Un tour de la comida de Santiago

Sea bass with bean rice

I had the good fortune to visit the Dominican Republic earlier this month. I spent a week in Santiago, located in the north of the country and experienced its local cuisine.

The food was  similar to that which I experienced  in my trips to Spain, Latin America and Africa, a reflection of the larger influence of Hispanic and African culture on the island. I tried variants of the Panamanian Sancocho (sancocho), mashed/fried African plantains (tostones and Mofongo), Peruvian roast chicken (el pollo), Mexican beans with rice (Habichuelas Rojas) and Spanish croquetas (Croquettas de pollo). I tried the lunch buffet at  Rancho Chito, and came out very delighted. The food had a lot of flavor (not heavily spiced) and was very reasonably-priced.

Roast chicken with beans

In terms of the ethnic dining options, there were not many options. However, I visited an American pizza chain (Brixx) for the first time and will fondly remember its white sauce pizza. An Italian restaurant that we visited, called RistorArte was my favorite of the trip. The pastas, risottos, and a cheese fondue we tried for an an appetizer were outstanding and very reasonably-priced. Though I did not get to visit a Chinese restaurant , Santiago's Chinese establishments (El pez dorado) have a good reputation.

All in all, I got to try some good, simple food, but I will admit that the seafood (I saw a lot of sea bass on their menus) did not meet my expectations. I was expecting fresher seafood given the country's location on an island, but came away a bit disappointed.

Peking Gourmet Inn

Firecracker jumbo shrimp

Peking Gourmet Inn
6029, Lessburg Pike,
Falls Church, VA
22041

We had a particularly memorable meal at this upscale Chinese restaurant in Falls Church. Great food, a busy dining ambiance, friendly service and fairly reasonably-priced.

Garlic sprouts stir-fried with chicken

We tried two of their specialties - firecracker jumbo shrimp with green and red chilies (slightly pricey @ $43) was very flavorful and delicious (and worth the price). Not very spicy and a little dry. So if you are looking to have it with rice, you should combine it with a spicy sauce on the side. We had it with some schezwan sauce on the side.

Another of their house specialties is the garlic sprouts stir-fried served with a meat of your choice. We had it with chicken. Flavorful enough to be enjoyed with rice.

Another dish for which the restaurant is known is the Peking duck - a whole duck is carved at the table (served with sauces). It was delicious. Portions were large enough to be shared by larger groups and so might be a good idea to go when you have company.