Sosua Reports

[QUOTE=Wrx2005;2415443]Likewise. Baileys has a few items on the menu I like. One I get from time to time is a breaded fish sandwich on a long bun. Comes with lettuce, tomato and onion with tartar sauce. Fries comes with it, I think? I also like Bailey's pizza.

Someone said their salad bar is a joke, and I concur. The cost of beverages there can run the bill up significantly. I'm a stickler against 80 to 120 peso juice or soft drinks that come with a glass full of ice. You get 3 good sips and you are done.[/QUOTE]The red elefante just pass the mamajuana bar is a fav. Good food and prices, very clean, one of the owners always present. Healthy options if you stay away from the pasta. Europa has a good kitchen. New cafe has a good breakfast. On the beach tree house has good food and great prices. Fast Freddie at 164 is also really good. Mofongo on the beach is good and clean. The german place just pass bourbon is always good. I pretty much stick to those places. Peace.

[QUOTE=Wrx2005;2415443]Likewise. Baileys has a few items on the menu I like. One I get from time to time is a breaded fish sandwich on a long bun. Comes with lettuce, tomato and onion with tartar sauce. Fries comes with it, I think? I also like Bailey's pizza.

Someone said their salad bar is a joke, and I concur. The cost of beverages there can run the bill up significantly. I'm a stickler against 80 to 120 peso juice or soft drinks that come with a glass full of ice. You get 3 good sips and you are done.[/QUOTE]I agree with the fish sandwich and also the pizza for me.

[QUOTE=Wrx2005;2415434]Yeah I should have added that tidbit of info. The restaurants I listed are all places I'd get a fish meal from specifically.[/QUOTE]Very helpful. Thanks much!

I am a fish person and one of my pet peeve going to an island is not finding fresh fish that is cooked right on the beach, typically over a charcoal fire. In Sosua, I have not found a good fish place so far so thanks again. That you know, can they do anything else other than frying. I am thinking steamed fish in perhaps a garlic sauce or the Creole kind. The problem with frying is that the freshness cannot be discerned even though if the fish is fresh, it should have a taste and a flavor.

And on that note, is Aris, the best bet among the listed?

I used to rent cars from something called Nelly which has gone terribly down the hill. I never bought insurance (my credit card has plenty) but the last time the suckers doubled down on that and I said no to the rental and got an Uber.

Question to those that rent regularly (at Santiago in particular): which is a reliable and not too pricey car rental company for you folks?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto;2415700]Very helpful. Thanks much!

I am a fish person and one of my pet peeve going to an island is not finding fresh fish that is cooked right on the beach, typically over a charcoal fire. In Sosua, I have not found a good fish place so far so thanks again. That you know, can they do anything else other than frying. I am thinking steamed fish in perhaps a garlic sauce or the Creole kind. The problem with frying is that the freshness cannot be discerned even though if the fish is fresh, it should have a taste and a flavor.

And on that note, is Aris, the best bet among the listed?[/QUOTE]Aris #64, Mofongo King #74, and Jorge Mayra restaurant #64 are all on the same level IMO as far as the taste of their cooked fish. I lean towards Aris because I like the presentation and weve had a business relationship for awhile. Plus I always bring my friends there to dine, and he appreciates that. Sometimes he'll arrange for me to get 2 for one when they have small fish under 1 lb. Not often, but it happens.

The salads are usually a real green salad, not just shredded cabbage. So the other day that I mentioned here, we each had a 1 lb fish, yellow rice (no beans), a separate plate of steamed veggies, and a small green salad on the plate with the fish. So that's 4 items.

Most of the OTHER restaurants provide only 3. The fish of course, and your choice of two items. 1. Rice (yellow or white w / beans or not) 2. Partial green salad (often shredded cabbage mostly), 3. French fries, or 4. Veggies. Two of those listed. So yeah I rate Aris high on the list. The food from the kitchen is consistent, and Aris corrects errors if any. He's a 40 something Dominican., that also speaks perfect English. His aunt works there too. And a couple of wait staff.

Yesterday the same buddies of mine had red snapper at The Tree House #112. One said Aris was better. The other said he liked TTH red snapper a little more. He let me taste it. I agreed it tasted good. Not necessarily better. But I noted that it seemed more flavorful because it was a little more salty. He admitted that may have been what made the fish appear to be better for him. He said he is a salt junky.

Aris fish is not bland in the least. It's flavorful. But it gives you options in case you want to enhance the flavor with a dash of hot sauce, melted butter (which they gave us upon request) or even that garlic sauce. Or nothing at all. The fish tastes delicious without adding anything.

With any of those restaurants. The ones I mentioned or any others, it's best to ask them to show you the fish they intend to cook for you. My "salt loving friend" was charged only 500 pesos (usually it costs 650 pesos for a 1 lb) at TTH for that red snapper. They brought the fish out, and brought it to his attention that it was under 1 lb. If you don't look at the fish before hand, a person may get charged the regular price as if the fish was 1 lb.

When Aris offers me the 2 for one, I don't bother to look at the fish. In fact, I never look at the fish before hand. With Aris, I'm usually good. I do recommend any new customers let Aris show you the fish before cooking it. And lastly, Aris he's on whatsapp. He offers delivery in the area, which I think adds 60 to 100 pesos to the bill. If one is inclined they can give the driver a small propina, although Aris has the driver covered already.

Aris is almost never closed, even most holidays. So on one of those rainy days, and a person cant come out to the beach, they can still have a fish meal delivered to their hotel/apt. Just allow sufficient time. It aint coming in 20 minutes. Be mindful for every 1/2 lb above the 1 lb, add 300 pesos to your fish meal. For instance, a 1 1/2 lb fish meal will be 900 pesos, not the usual 600 pesos for a 1lb fish meal. 2lb fish will be 1200 pesos. Plus the standard 10% service charge.

While the thread is consumed with food, I can only remember my favorite places to eat!

[QUOTE=Tempoecorto;2415700]Very helpful. Thanks much!

That you know, can they do anything else other than frying. I am thinking steamed fish in perhaps a garlic sauce or the Creole kind?[/QUOTE]I missed this part. Every restaurant I mentioned can and does grill your fish. Does not have to be fried. What I like about these restaurants, their fish when it's fried does not appear greasy. The fish is usually tender under the skin. You won't feel guilty because it's fried. You can choose a variety of other entrees on their menus.

Lobster, shrimp, chicken dishes, pasta, soups, burgers, wings. I guess pork and beef items too, I just don't pay attention to those two items.

[QUOTE=BrotherP;2415501]The red elefante just pass the mamajuana bar is a fav. Good food and prices, very clean, one of the owners always present. [/QUOTE]Red Elefante and the Mamajuana Bar. Help me find both places? I probably passed them both about 100 times, just didn't know they were there.

Never mind, I think I found it. Above the restaurant and the menu board posted, there is a picture of a red elephant. The name of the restaurant says Elefante Rosso. Rosso is "Red" in Italian. So if anybody is looking for the words Red Elefante you wont see that. Look for Elefante Rosso and the small picture of the red elephant above the restaurant and menu board. Bro I used to go there all of the time. I just fell off.

I guess it's owned by the Italian lady with her Dominican husband/boyfriend? They cook, but also have cooks ( not sure if any are related to her? ).

It's located on Pedro Clisante. Jolly Roger and Matteo Seaside ( formerly Brittania ) restaurants are on the other side of the street. it has sidewalk seating and seating inside. Not a very big place, but very popular.

I love my almost daily walk thru town to the beach.

Lots of holas, smiles and the odd hug!

Yesterday an expat buddy joined me on my walk!

Turns out he knew more folks around town than I did! So he chose the lunch place on the beach.

It was a local holy day, so although there were lots of people on the beach, it was peaceful with no loud music blasting everywhere.

His two pretty servers came over to sit with us between customers, for a vodka cooler and a coke. The young server at the next shack caught my eye, and then she never stopped looking back. OK!

Chica's strolled by, smiling.

Here we were, two old guys having fun with young beauties with real jobs drinking cold beer on a tropical beach in the middle of a Northern winter!

Doesn't get better than this!

A young American friend of my buddy came over to join us, rich, polite, good looking, does not need a job, just his sports, and looks like he won life's lottery, Lol

But he was complaining that his local girl was giving him a hard time.

I've heard it all before, which is why I've always said it's the young guys who have the most trouble with DR chicas. They are normal, fall in love and expect the same. Goes for older guys with big egos, too! Lol

Old guys like us are only looking to have a little fun for a while, with no complications.

It was a good day, and picked up 3 new potentials, if I could ever find time to follow up!

Life is good!

(The food? We forgot all about it!, Lol)

[QUOTE=TomJackin;2415804]While the thread is consumed with food, I can only remember my favorite places to eat![/QUOTE]Jejeje! Thanks Tom J, for reminding me what the thread is for, and good to see your resurrection on the main theme, even when I happen to know that you are a foodie yourself, what with the Guinea pig in Colombia.

[QUOTE=TomJackin;2415804]While the thread is consumed with food, I can only remember my favorite places to eat![/QUOTE]Hamburger!

Big sign out front of Rumbas / Kings "NOW OPEN". The owner of Blue Ice told me that she will be open before Superbowl and that Classicos in fact will be open tomorrow. We'll see, I'll believe it when I see it.

Also saw 3 chicas inside Kings. 2 together in the open area. And one by herself trying to talk to guys posted up out front.

Pranitium, Merengue, Clasico, Bourbon Street and Blue Ice, nothing going on. Closure signs still posted. It's now wait and see.

[QUOTE=TomJackin;2415804]While the thread is consumed with food, I can only remember my favorite places to eat![/QUOTE]Besides being my favorite, absolutely the best tasting!

[QUOTE=Wrx2005;2415801]Aris #64, Mofongo King #74, and Jorge Mayra restaurant #64 are all on the same level IMO as far as the taste of their cooked fish.[/QUOTE]Very informative; I am going to try on my next visit.

Much appreciated.