It's on Gustavo M. Ricart between Ave. Churchill & Ave. Lincoln in the Naco business district. It's a beautiful french cafe with a wood paneled interior inside and a large deck with seating outside. During the weekend it's only locals, and while everyone is casually dressed it's apparent this is a professional hangout.

Each time I've had breakfast I would have The Big Dominican. I highly recommend it. A couple of eggs how you like them, a few slices of grilled sausage(fairly lean), a slice of grilled cheese and mofongo. Now mofongo is a Dominican side dish which you can find in many restaurants. It's a mashed plantain, yucca, and garlic dish, just like mashed potatoes. Typically it's more lumpy (like lumpy mashers), but here it is blended smooth, with a full subtle flavor. You have that breakfast with a cafe con leche and a bottle of agua natural, and you are set for the day.

I arrived in Santo Domingo a few weeks ago and decided to read a new book to help ground myself to my new surroundings. So naturally I picked up an old one, The Count of Monte Cristo. It's a beautiful story of a man who can finally marry the love of his life, only to find that the corruption and greed of those around him turn his life completely upside down. You may have read it as a child like me, but it is definitely worth picking up again.

So this morning I ordered The Monte Cristo. Now for all of the experiences I have been privy to in my life, I had somehow never tried the Monte Cristo. I'm told it's a traditional breakfast from Paris. In this case this dish holds to the tradition. It's a sandwich made with perfect french toast made from a loaf of french bread. Inside is melted swiss cheese, turkey, and a light spread of strawberry jam. Over the top is a light drizzle of maple syrup. I'd seen this a few times on the menu and couldn't imagine what that would taste like, so i tried it. It was delicious! I was expecting more jam and syrup, I am American you know, but the small amounts were perfect to keep all of the flavors balanced. It's very tasty and very satisfying.

I'm also adding video footage to this post, and please forgive the lack of style points on this first edition. I still need to work some bugs out.



Enjoy,

Vincent