- Oh (beep) hot! - [Videographer] Don't burn your mouth. You have three more days of eating. (woman laughs) (upbeat music) - Stunning beaches, rich cultural history, and a lively, welcoming atmosphere. These are some of the
trademarks of Puerto Rico. Super hydrated and electrolytes coursing through my veins right now. Like many places, the best parts of Puerto Rico are reflected
in its vibrant food scene. Some of the tastiest bites can be found along the coast where
fresh, local ingredients are transformed into crispy,
crunchy, delicious street food with indigenous Taino, African,
and European influences. Dishes like (speaking
in foreign language). (food crunches)
(upbeat music continues) That's a tasty (speaking
in foreign language). Guiding me on my journey
is my friend Mima Benitez, a local food enthusiast
with a packed Rolodex of all the best spots on the island. How would you describe Puerto
Rican food to an outsider? - I think it's very
expressive and very flavorful, and I think it's reflected
on the cuisine, I think. - [Bryan] The first stop on our trip, family owned Kiosko El Boricua in the coastal area of Pinones, about 10 miles outside of San Juan. Pinones is an incredible
place, reflecting the island's vibrant Afro-Caribbean
culture and cuisine. - More fresher than
this, you can't get it. - On one side of the narrow
main road, the beach. On the other, countless bars, restaurants, and chinchorros, open air fry
shacks offering a wide variety of traditional Puerto Rican delicacies. These beach side hangouts are widely known for their convenient and casual vibe. It's a good choice, good stop here. You know? El Boricua is famous
for their alcapurrias, fritters made from a
dough of green plantains and root vegetables that have been filled with a savory mixture of
either seafood or meat. So let's try this land crab. That's a really unique flavor on the crab, but this is very tender. Some chinchorros shape
the dough and filling in either a sea grape
leaf or a banana leaf and then fry them over an open flame. - This meat, you can find in other dishes. - Yeah, it's like a picadillo, right? - Exactly. It's like a picadillo. But the (speaking in foreign
language) is more authentic. - Yeah, more unique to the area. That's good, though. And then there are the
ever popular street snacks (speaking in foreign language), a mixture of salted codfish or (speaking
in foreign language), mixed with flour and seasonings and fried until golden and crisp. Think fried dough, but a crunchier more
savory seafood version. - I love the crunchy outside. They put crushed garlic also. And this is the (speaking
in foreign language). - This is one of my favorites Kiosko El Boricua was a
delicious introduction to Puerto Rican cuisine, and we still had a lot
of eating ahead of us. (upbeat music) The next day, we decided to
check out Kiosko La Comay, one of the oldest chinchurros in Pinones. Like Kiosko El Boricua,
La Comay is family owned and is 50 feet from the beach. - (speaking in foreign language) - (speaking in foreign language) - The owner, Rafael,
likes to be around people. So he manages the front of the house. His wife Luz is the
mastermind and cook behind all of La Comay's legendary recipes, and we shamelessly ordered half the menu. We started out slow
with alcapurrias filled with both land crab and
beef, as well as Luz's fan favorite (speaking
in foreign language). La Comay's alcapurrias are also shaped in a sea grape leaf before frying, but they make their dough with
a mixture of yucca, yautia, and a pinch of green banana. Light and crispy with
a little bit of chew. I'm glad we ate light for round one, because we had a lot more food on the way. What do you think is the
best thing on the menu? - (speaking in foreign language) - So that's what we ordered: land crab rice and beans
with a big wedge of avocado, conch salad, (speaking
in foreign language) and a pianono, fried plantain wrapped around a savory filling of stewed meat. First of all, the rice
is perfectly cooked. The crab itself though--
- It's so tasty. - How the crab is stewed in that sauce. I'm so impressed by the simple red beans. Like, when people do 'em well, they're just really phenomenal. The conch salad.
- This is conch. (speaking in foreign language), and you top it with a
(speaking in foreign language) or the (speaking in
foreign language) the same. - The conch, I know it
can be really tough, but this is super--
- This is very soft. - Super tender. I could totally live off that. - The original pianono is like a strip of the ripe plantain fried, and they mash the plantain
because it's easier to the volume they handle here and stuffed with the stewed meat. - And I love the... The beef is super savory but against the sweet sweetness of the maduro it's really nice. - Wow.
- Definitely special. - Cheers.
- Cheers. For our last stop, we
headed about 50 miles west to Pura Pesca, a restaurant
in the quaint beach town of Barceloneta. Located right on a black sand beach, Pura Pesca is owned by Daniel Reyes, a passionate cook who comes from a long line of local fishermen. In true Puerto Rican fashion, he welcomed us with a
feast of house specialties. Daniel, thank you so much
for having us at Pura Pesca. Can you tell us a little
bit about what the menu is, what the specialty of the house is and whatever else we have
here on the on the table? - (speaking in foreign language) - So this is the mahi-mahi
that's caught locally. - [Daniel] (speaking in foreign language) - Mm. The dough is so light. What do you cook the fish with? - (speaking in foreign language) - All the local farmers, they
bring all those ingredients for the sofrito and they process
all those vegetables here. - (speaking in foreign language) - And so you said that the taco puras are made of green bananas? - Yes. Only green banana and salt. It's everything. - They cook it slowly for
the inside to cook properly, and then you want it
golden on the outside. - Yeah, these are also fatter. They seem like they have more filling than some of the other
ones I've seen in Pinones. - (speaking in foreign language) - Tear some of this open. That's that's some of the best. Are they hard to make? Do you make 'em in your hand? - Yeah.
- Really? - (speaking in foreign language) - Compared to the other
alcapurrias I've have had, the dough is much lighter and more tender. - (speaking in foreign language) - How many? - (speaking in foreign language) - Whoa! Really? Last but certainly not
least, the arroz con huez, rice cooked with fresh land crab, which permeates every grain
with that delicious crab flavor. I didn't realize land
crab is such a big part of the culture in the cuisine. It's fantastic, man, I love it. You're a very talented cook. Daniel was an amazing host and
his menu was a true testament to the Puerto Rican way
of using the freshest, most readily available local ingredients to create outstanding traditional fare. To say I was blown away
by the food and the people of Puerto Rico's coastal communities would be an understatement. Everywhere we went, fantastic fried bites and fresh seafood dishes were made with pride by tight-knit
family-run kitchens with unbelievably fresh,
locally sourced ingredients. It truly is some of the
best cuisine and hospitality you'll find anywhere in the world. I am super in love with
my new friend Puerto Rico. Thank you so much to Mima
Benitez for hosting me this week and showing me the best of
what the island has to offer. If you've been in Puerto Rico and you feel like I missed something during my stay, throw it in the comment section down below and don't threaten me with a good time, 'cause I will be back. For more stories from the road, go to cookscountry.com. That's a www. On the road!
