On the first day, my friends and I stopped at one of many roadside/beachside stands for a late breakfast. Our host was Miguel, a large man wearing sunglasses and a festive shirt. We were some of the first customers including a few locals hanging out drinking ice-cold Medallas.
A few in my group followed suit and quenched their thirst with the local brew - I ordered a Sprite and the only two items on the menu: plantain soup and a chicken skewer with a slice of bread. The soup was a brothy yellowish color, maybe a chicken stock. Like sunken treasure, on the bottom of the bowl was rice, bits of ham, pieces of spicy sausage, and what I assume must have been plantain. The flavor was salty and savory, but with a hint of sweetness. The chicken came off the grill with delicious charred bits and was slathered in a spicy sauce that burned just enough to get me sweating, (or was that the tropical heat??) but still had a tangy, smoky flavor.
Not a bad start to my Caribbean getaway.
