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The Dominican Republic offers its own special comida criolla, a delicious melding of Spanish, African, and indigenous Taíno cuisines. The results, sometimes spicy, oftentimes hearty, and always delicious, are sure to appeal to travelers who venture into the island's small, locally-owned restaurants.
Many vacationers who visit the Dominican Republic find themselves in fancy all-inclusive resorts with packages that include a full meal plan. The fare at these hotels often includes a full assortment of international cuisines and styles from fast food burgers to Chinese, and Italian food to buffets. But travelers who confine themselves to these options are missing out on the wonderfully colorful and diverse culinary options available outside of the resorts.
With the mixing of the indigenous Taíno, the Spanish, and the imported African slaves who worked on the sugar cane plantations, the cuisine on the island became an interesting combination of influences and spices which now rivals any cuisine in the Caribbean. Santo Domingo has a large selection of both local and international-style restaurants, and small mom-and-pop establishments throughout the island are a good way to get a feel for the cuisine.
The cuisine in the Dominican Republic is based largely on combinations of meat, rice, beans, vegetables, and stews. Chicken and goat are both widely eaten, but beef, pork, and seafood are all readily available. La bandera, the national dish, is a popular combination of white rice, red beans, fried plantains, vegetables, and some sort of meat, usually broiled, grilled, or fried chicken. Sancocho, another widely eaten dish, is a stew made of five meats served with rice and vegetables. Many dishes are served with fried plantains (plátanos), red or black beans, peas, and vegetables. Seafood available on the island includes lambi (conch), chillo (red snapper), mero (seabass), and cangrejo (crab). Other popular dishes on the island include the following.
A breakfast favorite is scrambled eggs and mangú, a cassava or plantain which can be boiled, fried, or mashed with onion, cheese, or fried meat.
Arroz con pollo and sopa de polla are both popular chicken and rice dishes, the latter being served in a stew.
Chivo is a roasted goat dish, and variations of the dish can be found throughout the different regions of the country.
Mondongo is a stew made of entrails and tripe.
Food in the Dominican Republic, especially seafood, is often prepared in different ways or with different accompanying stews. The following is a list of some of the preparations you may encounter.
Sofrito, a hearty and spicy stew prevalent in Puerto Rico, is made with peppers, tomatoes, herbs such as cilantro, and other ingredients to flavor rice and meat.
Criolla, is a spicy tomato based sauce that adds flair to meats and starches.
Con coco is a coconut, garlic, and tomato sauce used on fish.
These are just a few of the inventive ways that chefs in the Dominican Republic garnish, flavor, and season their foods. Other sauces feature oregano, garlic, lemon, cream, and tomatoes - all with mouthwatering results.
As far as beverages are concerned, vacationers will find the unique coffee and orange juice to be heavily sweetened, but among the best that they have ever sampled. Warm weather favorites include coconut water or milk, fruit drinks, and fruit shakes. The beer of choice on the island is Presidente. Barceló and Bermúdez are popular rums.
Vacationers to the Dominican Republic who take the opportunity to experiment and indulge in local cuisine will not disappoint their stomachs.
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The unique culture of the Dominican Republic has been influenced by a number of factors.
Use this article to help you understand more about the history of the Dominican Republic.