The New Pueblito Paisa, Aruba

If you’re looking for stick to your ribs kind of food, there’s a place in San Nicolaas, Aruba called The New Pueblito Paisa. This restaurant is operated by a nice Colombian woman who I’ve gotten to know over the years. The food, as you would expect, is Colombian, including the famous Bandeja Paisa platter, oxtail soup, and homemade fruit drinks. It’s on a corner of Helfrichstraat.

With an exterior painted like that, it’s hard to miss. I sat at the counter for many hours, writing, learning Spanish from the waitresses, and watching the people come and go. Pueblito is very popular with the refinery workers who phone in their orders. The best time for lunch is about 11:15, right before the big rush, or after 1:00 when it is over. Either way, the food will fill you up. For example, the other day I ordered the lomito platter, which is a steak pounded flat, grilled and sauced. It comes with fries, rice and a small salad. I took the photo after the salad was gone.

That was tasty! Filled me up for the rest of the day. The Chuleta Colombiana is a pork chop pounded flat, battered and fried. The batter has enough garlic to last three days. Excellent. Again, this isn’t the place if you’re worried about cholesterol or salt. But, if you’re working hard these meals will give you the energy to keep going. Of course, my desert is the beloved, and ice-cold, Coca Cola.

Notice that plate in the background is about wiped clean. More important, that can of Coca-Cola is frosty cold, exactly as it should be. Never accept less.

Published in: on August 16, 2008 at 10:24 am  Leave a Comment  
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Huchada Pasteleria, Aruba

The post will preempt one about my favorite pastry shop in New York City. However, just last night, I visited the Huchada Pasteleria in Santa Cruz, Aruba. I’ve been driving past this place for years. For some reason, I never stopped in. This may have been a good thing because now that I know how good the pastry is, I will be gaining tons of weight. First, here’s a look at the place from the outside so you can find it when you’re next on the island.

To get to it, take the main highway SOUTH from the airport. At the traffic light in Balashi, turn LEFT. Go up the hill into Santa Cruz. Go through several lights and keep looking to the right. After you pass the Mondo Nobo Grocery, you are only a few hundred yards away. It is there on the right, you can’t miss it. Be careful. This is a busy road and many people are in a hurry as you’re keeping an eye peeled for this joint. It’s worth it.

Let me say I’ve been a connoisseur of fine pastry since 1986 when I lived in New York City, about three blocks from the best pastry shop in the world, bar none. Those are my credentials, that and the fact that I ate a pastry most every day for four years and gained about 25 pounds in the process. Fine pedigree. Anyway, here’s a photo of what Huchada baked yesterday.

Naturally, they were tremendously busy, so I could only get one more shot before the patrons started barking at me. Here it is.

Now, since this was my first time here, I purchased four different items, rather slices of four different items. One a chocolate layer cake with shavings on top, one mocha layer-cake like thing, one pistachio flavored Napoleon-type thing, and another almond crusted Napoleon-type thing. After a delicious dinner cooked by a friend, my wife and I sampled the aforementioned goodies. DIOS MIO! They were the best pastry I’ve had in Aruba and only a very, very close second to my haunt in NYC. No kidding. They were that good. Just keep them COLD, ice-cold. Don’t mess around, get them in the fridge and serve them cold.

Lesson of the day: Don’t drive by a pastry shop for (literally) ten years without giving it a try. It may be awesome like this one. I might also mention that the ladies behind the counter wear handsome uniforms the way they used to in bakeries in the USA years ago. They’re friendly and got a kick out of me taking photos for the blog. This is a MUST-STOP for a regular to the island.

Published in: on August 13, 2008 at 2:03 pm  Comments (2)  
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Aruba Snack, Part 1

There are literally hundreds of tiny snack shops scattered about the island of Aruba. For a guy who loves road food (actually all kinds of food except for seafood), this is good and bad. It’s good because whenever or wherever you have an urge to boost the cholesterol level you’re free to pull in and load up. It’s bad because the cholesterol level pegs in the red zone and the belt continues to get shorter. (Wish I had one of those extensions like they have on airplanes.)

 The Sabor “snack shack” is only a few minutes drive from my house. It happens to be on the main road which has me passing it most every time I head out. It also happens to be located immediately adjacent to a nice guy who does some fine aluminum gates and fences if you happen to need that kind of thing at your own place. Anyway, I wheel in here from time to time for the local cuisine which they call “criollo” but I’m not sure that it is anything like “creole.” They sell “pastechi” which are sort of like giant empanadas, little sandwiches made to order, and cold drinks. The lady working here has a smile for all of us, including this unshaven, sloppy-looking writer who speaks some modicum of Spanish and Papiamento.

You didn’t think I was going to skip a chance to enjoy an ICE-COLD Coca-Cola did you? Of course not! Feeling refreshed, I’m ready to head back to the pens and paper and crank out another couple or three thousand words on the current novel, Under A Blue Flag.

You may have noticed the title of this post involved the term, “Part 1.” Slow by slow, I’ll put up some more of my favorite joints like this. I have to warn you. They’re not for the culinarily timid. The food is hearty even if it is not good for your heart. Don’t forget: Prepay the cardiologist and SAVE BIG TIME!

And I just remembered the rum shops. I have to get those posts up, too.

Published in: on August 4, 2008 at 11:44 am  Leave a Comment  
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My Friend Rossy (Rosie)

Rossy likes to pronounce her name like “Rosie” as it would sound in English. She’s originally from the Dominican Republic, but lives in Aruba and works at a Dunkin Donuts shop. Here she is.

I’m looking a bit bedraggled after writing from the wee hours into the dawn. (Been working on the sequel to An Island Away at a furious pace.) I stopped by Rossy’s shop for a box of donuts to take to my friends who live in San Nicolaas. We hang out in the morning, usually between 6:30 and 8:00 when the breeze is fresh and the sun isn’t blazing.

Anyway, Rossy always has a smile for us. She’s also taught me a good bit of Spanish. Her good cheer is contagious and even if things aren’t going right, Rossy can put you in the right mood simply by telling you not to worry about whatever is bothering you.

So, let me say “thanks” to Rossy. You make the early mornings sweet.

Published in: on August 2, 2008 at 11:43 am  Comments (1)  
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