This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of attending the third annual Caparra Culinary Fest. It featured live music, a variety of liquors, delicious wines, cooking demos, and decadent eats by some of the best restaurants in Puerto Rico. What more can you ask for right?
I came prepared for the event (eating small meals during the day), so I was able to get a taste of most, if not all of the restaurants. Can you say food coma? I particularly enjoyed that the samples offered to the public consisted of dishes that are available at the restaurants, and not dishes that were prepared solely for the culinary fest. It’s a win-win situation for both the restaurants and the people in attendance since they get to taste food from restaurants which they might have not visited, but now will visit because of what they tasted. With that in mind, the following is a list of our top three favorite dishes at the Culinary Fest.
Number 1: Casa Lola
Dish: Classic Risotto topped with Chickpea and Orocovis Sausage Stew (Risotto Clásico con Gandules y Longaniza de Orocovis)
This dish was our favorite of the night. The combination of flavors just blew our minds. The risotto was delicious and creamy and complemented beautifully the savory chickpea and Orocovis sausage stew. It was so good that I came in for seconds. We have never been to Casa Lola, but you can bet we will be paying a visit to them soon after what we tasted.
Number 2: Zest
Dish: Grilled Octopus, Chorizo Vinaigrette and Arugula Salad (Pulpo a la Plancha)
Chef Raul Correa, Executive Chef at Zest, was at the booth and prepared the dish right before our eyes. The octopus was extremely tender and flavorful. The rich and pungent flavored arugula proved to be the perfect companion to the surprisingly refreshing chorizo vinaigrette. The dish was innovative and a feast for the senses. You can expect us to pay a visit to Zest in the near future.
Number 3: Caramelo
Dish: Ropa Vieja with Congri Rice (Ropa Vieja con Arroz Congrí)
Ropa Vieja literally means “old clothes”, however, don’t let the name fool you, this delicious shredded beef stew packed with flavor just hit the spot. The congri rice was hearty and did not disappoint. We had no doubt we would enjoy this dish since we are fans of the food at Caramelo.
Last but not least, no dinner is complete without dessert, right? Our favorite dessert came from the hands of Vanilla Bean Cupcakery. It was a decadent Nutella cupcake. No doubt it was a crowd pleaser since I managed to get my hands on the last one.
Overall, we had an amazing time at the Caparra Culinary Fest and can’t wait for its next edition. Did you attend the Caparra Culinary Fest? We are dying to hear what your favorite dishes were or if you agree with our picks. Have a great day foodies!
You might also like
