tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80929496166191376722024-03-21T12:59:53.648-07:00TravelValue: PuertoRicoIn "TravelValue: Puerto Rico" CombatCritic reviews restaurants, hotels, and attractions of exotic Puerto Rico!
World traveler ... 41 countries and counting; Amateur chef ... studied for 3 years in Pozzuoli, Italy; Published author ... editorials, articles, popular blogs, and an upcoming book!
On the Front Lines in the Battle Against Overpriced Travel, Food, and Accommodation ... Follow Me To TravelValue!CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-44894874585446435682015-03-13T07:46:00.001-07:002015-03-13T07:46:39.121-07:00TravelValue, TravelSafe, ValueTravel .... Follow CombatCritic To Travel Value<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Title: <i>TravelValue, TravelSafe, ValueTravel .... </i></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Follow CombatCritic To Travel Value</i></span></span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-52320474202844370392014-01-15T09:17:00.000-08:002014-01-17T10:32:34.759-08:00Marsana Wellness in Rincón, Puerto Rico Is Neither A Beachhouse Nor A Spa<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Marsana Wellness Beachhouse and Spa" is neither a spa nor a beach house, it is a large house with four guest rooms a couple blocks from a beach with hardly any sand and with an empty hot tub.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When we arrived after having informed the owner of our exact arrival time, his daughter Marina met us at the gate and asked “can I help you”, not in a friendly manner but as if we did not belong in the neighborhood. Once I told her we were guests, she was very friendly and escorted us to our room. We did not see her again for the next 7 days although it would have been nice to get some local information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The room was nice, medium in size with a queen size bed, pull out futon-type sofa, a small fridge, wardrobe, TV with cable, and an air conditioning unit. Our room faced the back yard and had a large terrace with a table, two chairs, and a hammock and where we spent a majority of our time. The small bathroom was functional with a large tile shower, toilet and vanity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Marina’s brother Yuri was around more than she was, doing odd jobs around the house and although friendly enough, never stopped to talk. The house is a work in progress and has a large terrace taking up 2/3 of the roof where there are tables, chairs, and the empty hot tub. The stars at night were fantastic as Rincón is a fairly small town far away from the bright city lights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">There are plenty of restaurants in the area, including </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Das Alpen Café</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">, a German and Italian restaurant in the center of Rincón with small portions and large prices, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">El Tapatio</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">, a good, inexpensive Mexican restaurant just north of the house on PR-115 going toward Aguada, and several bakeries, the best being </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Panaderia Eileen</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> just a block south on 115 where you can get wonderful pastries ($1 each), cheap sandwiches ($2.00-$3.75), and assorted drinks and beer. The bakeries in Puerto Rico have a little bit of everything, including a hot table with </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">carne guisada</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> (beef stew - $2), ribs, chicken, rice, beans, and other local foods. They are a great place to pick up a quick lunch or take some food home for dinner and many have tables where you can eat your toasted sandwich or carne guisada.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Being winter, the winds blew from the East most of the three weeks we were in Puerto Rico, making for poor snorkeling and challenging swimming. The seas around Rincón were rough most of the week we were there, so we found a very nice beach about 10 miles north in Aguadilla called <i><span style="color: red;">Crash Boat Beach</span></i>. Crash Boat is clean, has nice sand, a shallow, sandy bottom, and because it faces southwest it avoids the swells and large waves from the north, making for clear water and good snorkeling. There is a bar in the parking lot with cheap beer (Medalla - $1.50) and drinks (piña colada - $4), and there are a few food vendors adjacent in the lot with grilled chicken, pizza, frappes and other snacks. There is not a reef in the area and few rocks, but the visibility was 40-50 feet and there were occasional visits by small schools of fish and a few large Jacks from time to time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The only snorkeling beach in Rincón at this time of year was Balneario Rincón, a small beach just north of town of Route 430 with a reef that can be accessed from the small sandy beach on the north end past the boat ramp. Steps Beach, named after the set of concrete steps precariously perched on the reef, is reportedly the best snorkeling beach in the area and is quite beautiful, but the water was inaccessible during our stay due to the rough seas and lack of a sandy bottom, only reef. We saw Sandy Beach and Pools Beach, a mile or two north of Steps, but although quite pretty, neither were good for anything but sunbathing because they face north and water was rough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The description of the property on AirBnB was deceiving because there are no spa services available, no meals or breakfast as advertised, and parking is a challenge with just two spaces available (unsecured) for at least four rooms. The “Jacuzzi” was empty and there are no doctors on staff. The highlight of the week were their four dogs who kept us company and were the sweetest they could be. If you do not like or are afraid of dogs, this is not the place for you. There is an outdoor kitchen for guests to use with few plates, utensils, or pots/pans, so cooking would prove challenging if so inclined. But at $45 a night the room was a decent value, but nothing special. I saw that they raised their rates to $60 since we booked and believe you can find better value elsewhere in the area, possibly on the ocean or with a sea view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Marsana Wellness Beachhouse and Spa 6 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;"><b><u>PostScript:</u></b> AirBnB asks guests to review the properties where they stay as well as providing feedback to the host. This is the feedback I provided to Dr. Michael Morales, our host, who was not on the property during the week we stayed at "Marsana Wellness Beachhouse and Spa":</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">"We enjoyed our stay, especially your sweet, wonderful dogs. We were pleased overall with the accommodations, but felt your description was misleading. As a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, honesty and integrity are very important to me and I do not like being misled. My decision to stay at your “beachhouse and spa” was partially influenced by your description:</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“mountain-beach views”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- I could barely see the water from the roof, not a beach in sight</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“organic natural macrobiotic and vegan cuisine"</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- Yuri and Marina may be eating it, but we were never told about it</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“wholistic therapies, treatments, classes”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- Where, when? Why were we not informed of these options and who was leading them?</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“natural foods catering, meals available”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- Again, we were not informed of this option</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“concierge services, natural beauty care treatments”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- If you call the 5 minutes Marina spent with us the evening we arrived “concierge services”, that is misleading</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“2 naturapathic doctors on site”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- Are Yuri and Marina naturopathic doctors?</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“acupuncturists, herbalist, nutritionist, physical therapist ,massage therapist, cooking classes and surfboards available”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- Available where?</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">“we have installed our outdoor Jacuzzi”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">- True, but it was empty the entire time we were there and by the rust on the metal, it looks like it probably does not work</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">My recommendation is to be more honest in your description or actually provide the options you say you have. My 6 Out of 10 rating is very generous and strictly based on the value of what we got for what we paid ($45 a night for a basic room) and I did not deduct for the deceiving description.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Again, we were not displeased with our stay, only the misleading description.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">As a travel critic I have the duty to report honestly and accurately to my readers and followers and would be doing them a disservice if I omitted the facts I described above. Because this review will be published</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">on AirBnB and my blog, </span><a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">http://www.CombatCritic.com</a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">, I would be remiss if I were not completely honest. I hope you understand.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Finally, I think you should consider reducing your rate to the $50 per night range as your new $60 rate is probably more than the room is worth.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Thanks for having us!"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: Marsana, wellness, beachhouse, spa, AirBnB, hotel, room, beach, Rincón, Aguada, PR, 115, Puerto Rico, puerto, rico, CombatCritic, combat, critic, TravelValue, travel, value </span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-79644625589125662652014-01-13T05:37:00.003-08:002014-01-13T05:41:44.636-08:00Palmas: Good, Friendly, Nothing Special, Overpriced<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span itemprop="streetAddress" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">281 San Sebastian Street<br />at Tanaca Corner</span><br /><span itemprop="addressLocality" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Juan</span>, <span itemprop="addressRegion" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Puerto Rico</span> <span itemprop="postalCode" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">00901</span></span></address>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(787) 630-4725</span></address>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">We drove past Palmas looking for a
parking place in Old San Juan and returned after seeing what looked like a
fiesta going on in the street outside. It was a small place with a large crowd
outside and music blaring off the beaten path on the north (uphill) side of
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We ordered the Asopao de Pollo (chicken and rice stew - $13.99) and Queso
Frito (fried cheese with mango sauce -$8.95). The cheese was good, probably $3
overpriced for the size even in Old San Juan, with a mango dipping sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The chicken stew (Asopao de Pollo) was very
good, but at $13.99 for a few chunks of gristly chicken, some red bell pepper,
and a half a cup of rice in chicken broth was probably $6 more than it should
have been while still allowing a fair profit for the proprietor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had two cervezas Medalla and at $3 a pop they
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Javier, the owner, stopped by our table and
lopped- off half of an avocado the size of a watermelon (Javier and
CombatCritic pictured). I tossed it in my stew and added some butt-kicking hot
sauce, but made the mistake of touching my eye<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>... EYE CARAMBA!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don't get me wrong, the food was good and the
bill came to $42 including 20% tip, not horrific, but more than we should have
paid for a couple local beers, an appetizer, and an cheap-to-make entree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hope Javier figures out that knocking a
couple bucks off the prices will result in happy customers, glowing reviews,
and much more customers and money in his pocket. He and his staff were very
nice and we enjoyed our visit even if it was not the best TravelValue in Puerto
Rico.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Palmas de Boulevard 6 Bombs
Out of 10 ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Key Words: Palmas, de Boulevard, restaurant, food, Caribbean, Puerto Rico, puerto, rico, old san juan, old, san, juan, chicken, stew, asopao, cheese, fried, frito, queso, CombatCritic, TravelValue</span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-88470277109875151142014-01-11T16:41:00.000-08:002014-01-11T16:41:37.010-08:00El Tapatio; Good, Cheap Mexican Food ... and Potent Margaritas ... Near Rincón, Puerto Rico<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>El Tapatio; Good, Cheap Mexican Food ... and Potent Margaritas ... Near Rincón, Puerto Rico</i></b></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DMfbbRZbdnk/UtHfyFIvx2I/AAAAAAAABdc/nilixyPzMNc/s1600/IMG_1345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DMfbbRZbdnk/UtHfyFIvx2I/AAAAAAAABdc/nilixyPzMNc/s1600/IMG_1345.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Margarita - $6.25</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unassuming from the outside, we decided to give El Tapatio a try after some so-so dining experiences in the Rincón area. It lies on the East side of PR-115 just a mile or two South of downtown Aguada in an area that is mostly residential with the odd kiosk Criollo here and there. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The food was very good, the prices fair, and the margaritas very strong ... they sure don't skimp on the tequila!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We started with the carne y queso (meat and cheese) nachos ($3.50), a 4 ounce guacamole ($2), and a large pico di gallo ($2). The nachos were not huge, but tasty, coming in a cardboard serving tray with homemade chips, generous portions of ground beef, and smothered in melted cheese. The guacamole not too bad and that is coming from the GUACAMOLE KING and the pico de gallo fresh and spicy. All three starters were a very good value.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GNm-DBXPa0Q/UtHf0myuX6I/AAAAAAAABdk/uAfRuEIvbac/s1600/IMG_1347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GNm-DBXPa0Q/UtHf0myuX6I/AAAAAAAABdk/uAfRuEIvbac/s1600/IMG_1347.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Tacos Duros - $1.60 Each</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For dinner we shared a cheese and beef quesadilla ($4.50), two tacos duros (hard tacos - $1.60 each), and a beef and cheese enchilada ($4.75). The tacos were good, especially with some guacamole and pico added. The quesadilla hot and decent, and the enchilada (which came with a small portion of refried beans) substantial and delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A surprisingly good dinner for $32, including two margaritas ($6.25), that were some of the most potent I have had in recent memory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives El Tapatio 7 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: El Tapatio, el, tapatio, Mexican, food, restaurant, eat, taco, enchilada, burrito, quesadilla, nacho, margarita, CombatCritic, Aguada, Puerto Rico, TravelValue</span>CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-27949069285033301522014-01-11T07:42:00.001-08:002014-01-11T07:42:43.314-08:00Nonna Cucina Rustica Serves Food My Grandmother (Nonna) Would Be Proud Of!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>San Juan</i></b>: Nonna Cucina Rustica Italiana is very nice, somewhat small, slightly upscale classic Italian restaurant near downtown and not far from Miramar where we were staying. We found her on Yelp* and the reviews were very positive. We had difficulty finding a restaurant open on Christmas Eve when we arrived in San Juan, so I figured that Christmas day would be even worse. To our surprise, Nonna was open (as were several restaurants we saw - everything else was closed as they should be) and had a table available ... "we'll be right there!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Waze, our eMap, was a bit off, so we called the restaurant and the manager guided us in (a couple blocks ahead of where Waze took us), sticking her head out the door until she spotted us pulling up. They have Valet Service, but we decided to go through the next signal and found plenty of street parking in the next block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It is nearly impossible to find a traditional Italian kitchen in the US and we were expecting as much in Puerto Rico ... WE WERE VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Carmen, our server, was extremely pleasant even though, still being on "non-island time" and expecting things to move rapidly like they do on the continent, we were hungry and a little impatient to start. I ordered a Spanish Alicante red, a simple yet robust dark red wine ($27), to accompany our meal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For antipasti, we had the veal polpette (meatballs) and homemade mozzarella, and both were excellent. The polpette (3 for $9 - polpettone, by the way, is Italian meatloaf) came atop a bed of mashed potatoes (polenta would have been a more traditional and excellent choice) and covered with a light tomato sauce. We had to ask for bread and it took a while to arrive, a very small basket of what looked like foccacia sliced into small pieces, and the only disappointment of the night. Local bread on the table is standard in all Italian restaurants, even in Italy, so when I did not see bread on a single table and had to ask for it, I was a bit surprised. It was decent, but too little to accompany the wonderful appetizers, both of which cried out for bread, good bread!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The homemade mozzarella was also delicious. Atop the four rather small, thin slices ($9) of mozzarella were three large cherry tomatoes, a few pieces of arugula, and a hefty dose of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped, toasted hazelnuts. A kind of insalata Caprese, you would never see balsamic vinegar on mozzarella in Italy, but it was very tasty if not filling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Casoncelli alla Bergamasca ($17), a light yet complex dish of pasta shells (the size of perogi) was stuffed with sausage and quickly sautéed in a mild butter and sage sauce. They were sublime, the only fault being that the obviously homemade pasta shells were a bit too "al dente" and could have been boiled another minute or two. Otherwise, we were quite pleased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I ordered the lasagna ($18), which came in its own 7" x 7" baking dish with a crispy layer of cheese and béchamel sauce and it was exquisite! More than I needed to eat, it was layered with a hefty portion of minced lamb, lasagna noodles, spinach, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. The lamb tasted very much like lamb, so if you are not into lamb, DO NOT order this dish. I like lamb on occasion, not daily, and was very happy with my choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For dessert, offered by the very sweet, young pastry chef with a huge smile, we had the tiramisu. Untraditional in every way, I had seen it on other tables throughout the night and thought it was an ice cream sunday, but it was not! All of the usual ingredients were there, cookies, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa (accompanied by a shot of espresso to pour over the top), but a scoop of ice cream was also included along with chocolate syrup. It did not taste like any tiramisu I have ever eaten (and at $12 it was the most expensive tiramisu I have eaten), but it was extravagant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Not cheap by any stretch, Nonna was a delight and extremely good value ... BUONISSIMO!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives <span style="color: #990000;">Nonna Cucina Italiana</span> 9 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBS ARE GOOD!</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: Nonna, cucina, rustica, Italiana, Italian, restaurant, food, San Juan, Puerto Rico, eat, dinner, delicious, pasta, wine, mozzarella, cheese, tiramisu, CombatCritic</span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-29033776517313243132014-01-09T06:03:00.000-08:002014-01-09T06:03:51.081-08:00Punta Santiago Apartment: Spacious, Friendly, And A Bit Noisy Dog Lover's Delight<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">First of all, Bonnie, Tony, and the boys and girls are a delight, wonderful human beings and dogies (all 10) who made our stay in Punta Santiago comfortable and caring ... THANK YOU ALL!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Found on <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AirBnB</a> at $75 a night, the apartment was the most expensive of the three we reserved during our 3-week stay, but it is an entire private one-bedroom/one-bath apartment with a kitchen/dining room, living room, and a HUGE terrace just a few blocks from the beach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Furnishings are basic and somewhat dated, but in working order with the exception of the stove which we were unable to use. There are AC units in the bedroom and living room and were sufficient in providing cool sleeping conditions. The apartment gets plenty of air from trade winds, so the AC really is not necessary much of the time. There is an older color TV with cable in the living room (be sure to ask Tony how to get rid of the "blue" screen) and the wireless internet worked well the entire week we were there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There is a market down the street with most everything you need at reasonable prices and several small restaurants (see <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2014/01/taco-rico-punta-santiago-pr-nothing.html" target="_blank">Taco Rico review</a>) and bars just across the street, so food is abundant. Playa Naguabo (ten minute drive North) has several seaside restaurants including <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2014/01/waterfront-cantina-naguabo-mexican-fare.html" target="_blank">Waterfront Cantina</a> and an outdoor cafe with three food stalls that serves fresh fish to hundreds at a time arriving on busses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The towns of Humacao and Fajardo are close by, so restaurants are abundant and the islands of Vieques and Culebra are a little over an hour away by ferry from Fajardo. The <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2014/01/humacao-nature-reserve-lizards-birds.html" target="_blank">Humacao Nature Reserve</a> is less than a 10-minute drive, offering trails, a secluded beach, wildlife, and mangrove swamps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The primary drawback as other guests have mentioned is the noise at night from the bar across the street, blaring music at decibles in the hundreds as well as the occasional vehicles with custom stereo blaring music at all hours of the day and night running up and down PR-3 adjacent to the house. Bring earplugs and/or a white noise machine as we did and unless you are a very light sleeper, you should not have any problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you love dogs, the sea, friendly people, and life in a relatively quiet fishing village, you will love the time you stay with Bonnie and Tony in Punta Santiago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Bonnie and Tony's Punta Santiago Apartment 7 Out of 1o Bombs ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: Bonnie, Tony, Antonio, Punta Santiago, AirBnB, punta, santiago, Humacao, Puerto Rico, puerto rico, travel, value, CombatCritic, TravelValue, apartment, room, hotel</span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-13184953844831095752014-01-08T17:09:00.000-08:002014-01-08T17:09:35.426-08:00Das Alpen Café (Rincón): Pretentious, Overpriced, Microwaved?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt; text-align: justify;">Rincón is better known for big waves, deeply tanned surfers, and pizza joints than it is for fine dining and Das Alpen Café will not change that image. At the Southwest end of the plaza in heart of downtown Rincón, the restaurant is unassuming and having arrived on Three Kings Day (Puerto Rico’s second Christmas) we were not sure it was even open for business based on the sparseness of furnishings inside. If they were going for a minimalist look, they were highly successful.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">We arrived shortly after six two nights later and beside the hostess and a waiter, we were the only people in sight. The hostess sat us and quickly returned to her dinner at the bar while typing away on her cell phone. The only thing in the room that looks Bavarian is the flag hanging in front of the kitchen entrance, the tables few and uncovered, and the music a light jazz with no resemblance to anything either Italian or German as is advertised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><i>Potato Leek Soup ($3.50) and Goat Cheese Tart ($8)</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Our server, Jeffrey, was very nice and attentive. I ordered a stout ($9.50), one of only two draught beers on the menu and the closest thing to a Warsteiner Dunkle available and one of the most expensive beers I have consumed, including at overpriced airports. We started with the savory goat cheese tart (described as goat cheese with caramelized onions and basil - $8) and a cup of “crème of potatoes and leek soup” ($3.50). The soup quickly arrived and, while reasonably tasty, was lukewarm and could have used a garnish to add some color. We had to ask for bread, but by the time it finally arrived what was left of my soup was long cold. The tart was an utter disappointment. Looking more like a small, sad piece of quiche than a tart, it had obviously been “nuked” with the soggy crust separating from the filling and no caramelized onions or basil in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: small;">Jägerschnitzel - $20</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">I had the Jaeger Schnitzel, described as “Hunters Schnitzel, a pork cutlet with white wine and cream reduction with bacon and wild mushroom served with red cabbage and homemade bread dumplings”. As a schnitzel lover, I have eaten schnitzel dozens of times throughout Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and the United States, I was surprised by the size of the cutlet and not in a good way. German schnitzel normally covers a large plate, but the red cabbage dwarfed this one, yet looking massive next to “the” lone dumpling (not “dumplings” as was described on the menu). A little bigger than a Swedish meatball, I had to ration the little dumpling to make it last as long as possible. The hunter sauce was good, a bit too salty, with small pieces of mushroom, minced onion, and bacon, but barely enough to cover the cutlet and none leftover for the dumpling or bread, which was being rationed three small pieces at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">My wife ordered the Forest Schnitzel, a “pork cutlet with Marsala wine and mushroom sauce served with red cabbage and homemade bread dumpling”. Again, the cutlet was small in comparison to every other schnitzel I have ever had, but the Marsala sauce was very good, light, and slightly sweet from the reduction of this fruity wine from the small town in Sicily where it gets its name. She also received one dumpling, slightly larger than mine, and left most of her red cabbage which was sweet and acidic as Bavarian red cabbage should be, but overcooked and soggy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Das Alpen Café attempts to appear “gourmet” with large prices and small portions, but fails to deliver. German food in general and schnitzel in particular is meant to be consumed in large portions with an abundance of sauce and mushrooms, a large portion of potatoes or spaetzel, and nothing red or soggy on the plate. Granted, Rincón is a tourist area and prices are expected to be a bit higher than small fishing villages like Punta Santiago, but Das Alpen Café left me uninspired in terms of TravelValue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">CombatCritic Gives Das Alpen Café 6 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBS ARE GUT!</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Key Words: Das Alpen Café, alpen, café, Rincón, Ricon, Puerto Rico, puerto, rico, German, Italian, food, dinner, tart, schnitzel, Jaeger, CombatCritic, TravelValue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jaeger (Jäger) Schnitzel Recipe</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i><u><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Schnitzel<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1/3-cup all-purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">2 eggs, lightly beaten<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1-cup fine, dry bread crumbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">3 tablespoons butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><u><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1 lb. Mushrooms, washed and cut into bite-size slices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1/2-cup heavy cream<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">1/2 teaspoon dried thy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">A small bunch parsley, finely chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Extra milk as needed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Season each cutlet with salt and pepper (both sides) and let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">You will need 3 plates, adding flour to the first, eggs to the second, and breadcrumbs to the third. Arrange the plates in a row, close to the stove. Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet or pan over moderately high heat for about 2 minutes. Coat each cutlet with flour, dunk it in the eggs, and then coat it with breadcrumbs, putting the coated cutlet immediately into the hot skillet. Cook each side for about 3 minutes or until each side is a deep golden brown. Remove the schnitzel and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra grease and keep warm in the oven.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Using the same pan as you made the schnitzel in, fry the mushrooms until they begin releasing water. Remove them from the pan and set aside. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Add a little butter to the same pan, add onions and bacon, and cook until the onions begin to brown. Add the mushrooms back to the pan, then add the broth, cream, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring mixture up to a simmer and continue until liquid has noticeably reduced (about 15-20 minutes), stirring occasionally.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">Stir milk into the sauce until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (shouldn't be too thin). Remove pan from heat, stir in 2/3 of the chopped parsley, and add salt and pepper as needed. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18pt;">To serve, place a schnitzel on a plate and top with the sauce, sprinkling some chopped parsley over the sauce and serve with pan-fried potatoes or spaetzel (spätzel) … ENJOY!</span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-54611742752429240372014-01-06T05:57:00.001-08:002014-01-06T05:57:36.860-08:00Waterfront Cantina (Naguabo): Mexican Fare, Fresh Fish, Cheap Drinks ... What More Can You Ask For?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Waterfront Cantina is a small indoor and outdoor restaurant and bar across the street from the beach in Playa Naguabo with a reasonable Mexican and fish menu and drinks from $2.50-$6.00. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Starters run from $5.95 to $13.95, dinners are $8.49 to $14.95, and drinks are $2.50 to $6.50. Cold beer, affordable prices, and friendly service make Waterfront Cantina a great place for a cool drink or a hot meal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We stopped in several times during our week in Punta Santiago for drinks and on our final night for the nightly SPECIAL ... Two entrees (one fish/one meat), two glasses of Sangria, and dessert for two, all for just $25. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We ordered the beef fajitas for two, about 8 ounces of marinated skirt steak each with plenty of guacamole, shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and tortillas for three decent size tacos. Everything was fresh and delicious although the garlic was a little excessive even for my taste. The sangria was good and dessert well done with a slice of cheesecake drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with four small, crispy mini-churros.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With a sea view, flat-screen TV (football on Sunday), and an owner who speaks English, it is a very tourist friendly option in an area where most locals have limited English speaking skills.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Waterfront Cantina 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Key Words: Waterfront Cantina, waterfront, cantina, Naguabo, Puerto Rico, Mexican, food, eat, TV, English, fajitas, beach, sea, view, patio, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value</span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-61089491828975218102014-01-06T05:07:00.003-08:002014-01-06T05:07:45.628-08:00Pasta y Pueblo: An Italian Flare in Puerto Rican Cuisine<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We went to El Junque for the day and stopped in Luquillo to try the famous kiosks, but most were closed on New Years Eve. I searched Yelp nearby and found Pasta y Pueblo, but the map led us on a wild goose chase. I persisted and finally found the place using the photos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The reviews raved about the food, so expectations were high. The place is literally a shack across from the beach, open air with a stiff breeze coming through the openings where windows should be. With just 5 tables, we had to wait about 45 minutes before being seated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The young lady who took our name was also our server. My wife ordered the scallops and carbonara ($20.00), six nicely seared scallops marinated in a mild sauce atop a bed of penne carbonara (no egg or onion, but tasty nonetheless). I had the grilled skirt steak also with carbonara ($16.50), about 8 ounces of marinated deliciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They have wine, $6/glass and $25 a bottle, beer and an assortment of soft drinks and juices. I had a generous glass of Spanish Tempranillo with dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For dessert there was room for a shared slice of guava cheesecake, at just $3.50 it was the best value in the menu. Thick and rich, the thin guava topping was just enough to accent the taste without overpowering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A delightful experience with excellent food, fair prices and superb service, we may very we'll return before heading West next week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives <u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pasta y Pueblo</span></u> 8 Bombs Out of 10 ... BOMBAS ARE BUENO!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i></i></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: combat, CombatCritic, critic, Luquillo, pasta, Pasta y Pueblo, pueblo, steak, scallops, chicken, mussles, wine, beer, puerto, Puerto Rico, rico, TravelValue</span>CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-40097121755639912612014-01-06T05:04:00.003-08:002014-01-06T05:04:59.959-08:00Taco Rico (Punta Santiago, PR): Nothing Fancy, But A Very Good Value<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A small restaurant where you order at the counter, then they bring you your food. Our hosts, Tony and Bonnie, recommended Taco Rico, so we had to give it a try. It's a small place on Route 3 adjacent to a bar/ nightclub.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: large;">The owners are very friendly and the men spoke limited English, so our poor Spanish was put to the test. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: large;">Tacos are $2, burritos $3.75-$5, burgers under $4. A whole meal including drink easily had for under $7.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-Jx3dEjy-o/UsqpJYagH7I/AAAAAAAABX8/EKVcgktIvvs/s1600/IMG_0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-Jx3dEjy-o/UsqpJYagH7I/AAAAAAAABX8/EKVcgktIvvs/s1600/IMG_0798.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Our hosts, Tony and Bonnie, recommended Taco Rico, so we had to give it a try. It's a small place on Route 3 adjacent to a bar/ nightclub.</div>
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The microwave was broken, thank heavens, so quesadillas and burgers weren't an option. So we went with the namesake tacos. The shells were pre-fab, but the cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce were fresh and the meat flavorful. I had a beef burrito and at $3.75 was a great tasting value with beef, beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese. The salsa was "butt-burning" good, coming in a squeeze bottle.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: large;">Taco Rico is nothing fancy, but was a very good value, hence my rating ...</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: xx-large;"><i>CombatCritic Gives Taco Rico 7 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: taco, rico, Taco Rico, Punta Santiago, punta, santiago, Puerto Rico, puerto,Mexican, food, taco, burrito, hamburger, CombatCritic, TravelValue</span></span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-77063270199171581972013-12-31T07:12:00.002-08:002013-12-31T07:26:19.632-08:00Seven Seas: An Outstanding Beach on PUERTO RICO'S Northwest Coast<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Seven Seas: An Outstanding Beach on PUERTO RICO'S Northwest Coast</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Seven Seas is a very nice public beach and national park about 30 miles West of San Juan and is clean with a protected swimming area, public toilets, life guards, and access to a nearby snack bar (pastilillos).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Parking is $5.35, but worth the price thanks to the attendant who watches over the lot. There is street parking, but we were told that the police ticket cars, so pay the price or park in Casa de Los Patilillos parking lot. The beach is adjacent to both parking lots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can avoid paying the $5.35 parking fee by visiting on Monday or Tuesday when the national park is closed and park your car at Casa de Los Patilillos. Tito, the owner, is very friendly and speaks excellent English. He has a full bar, soft drinks, pastalillos (homemade deep-fried dough pastries with a variety of savory and sweet fillings), and entrees. We tried the ham and cheese (jamon con queso), ham and pineapple (jamon con piña) and beef and cheese (carne con queso), and all three were hot, fresh, and delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The very fine sand on the beach is easy on the feet, but adheres easily to the skin. Much better than the rocky beaches of Greece, the sand is easily brushed or washed away with a towel or the sea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The water drops off to about three feet then quickly drops off. There are numerous species of fish inside the reef, so bring your snorkeling gear. The bottom is sand and small, smooth rocks, and is easy on the feet. Water temperature was probably in the high 70's, perfectly cool enough to refresh while not so cold it shocks the system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mostly families and couples, Seven Seas is highly recommended while in the Northwest part of the island.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Seven Seas 9 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBAS ARE Bueno!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: beach, CombatCritic, Seven Seas, snorkeling, fish, ocean, public, restroom, sand, sea, toilet, snack, bar, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, San Juan, CombatCritic, TravelValue</span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-24240403714576695422013-12-31T06:40:00.000-08:002013-12-31T06:41:50.987-08:00Keith's AirBnB Miramar (Avenida Miramar - San Juan), Puerto Rico Apartment ... Central, Afforadable, Friendly!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/415196" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keith's AirBnB Miramar (Avenida Miramar - San Juan), Puerto Rico Apartment</a> ... Central, Afforadable, Friendly!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">We found Keith's apartment in Marimar (San Juan) by chance and were we glad we did! For a reasonable price considering the location, we had a bedroom and access to the living area (bath, kitchen, living room, terrrace) of a modern apartment centrally located between downtown San Juan and Old San Juan (less than 2 miles). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Keith was visiting relatives stateside when we arrived, so Tiffany (a student at University of Puerto Rico and tenant) was there to let us in, orient us to the area, and give us the keys, all on Christmas Eve. She was friendly and helpful before leaving for Ponce to spend the holiday with her family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On Christmas day there was not a lot open, so we went to <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2013/12/el-escambron-san-juan-perto-rico.html" target="_blank">El Escambrón</a>, a nice public beach between the apartment and Old San Juan with clean sand, public restrooms, snackbar, and parking ($5).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The next day we took the <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2013/12/san-juan-puerto-rico-bus-and-train.html" target="_blank">bus</a> (M1) to Santurce Corazon station where we caught the train (Rio Piedras Station) to <a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/2013/12/a-friendly-vibrant-vibe-awaits-you-at.html" target="_blank">Mercado del Rio Piedras</a>, a vibrant indoor market frequented by locals.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.combatcritic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Visit CombatCritic's Travel Value eZine for more local information.</span></a></div>
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The apartment is on the 3rd floor of a modern high-rise with street parking that was at times difficult to find close by. We had to walk a few blocks much of the time there as the parking spots out front were occupied by static vehicles after day two.</div>
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Access to a fridge, stove/oven, washer/dryer was very convenient although we had to go out on Christmas Eve and find a Walgreens that happened to be open to buy enough toilet paper to get us through the holiday. The apartment was relatively clean with a lived-in feel and nice, although dated furnishings and decor. There was one beach chair and one beach towel, a thermal lunch bag, and small umbrella available for beach use and we took advantage of all on our trip to El Escambrón.</div>
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There is a tub/shower combo in the bathroom with plenty of hot water despite what the previous reviewer had written. Keith provided soap, shampoo, and conditioner as well as laundry detergent and fabric softener (which we replenished prior to departure), but I would advise bringing your own or purchasing at the local market just a few blocks away on Avenue Ponce de Leon, the hub of the area with upscale restaurants, markets, cinema, and fast food (Subway, Papa John's are close by). Having access to a washer and dryer was an unexpected luxury, and a definite advantage to staying here.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Keith's Miramar Apartment 8 Out Of 10 Bombs ... BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!</i></b></span></div>
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Key Words: Keith Poimboeuf, Keith, Poimboeuf, apartment, airbnb, Miramar, San Juan, Puerto Rico, puerto, rico, washer, dryer, kitchen, bath, bedroom, terrace, balcony, CombatCritic, TravelValue</div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-9987468360374546082013-12-28T17:45:00.002-08:002013-12-28T17:45:58.664-08:00El Patio de Sam ... More Like EL YUCKO de Sam!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>El Patio de Sam</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span itemprop="streetAddress" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Calle San Sebastian 102</span><br /><span itemprop="addressLocality" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Old San Juan</span>, <span itemprop="addressRegion" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Puerto Rico</span> <span itemprop="postalCode" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">00936</span></b></span></address>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We came for the piña coladas... advertised prominently out front as "2 for 1" until 7pm weekdays ... and decided to try a burger ($10.95) with cheese and fries because the server told us "our burgers are the best, not only in Puerto Rico, but in ALL OF THE US!" We trusted her, first mistake!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Our burger FINALLY arrived after 30 minutes and was slightly bigger than a White Castle (Whitey One-Bite). There was no sauce, the patty (advertised to be 8 ounces) was small, maybe 5 ounces at best, and accompanied by a pickle spear, very small slice of tomato, and a little lettuce. The fries were shoestrings and not many of them at that. We finished the sandwich literally in less than 3 minutes and I am not a fast eater by any stretch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thankfully, the piña coladas ($9) were large and tasty, not strong, good, but thank God it was happy hour because they were way overpriced … $33 for two drinks and an itty-bitty burger ... Never again!</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives Patio de Sam 3 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMS ARE GOOD!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: Patio de Sam, patio, Sam, Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico, old, San, Juan, bar, saloon, restaurant, pina colada, rum</span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-79686120429475939142013-12-28T16:00:00.004-08:002013-12-28T16:00:41.782-08:00San Juan, Puerto Rico Bus and Train Information<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If traveling by public conveyance in San Juan, Puerto Rico, there is not a decent website or app I could find with a good map of the bus and train system. Not wanting my fellow travelers to hunt as much as I did to find a map, the folks at Puerto Rico DayTrips have published a decent product on their website:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><b><i>Courtesy of the Nice Folks, Ray and Gwenn, at Puerto Rico Day Trips (Link Above)</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can always go to a bus stop and ask someone for help as many locals speak English. There are information counters at the train stations where you can also buy free cards for the trains and busses that you can load as much money on as you like, eliminating the need to take rolls of quarters with you (required on trains - buses only take coins). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Good luck!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>CombatCritic ... On the Front Lines ...yadah...yadah...yadah</i></span><br />
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-81552497617235791572013-12-28T05:28:00.000-08:002013-12-31T06:43:08.888-08:00El Escambron: Awesome Public Beach Near Old San Juan<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>El Escambron: Awesome Public Beach Near Old San Juan</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">El Escambron is a very nice public beach just West of Old San Juan. it is clean with a protected swimming area, public toilets (closed on Christmas Day unfortunately), a life guard, and snack bar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Parking is $5, but worth the price thanks to the attendant who watches over the lot, accompanied by a police cruiser and several police officers the day we were there. The beach is adjacent to the parking lot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The very fine sand is easy on the feet, but adheres easily to the skin. Much better than the rocky beaches of Greece, the sand is easily brushed or washed away with a towel or the sea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The water drops off quickly to about three feet and remains fairly shallow all the way out to the rocks. There are numerous species of fish inside the reef, so bring your snorkeling gear. The bottom is sand and small, smooth rocks, and is easy on the feet. Water temperature on Christmas day was probably in the high 70's, perfectly cool enough to refresh while not so cold it shocks the system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mostly families and couples, El Escambron is highly recommended while in the San Juan area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives El Escambron 8 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBS ARE GOOD!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words:beach, CombatCritic, El Escambron, fish, ocean, public, restroom, sand, sea, toilet, </span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-67276415673957486902013-12-28T04:58:00.000-08:002013-12-28T17:31:28.118-08:00The Leaning Tower of San Juan ... El Hamburger!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span itemprop="streetAddress" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>El Hamurguer</b></span></span></address>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span itemprop="streetAddress" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">298 Ave Muñoz Rivera</span><br /><span itemprop="addressLocality" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Juan</span>, <span itemprop="addressRegion" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Puerto Rico</span> <span itemprop="postalCode" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">00901</span></b></span></address>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Feeling burger deprived all day after our horrible experience at <i><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-patio-de-sam-old-san-juan#hrid:Oz5IAxwmAK59pUOZcbsxXw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Patio de Sam</a></i> last night, we walked 2 km (uphill in the snow … both ways!) for a real burger at <i>El Hamburger</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My wife says she saw <i><a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/anthony-bourdain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anthony Bordain</a></i> … “I eat, I travel, I drink too much” … eating there on one of his episodes in Puerto Rico and Yelp reviews were mostly 5 stars, so we had to try it. We almost literally ran into the place on Christmas day coming home from </span><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-escambr%C3%B3n-san-sebasti%C3%A1n-2"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;">El Escambrón</span></i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: windowtext; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none;"> </span></a><span style="font-weight: normal;">beach, so I knew where it was.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The place looks like it’s on fire with smoke billowing out the top and across the busy street from the dozens of small, very thick burgers being prepared for inhalation by their many ravenous patrons. It is rather small with one dining area seating about 40, a small counter, and another small room that we did not see well because of the crowd around the front door. The place was packed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">They had two servers, as far as we could tell, doing a remarkably fine job considering the number of people crammed inside. We ordered the bacon cheddar burgers ($3.60 each), a side of French fries, onion rings, a root beer, and a</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.medallalight.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Medalla</a> beer.</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The burger patty, like <i>El Patio de Sam</i>, were smallish but thick, probably 5 ounces or so (but also $7 less than Sam) and smothered with cheddar cheese. There were several pieces of bacon wrapped in a heap on one bun and our server brought a container with plenty of lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. By the time I built my burger, it looked like the <i><a href="http://www.opapisa.it/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leaning Tower</a> of Pisa.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The onion rings were good and plentiful for $1.90, but a little too well done for my taste. The fries were abundant for the $1.90 price, the shoestring variety, hot and crispy just the way I like them. Root beer is root beer ($1.49) and the local Medalla Light thirst quenchingly cold and at $3.60 a reasonable price.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The servers are nice and the crowd mostly couples and families, so the noise level is moderate. They only take cash, so bring enough with or use the convenient ATM they parked right outside the door and you must pay the quiet, burly man behind the cash register before you leave.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">El Hamburger serves a great, reasonably priced burger and all of the usual accompaniments, so if you are hungry for the all American meal, by all means … give them a try!<o:p></o:p></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>CombatCritic Gives El Hamburger 8 Bombs Out of 10 … BOMBS ARE GOOD!</i></span></span></h4>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: El Hamburger, hamburger, burger, French, fries, onion, rings, beer, soda, pop, Coke, Medalla, bacon, cheese, eat, food, lunch, dinner, CombatCritic, combat</span></div>
CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8092949616619137672.post-73515419377426395582013-12-25T19:21:00.002-08:002013-12-25T20:04:23.921-08:00Nonna Cucina Rustica Serves Food My Grandmother (Nonna) Would Be Proud Of!<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Nonna Cucina Rustica Italiana is very nice, somewhat small, slightly upscale classic Italian restaurant near downtown and not far from Miramar where we were staying. We found her on Yelp* and the reviews were very positive. We had difficulty finding a restaurant open on Christmas Eve when we arrived in San Juan, so I figured that Christmas day would be even worse. To our surprise, Nonna was open (as were several restaurants we saw - everything else was closed as they should be) and had a table available ... "we'll be right there!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Waze, our eMap, was a bit off, so we called the restaurant and the manager guided us in (a couple blocks ahead of where Waze took us), sticking her head out the door until she spotted us pulling up. They have Valet Service, but we decided to go through the next signal and found plenty of street parking in the next block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It is nearly impossible to find a traditional Italian kitchen in the US and we were expecting as much in Puerto Rico ... WE WERE VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Carmen, our server, was extremely pleasant even though, still being on "non-island time" and expecting things to move rapidly like they do on the continent, we were hungry and a little impatient to start. I ordered a Spanish Alicante red, a simple yet robust dark red wine ($27), to accompany our meal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For antipasti, we had the veal polpette (meatballs) and homemade mozzarella, and both were excellent. The polpette (3 for $9 - polpettone, by the way, is Italian meatloaf) came atop a bed of mashed potatoes (polenta would have been a more traditional and excellent choice) and covered with a light tomato sauce. We had to ask for bread and it took a while to arrive, a very small basket of what looked like foccacia sliced into small pieces, and the only disappointment of the night. Local bread on the table is standard in all Italian restaurants, even in Italy, so when I did not see bread on a single table and had to ask for it, I was a bit surprised. It was decent, but too little to accompany the wonderful appetizers, both of which cried out for bread, good bread!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The homemade mozzarella was also delicious. Atop the four rather small, thin slices ($9) of mozzarella were three large cherry tomatoes, a few pieces of arugula, and a hefty dose of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped, toasted hazelnuts. A kind of insalata Caprese, you would never see balsamic vinegar on mozzarella in Italy, but it was very tasty if not filling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Casoncelli alla Bergamasca ($17), a light yet complex dish of pasta shells (the size of perogi) was stuffed with sausage and quickly sautéed in a mild butter and sage sauce. They were sublime, the only fault being that the obviously homemade pasta shells were a bit too "al dente" and could have been boiled another minute or two. Otherwise, we were quite pleased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Casoncelli alla Bergamasca - $17</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I ordered the lasagna ($18), which came in its own 7" x 7" baking dish with a crispy layer of cheese and béchamel sauce and it was exquisite! More than I needed to eat, it was layered with a hefty portion of minced lamb, lasagna noodles, spinach, and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. The lamb tasted very much like lamb, so if you are not into lamb, DO NOT order this dish. I like lamb on occasion, not daily, and was very happy with my choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For dessert, offered by the very sweet, young pastry chef with a huge smile, we had the tiramisu. Untraditional in every way, I had seen it on other tables throughout the night and thought it was an ice cream sunday, but it was not! All of the usual ingredients were there, cookies, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa (accompanied by a shot of espresso to pour over the top), but a scoop of ice cream was also included along with chocolate syrup. It did not taste like any tiramisu I have ever eaten (and at $12 it was the most expensive tiramisu I have eaten), but it was extravagant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Not cheap by any stretch, Nonna was a delight and extremely good value ... BUONISSIMO!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>CombatCritic Gives <span style="color: #990000;">Nonna Cucina Italiana</span> 9 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBS ARE GOOD!</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5eY_4IImaIG-x5OgDj-7Oq4ClRrlTbH-MGZnJ12ja5AGuG6NET-a57JVvRAvTV7ZdKzJIuJfHzY8BJ1jlzXtzdmpLaOsB1dQAxG1BNGzrJq1Dic0fOK3zkuSBoRbeabbQGCPWmsUV9Y/s1600/9bombs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5eY_4IImaIG-x5OgDj-7Oq4ClRrlTbH-MGZnJ12ja5AGuG6NET-a57JVvRAvTV7ZdKzJIuJfHzY8BJ1jlzXtzdmpLaOsB1dQAxG1BNGzrJq1Dic0fOK3zkuSBoRbeabbQGCPWmsUV9Y/s400/9bombs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Key Words: Nonna, cucina, rustica, Italiana, Italian, restaurant, food, San Juan, Puerto Rico, eat, dinner, delicious, pasta, wine, mozzarella, cheese, tiramisu, CombatCritic</span></div>
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CombatCritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05014881843145560350noreply@blogger.com0