I’m thrilled to share another guest blog with you all. Meet my very good friend Galena Mosovich, Miami cocktail, food and art writer extraordinaire. She recently jetted off to Puerto Rico to spend a couple of days with one of her favorite chefs, the incredible JosĂ© AndrĂ©s. Read on to join her on this Caribbean culinary adventure. I wish I had!
Enter the expansive reserve of the Ritz-Carlton’s luxury retreat to see a supremely sophisticated side of Puerto Rico. Palm tree-lined roads, lush landscaping, and championship golf courses welcome you as you enter the Dorado Beach Resort & Club.
It’s an escape for discerning golfers and foodies with dramatic views of the waves breaking close to the sand. Once owned by the Rockefeller family, this historic property has evolved in the past few decades without compromising the eco-friendly commitment of the past.
The first stop for foodies is dinner at Mi Casa. It’s one of José Andrés’ outstanding new restaurants in the ThinkFoodGroup empire. The menu is bursting with local seafood and imaginative dishes that express the world-renowned chef’s signature take on classic Spanish cuisine.
Start with Tapas and Cocktails (Naturally)
At Mi Casa, it’ll be hard to transition from the Jamón Ibérico, but you’ll be glad you did.
Pan con tomate, Jamon Iberico and croquetas
Keep it moving with the cocktails, too. There’s a phenomenal list curated by Juan Coronado, TFG’s cocktail innovator, featuring classic and original recipes. The Mayahuel, a tequila cocktail, is sublimely balanced and the perfect accessory to the robust flavors of the food. Guests can lounge by the bar to watch the bartenders build cocktails at their uniquely designed stations. The bar itself is jutting out of the wall to make the experience more visual and stimulating.
Dive into the Asopao de langosta tradicional de Puerto Rico. It’s a definitive rice stew with lobster, chayote (a subtle Caribbean squash), ham and alcaparrado (a mix of olives and capers) off to the side.
Before you reach for your next course, try the Coquitos frescos “Ferran AdriĂ ,” named for the legendary Catalan chef of El Bulli, for a refreshing palate cleanser. It’s playfully served in a halved coconut shell with coconut water, spheres of rum that gently explode in your mouth, and hints of mint and lime to elevate the juice.
Up to Par
For hungry golfers, the first food truck on a golf course is now available. Andrés curated the menu for this innovative roving lunch spot with himself in mind. He developed meals that he’d want to eat while playing a round.
Tacos at Jose Andres’ food truck
In José we trust.
The food truck offers hearty meals to eat on the go without slowing down your game: gazpacho, fresh stone crabs, crab cake sandwich, lobster roll, Cubano croissant (fancy grilled cheese), Spanish hot dog and fried oysters, among others.
Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez
The Chi Chi Rodriguez Club Sandwich is a nod to Puerto Rico’s beloved professional golfer. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez was the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The 78-year-old, who calls Dorado home, schools Andrés on his swing whenever he’s in town.
Hidden Gem in Old San Juan
With just a few hours to spare on our trip, Andrés took me to Jose Enrique’s eponymous restaurant in Old San Juan for rum sours and some of the best food I’ve eaten in the Caribbean.
Hidden in an unassuming yellow “house” at 176 Calle Duffaut, the small kitchen pumps out fresh and flavorful organic dishes for a relaxed crowd of locals and in-the-know tourists. Andres suggests visiting during the day because it’s easier to sit at the bar and enjoy. At night, he says you can’t even move.
Enrique, a Puerto Rican native, returned to the island to open his first restaurant about six years ago after working at Todd English’s Riche in New Orleans. He was recently named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs,” a first-time accolade for a Puerto Rican. He was also chosen as a semifinalist for the 2013 James Beard Foundation award category of “Best Chef South” — marking the first inclusion for a Puerto Rican chef once again.
Andrés is a huge fan. In October, he featured Enrique’s restaurant on The Getaway, a show on the new Esquire TV channel.
To say that Enrique has a “chill vibe” is an understatement. This top chef is down to earth and runs his restaurant with ease. There’s no pretense here. It’s all about the food. His hand-written menu, a charming feature, changes daily based on availability and freshness.
The bartenders and servers are attentive and on point–in English and Spanish. Soak yourself in rum sours with Ron del Barrilito while you dip the drool-worthy Lobster Fritters in fresh avocado and lime mousse. Then, strike up a conversation about the food, where it came from (most likely a friend’s boat that morning), and what’s next for Puerto Rican cuisine.
Jose & Galena at Jose Enrique. BFFs!
It’s all so good, you may want to miss your flight. We almost did!
Galena Mosovich is the Nightlife and Visual Arts Editor for Miami.com. Her writing focuses on cocktails, food and art online, in The Miami Herald and at large. To keep up with Galena and her work, I highly recommend you follow her on Twitter @galenawrites.
