When you're in the Dominican Republic you have to try the local rum, Brugal. It's great, you can't miss it. It's one of the most highly branded products in the country, probably competing with the top two cell phone companies in the country for biggest ad budgets. Regardless, it's medium to light bodied rum, a little hot, and with no strong sugar or spice. Great though, and I love having it in a mixed drink on warm nights here.
Brugal was picked up this year by Macallan, the scotch company. They are great at making a consistent high quality scotch. Still, I like a little variety.
So when I was flying to Manhattan last month, I poked my head in the duty free shop to see what was happening. Nothing really that new, but I've been hearing that the best rums come from Martinique. So I asked the gentlemen who was trying to sell me a very interesting bottle of Talisker about these rums. He said, no they didn't have any from Martinique, pretty much high end local and Jamaican rums. He did however tell me about what he says has been recognized as the best rum in the world.
Ron Zacapa Centenario Rum, Solera Grand Reserve is the name. It won the gold award, and I don't know much about that distinction, from 1999 through 2002, 4 years in a row. And it's from Guatemala. I told the gentleman who was describing it to me that I'd never heard of it, and that the only thing that I knew that came from Guatemala was short people. I know horrible, but it's true.
What I do know is that this rum has a very dark amber color. It is distilled from fine cane honey and stored in casks that were previously used for boubon, sherry and wines. The rums are stored from 6 to 23 years like this, then blended to reach a final design. It's stronger than typical rum so it's a little hot, but not in a way that is troublesome. What is more noticeable is the flavor, it will taste sweet like a light caramel. You can taste vanilla and honey too. It is fantastic!
This rum is truly designed for sipping, as the best whiskeys and tequilas are. I pour myself less than a shot, no ice and sip it for around an hour. The flavors are so full and rich and appealing that you don't want to ruin it, you want to savor what you are tasting and let the flavors balance on your taste buds, because you have never had anything like it.
If you can find it, you must try it!
Cheers,
Vincent
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sully's - Traditional Seafood Santo Domingo
So this post is a little different from how I would plan to do this. However, this is life so sometimes you just have to roll with it. So this review needs a little setting up because it's not my normal M.O. My business partner down here is good friends with Freedom Willams of C&C Music Factory. They are down here to do a show tomorrow night so we met them for dinner last night. Their agent recommended a place I had never heard of called Restaurant Sully's. They are known for seafood and their menu has a lot of it.
There were many classical European dishes on the menu, you know Moules Mariniere, Pealla, Trout Almondine. There were also many other seafood dishes that read great. I think from the style of the decor, meaning historical, I wasn't feeling this place to be too cutting edge. So I went with the leg of lamb.
The food was all very good and in some ways great. The sauces were all pretty bold, and the flavors strong, but I felt like I walked into Europe about 30 years ago. Don't get me wrong it was good back then and it's good now, but my palate prefers brighter flavors.
The young lady seated next to me had the best dish. I can't even remember the name of it but you can hear it on the video and i'll try to come back and add it later. Ok, it's called Ejilado. Regardless, it was served in an old school ceramic bowl. Nice, clean, not too elegant, but functional. It was filled with crab claws and legs, a little olive oil, herbs, garlic, onion, definitely anchovy(although you wouldn't recognize it) and I think that's about it. Oh wait, of course a little tomato, not too much and probably a splash of white wine. It looks like they sauteed everything except the crab down pretty hard then stirred the crab in and the end for one or two minutes. Everything came together perfectly. Not overdone or overpowering, just a strong delicious excellent dish. That dish with a cold beer would be fantastic on a cold day. However since I haven't seen any cold days days around here, I'm going back to have it anyway.
Aaron seated to my left, had Creole Prawns. Good flavor, not too complex, but still good. If I wasn't the adventurous type, I would have that dish. Something similar to Campbell's tomato soup made with cream, garlic and herbs. It was tasty.
Freedom had Coconut Sea Bass. Now I would never think to order that, but it tasted fine. It was broiled or poached bass (I don't know because I couldn't see the fish) covered in a rich, heavy sauce made with a chicken or fish stock base, lots of cream and some coconut milk. I couldn't tell you much more because I've never had a sauce like that before. It came with a side of mashed potatoes, which looked good. I would have been happy to have a few more bites because it tasted good, but I could not have eaten that whole dish. To rich, and it basically looked like a white fest.
I don't remember what Truth had, but I remember he said it was too salty. I didn't need to test that out. The two gentlemen at the end of the table were Leroy and The Agent. They both had dishes that looked like a very soupy paella. I made an assumption based on what I had already tasted and decided not to try those two. Didn't hear a peep out of them though, so I imagine they liked it.
So me, yes I ordered the leg of lamb. I was pleasantly surprised by it. First by it's presentation. The cut was dramatic. I love leg of lamb and have had it many times and in many countries and had never seen such a rustic cut. It was very lean too, which was nice. It was roasted and fell right off the bone. It was marinated nicely with nothing fancy, just basic, well done, and delicious. It came with a side of boiled potatoes, which I liked, because it complimented the lamb perfectly and reminded me of dining in Norway.
So most of us had the local beer, Presidente. It's delicious. It tastes like a lite lager with an almost imperceptible sweetness too it. It's refreshing, and just tastes like a good beer. Wine seems tough to get here. I won't go into it here, but it's worth discussing in another post.
My favorite thing about it though was the crowd. It felt like a family place. Not a date place. No children just a quiet restaurant with old waiters serving in tuxedo like uniforms. It felt like old school european. Succesful older families having a nice meal. The restaurant was full. We got a table at the far end, we were a noisy bunch and hungry. No one seemed to mind. It is definitely a family owned restaurant and the owner and staff were very professional and friendly.
So it was funny to think of that old school european feeling, because I'm not in Europe. I'm in the middle of the Caribbean, in the Dominican Republic.
There were many classical European dishes on the menu, you know Moules Mariniere, Pealla, Trout Almondine. There were also many other seafood dishes that read great. I think from the style of the decor, meaning historical, I wasn't feeling this place to be too cutting edge. So I went with the leg of lamb.
The food was all very good and in some ways great. The sauces were all pretty bold, and the flavors strong, but I felt like I walked into Europe about 30 years ago. Don't get me wrong it was good back then and it's good now, but my palate prefers brighter flavors.
The young lady seated next to me had the best dish. I can't even remember the name of it but you can hear it on the video and i'll try to come back and add it later. Ok, it's called Ejilado. Regardless, it was served in an old school ceramic bowl. Nice, clean, not too elegant, but functional. It was filled with crab claws and legs, a little olive oil, herbs, garlic, onion, definitely anchovy(although you wouldn't recognize it) and I think that's about it. Oh wait, of course a little tomato, not too much and probably a splash of white wine. It looks like they sauteed everything except the crab down pretty hard then stirred the crab in and the end for one or two minutes. Everything came together perfectly. Not overdone or overpowering, just a strong delicious excellent dish. That dish with a cold beer would be fantastic on a cold day. However since I haven't seen any cold days days around here, I'm going back to have it anyway.
Aaron seated to my left, had Creole Prawns. Good flavor, not too complex, but still good. If I wasn't the adventurous type, I would have that dish. Something similar to Campbell's tomato soup made with cream, garlic and herbs. It was tasty.
Freedom had Coconut Sea Bass. Now I would never think to order that, but it tasted fine. It was broiled or poached bass (I don't know because I couldn't see the fish) covered in a rich, heavy sauce made with a chicken or fish stock base, lots of cream and some coconut milk. I couldn't tell you much more because I've never had a sauce like that before. It came with a side of mashed potatoes, which looked good. I would have been happy to have a few more bites because it tasted good, but I could not have eaten that whole dish. To rich, and it basically looked like a white fest.
I don't remember what Truth had, but I remember he said it was too salty. I didn't need to test that out. The two gentlemen at the end of the table were Leroy and The Agent. They both had dishes that looked like a very soupy paella. I made an assumption based on what I had already tasted and decided not to try those two. Didn't hear a peep out of them though, so I imagine they liked it.
So me, yes I ordered the leg of lamb. I was pleasantly surprised by it. First by it's presentation. The cut was dramatic. I love leg of lamb and have had it many times and in many countries and had never seen such a rustic cut. It was very lean too, which was nice. It was roasted and fell right off the bone. It was marinated nicely with nothing fancy, just basic, well done, and delicious. It came with a side of boiled potatoes, which I liked, because it complimented the lamb perfectly and reminded me of dining in Norway.
So most of us had the local beer, Presidente. It's delicious. It tastes like a lite lager with an almost imperceptible sweetness too it. It's refreshing, and just tastes like a good beer. Wine seems tough to get here. I won't go into it here, but it's worth discussing in another post.
My favorite thing about it though was the crowd. It felt like a family place. Not a date place. No children just a quiet restaurant with old waiters serving in tuxedo like uniforms. It felt like old school european. Succesful older families having a nice meal. The restaurant was full. We got a table at the far end, we were a noisy bunch and hungry. No one seemed to mind. It is definitely a family owned restaurant and the owner and staff were very professional and friendly.
So it was funny to think of that old school european feeling, because I'm not in Europe. I'm in the middle of the Caribbean, in the Dominican Republic.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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
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
Monday, October 5, 2009
Food & Libation
I first arrived in Santo Domingo in mid August in 2009. It was at the request of a friend to come review his project and possibly stay to lend a hand. I was born and raised in California, with a nice home in the bay area, and was happy there and had no real intention of relocating to the Dominican Republic. It took one day here for all of that to change.
There are many aspects of the island that are facinating, intoxicating and very very real. For this reason it is easy to fall in love with the place.
The challenge however, at least for me, is to live in a place where the culture can support me in the way that I like to live. My requirements are simple: Good friends, good food, a decent place to have a drink and to hear good music. This country exceeds all requirements in the last three categories. Friends will come with time.
My food and dining background has been achieved by squandering far too many dollars in some of the finest restaurants in the world, well at least the US, Europe and parts of the Caribbean & Latin America. As a young man, I also worked in a few top restaurants to cover college costs and to keep some income flowing between modeling gigs. So today, I have a decent palate and know more about wine than I care to even discuss and am fortunate enough to keep finding delicious plates around every corner.
So I ask you to read my posts, subscribe, ask questions. In return I will give you some exposure to beautiful and magical places in this world.
All the best,
Vincent
There are many aspects of the island that are facinating, intoxicating and very very real. For this reason it is easy to fall in love with the place.
The challenge however, at least for me, is to live in a place where the culture can support me in the way that I like to live. My requirements are simple: Good friends, good food, a decent place to have a drink and to hear good music. This country exceeds all requirements in the last three categories. Friends will come with time.
My food and dining background has been achieved by squandering far too many dollars in some of the finest restaurants in the world, well at least the US, Europe and parts of the Caribbean & Latin America. As a young man, I also worked in a few top restaurants to cover college costs and to keep some income flowing between modeling gigs. So today, I have a decent palate and know more about wine than I care to even discuss and am fortunate enough to keep finding delicious plates around every corner.
So I ask you to read my posts, subscribe, ask questions. In return I will give you some exposure to beautiful and magical places in this world.
All the best,
Vincent