Top 3 Must-Eat Foods In Puerto Rico

Don’t you get fooled by Puerto Rico’s status? Yes, the Caribbean Island is indeed an incorporated US territory, but that does not imply that the menu is all about fast-food burgers and fries.

Mentioned below is a list of local dishes that should not be missed when dining in Old San Juan Puerto Rico:

· Mofongo

The quintessential Puerto Rican dish can be found in Cuba (where it’s called Machuquillo), Florida, and New York. Mofongo’s main ingredient is fried green plantains which are mashed with garlic and pork cracklings (or bacon). It can be served on its own or even as a side dish. You can also select the filling by picking a stuffed mofongo which is prepared with shrimps, vegetables, meat, or fish. It is quite difficult to find a restaurant on the island that does not serve this fantastic plate.

· Lechón

All the Puerto Ricans love their roasted pig so much that they have transformed it into a tradition. There is even a ‘lechon route’ for those who cannot get enough of their roasted pig dishes. If you enjoy deliciously seasoned roasted pig, perhaps a trip to Guavate should not be missed. There are a large number of lechoneras (open-air restaurants in Old San Juan Puerto Rico dedicated to roasting pigs) that offer different variables of the famous dish.

· Puerto Rican Piononos

Piononos are literally the perfect island appetizer in the restaurants in Fortaleza. They are easily prepared using ripped, sweet plantains that are stuffed with seasoned meat or seafood and deep-fried. The Boricua version is quite different from the Spanish one because it replaces the layers of pastry with the plantains.

· Fried foods: Alcapurrias, Almojábanas, and bacalaítos

Puerto Ricans love their deep-fried dishes (frituras) and if you happen to visit the countryside, you will find roadside kiosks where locals enjoy different variations of ‘frituras’. You can begin your island culinary trip by savoring alcapurrias and later you can move further the culinary road by tasting empanadillas. Almojábanas are cheese-flavored rice fritters while the bacalaítos are codfish fritters. The Puerto Ricans literally love for all things fried comes to light while tasting the numerous variations of bold appetizers.