Yemanja, Aruba (December 2013)

Another great meal at Yemanja, a wood-fired grill restaurant in Oranjestaad, Aruba, DWI. This place gets things right from start to finish. There are various seating options including inside, outside, and at the bar. Have a look:

Seating at Yemanja restaurant, Aruba.

Seating at Yemanja restaurant, Aruba.

And here’s the bar:

Bar area at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

Bar area at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

You can have a nice drink there before or after your meal. Moving on to the food… as mentioned, this is a “wood-fired grill” place, so there are some great meat options. But let’s start with our greens, namely the salad with prosciutto that you see in the next photo:

Salad with prosciutto at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

Salad with prosciutto at Yemanja, Aruba, DWI.

If you’d like a salad with scallops, well, take a look:

Mixed salad with scallops at Yemanja, Aruba.

Mixed salad with scallops at Yemanja, Aruba.

Those are just two ways to begin a great meal. There are other options that you’ll find on the menu to satisfy various tastes. Now, for a couple of meat choices, you might like the rib eye that you see here:

Yemanja, Aruba serves this rib eye.

Yemanja, Aruba serves this rib eye.

Or, you might like the filet mignon that is served in two pieces, which is a favorite of mine.

Filet mignon at Yemanja, Aruba.

Filet mignon at Yemanja, Aruba.

I like the french fried onions as a garnish, just the right flavor kick. Service here is excellent and mindful of all things, including my water glass. Sorry, no room for dessert, maybe next time. There will be a next time, because Yemanja is on my regular list of places while in Aruba. Hope to make a video there soon. Bon dia.

Sunday BBQ, Aruba, (iPhone video)

Needing a good reason to test the video capabilities of my iPhone 4s, I ventured to my usual Sunday BBQ joint in Paradera, Aruba. The correct name for this joint is “Lady Face.” It is operated by a bunch of Chinese people who work hard nearly every day of the year.  On Sundays, they fire up the charcoal grills and roast a bunch of chicken and ribs that are a staple for many families on the weekend. For the current price (December 2013) of 15 florins (about $8USD) you get 1/4 chicken, 1/4 rack of ribs, rice, cole slaw, and a chunk of corn on the cob. Not a bad price for all that food. So, here’s the video that shows you the whole process:

Wow, what a feed! Not for the timid stomachs out there, but very filling, which means nothing to eat until tomorrow. Bon dia!

Rincón Criollo, Aruba

Rincón Criollo is a Cuban restaurant located on the main road in the middle of Savaneta, Aruba. You can’t miss the place because here’s a view:

Rincón Criollo restaurant, Savaneta, Aruba.

Rincón Criollo restaurant, Savaneta, Aruba.

A very nice and eager fellow operates the business. Here you’ll find hearty food at very reasonable prices. If you like Cuban style coffee, which a friend of mine does, you can have that as well. Here’s a look inside:

Interior, Rincón Criollo restaurant, Savaneta, Aruba.

Interior, Rincón Criollo restaurant, Savaneta, Aruba.

So, starting light, here’s a look at a plain salad:

Mixed salad at Rincón Criollo restaurant, Aruba.

Mixed salad at Rincón Criollo restaurant, Aruba.

I was in the mood for something more filling and with with the carne a la planca, which you see in the next photo:

Carne a la plancha at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

Carne a la plancha at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

While we were there, we bumped into other friends, one of whom was enjoying a fried chicken dish you see next:

Fried chicken at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

Fried chicken at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

For those of you interested in the current menu with prices, here’s a final photo:

Menu at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

Menu at Rincón Criollo, Savaneta, Aruba.

While not shown in this post, I did eat here before and had the Cuban Sandwich. Very good and exactly what you’d expect. Therefore, if you’re on the road in Aruba (maybe headed back and forth to Baby Beach or just riding around) stop by this place for some friendly atmosphere and decent food that will keep you on budget. Bon dia.

Wine Station

Walking through the Miami International Airport, I passed by this clever device, appropriately labeled “WINE STATION.”

Wine Station vino dispenser.

Wine Station vino dispenser.

These machines have been around for a long time, serving restaurants and bars by providing a convenient way to dispense wine by the glass while keeping what remains in the bottle fresh. Clever idea, one I think would be very helpful for home use. Hmmmm…..