Cactus Jack’s, Aruba

Cactus Jack’s is a fun restaurant that just opened in “The Village,” a new commercial development in the high-rise hotel area of Aruba. I decided to give this place a try because I had a hankering for rotisserie chicken. Here’s what it said on the menu.

balashi_menuI didn’t hesitate and promptly ordered up the above mentioned item. However, first I started with the shrimp as an appetizer and here’s what arrived at the table.

cactusjacks_shrimpReaders of this blog know that I’m not a beer drinker, so that Amstel Bright is the possession of my wife. Anyway, the rotisserie chicken came a short while later. I was not disappointed as you can see from the following photo.

cactusjacks_chickenThat’s plenty of food, almost enough for two people. And it was excellent. Cooked thoroughly but still juicy on the inside, exactly the way I like it. If you’re staying in the high-rise area from the Holiday Inn down to the Westin, you can easily walk to this joint and any others in its vicinity. For a quick, casual, reasonably priced meal, Cactus Jack’s should be on the list.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Rincón Colombiana, Aruba

Rincón Colombia is a great little Colombian restaurant located on Main Street in San Nicolaas. You’ll find this place just a block down the street from the World Famous Charlie’s Bar. I’ve been snacking here for years and find the food delicious, economical, and very reliable. One of my favorite dishes is the chuleta colombiana, pictured below.

rincon_chuletaThat’s a breaded and fried pork chop seen above. Very filling, plenty of garlic, fries and rice in case you need the double-starch calories. Then there is the lomito, which you’ve seen before in my other posts but one more look won’t hurt. Here it is.

rincon_lomitoCan’t beat that after a hard day at the foundry. You’ll see plenty of locals, both of Colombian descent and other nationalities eating here every day (closed Sunday). Go early or after the lunch rush. They also serve fruit smoothies and homemade drinks that will perk you right up after a morning at the beach.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Tia Rosa Snack Truck

The Tia Rosa Snack Truck is located just south of the Pos Chikito circle in Aruba. It used to be in another location, but moved last year. Many people stop here for the pastiche and other local snacks. Here’s a photo of the joint.

tiarosaDon’t be fooled by this photo, which I took on Sunday when the place is closed. They open early, at 4AM for those of us who stay out all night in San Nicolaas, and do a steady trade through most of the day. You’ll frequently see a line here. But, it’s worth the wait. I pop in for an ice-cold Coca-Cola or something small when the mood strikes.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 8, 2009 at 6:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Prepared to Grill!

After several delays, I’ve finally got my grill together and supplied with copious amounts of liquid propane fuel. This is a nice unit, one I shipped to Aruba last year. Take a look.

grillauaI set it up in the little courtyard outside my house. I’ll be adding some seating, a table, a few tiki lights and be ready to go. Nothing like cooking over a flame. Takes you right back to caveman days and tastes good, too.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Published in: on March 3, 2009 at 3:31 pm  Comments (1)  
Tags: , , , , , , , ,