Decided to take a trip to the southeastern part of the island with the family. Our goal was to visit the Punta Tuna Lighthouse in Maunabo, but first making a stop at Dulce&Salao (in Yabucoa) for lunch. After the hour drive we almost didn't eat here, though. It looked closed. We looped around and realized they were open. Street parking only. They have interior and exterior dining. The outside area, though, is only available in the late afternoons and evenings. It looks like it would be cool. On Thursdays they have salsa. Some nights they have wine events, others art exhibits, Djs, etc.. If you live or are staying nearby this would be a cool spot to hang.
We sat inside. It was about 1p, but they had the breakfast menu available. Our son wanted French toast, even though he had French toast for breakfast at home. We decided to order a single French toast with Nutella and whipped cream. It was very good. He loved it. My wife and I decided to go for the lunch menu. We started out with the soup of the day, which was a crema de malanga and the pegaitos de churrasco. The soup was more cheesy than creamy, but it had a good flavor to it. The pegaitos were also very good. They had an Asian flavor to it, like pepper steak with crunchy fried rice... a nice asian Puerto Rican fusion.
For the main course, I ordered the Pechuga Ducle&Salao, which was a chicken breast with almond, coconut, and panko breading and topped with a white sauce and Amarillos and cilantro. All main dishes come with one side and salad. I went with the arroz mamposteao. This was a very good dish. My wife's dish, aguacate relleno de pescado, was also very good. The avocado was nice and creamy, and the fish was tender. It came with some malanga chips. She added rice and beans. Everything was good and the portions were very generous. Add to that the friendly service and we have a nice experience. Only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the men's restroom could have been better taken care of. Also, the front of the restaurant is pretty beat down. Luckily the side looks very nice with the colorful mural. Next time we're in the area, this will definitely be an option. Maybe if we find a short term rental around we can experience the nightlife.
P.S. Unfortunately, we missed the lighthouse. It was closed when we arrived. At least lunch was good. read more