San Juan, Puerto Rico: December 2008

Recently someone asked me about the best food I had in San Juan, and I realized that I never blogged about one of the most amazing eateries I've found in all of my travels! My mistake! Well, here it is:

If I had to submit my "must eat" San Juan foodie destination, it would be Panadería España Repostería on the main strip in Isla Verde. I was lucky enough to live super close to this place, although it took me a month to try it because it is always packed with locals (I was inimidated!). I wish I had tried it sooner, this is really a gourmet haven on a strip lined with Burger Kings and Long John Silvers. It is a Spanish deli/bakery/anything you could possibly want-ery, and all of their (amazing) food is freshly made daily. Their selection of sandwiches feature freshly carved (not briney "deli-style") meats, like pastrami (my fave), cubano, lechón, steak, etc. Their soup selection was actually my favorite, as their fabada (a Spanish bean stew) and Caldo Callego are to DIE for. They are served in a big bowl with hunks of buttery, garlicky bread. Those soups are one of the things I miss most about Puerto Rico! Next up are all sorts of salads, like ensalada de pulpo (octopus salad), ensalada de camarones (shrimp salad), and potato salad. They also have a selection of fritters and other fried goodies, which I never tried but I am sure are delicious, as they are big sellers. Other Spanish favorites include tortilla española with or without Spanish chorizo, fresh paella, and tons of cured Serrano ham. To top it all off, there is a dessert selection to top all dessert selections. With more gourmet cakes, pies, and pastries than you could possibly want to try in the balmy San Juan humidity, Panadería España rounds out its delicious food selection, making it far and beyond my favorite foodie destination in all of San Juan.

Oh, I wish I had bowl of fabada at this very moment, and I don't even have a picture of it...I guess I'll have to wait until the next time I visit San Juan. :(