Chivo Liniero

In the dry northwest, the Línea Noroeste, goats browse on wild oregano and other scrub, and the claim locally is that this is what makes the meat different: chivo liniero is cooked in a sauce with bitter orange, oregano and rum, slow enough for the meat to fall apart, and it is the dish the region is known for across the country. Roadside restaurants along the northwestern highway sell little else.

What you actually see

• The oregano browse - the wild scrub the goats feed on in the dry northwest.
• The slow cooking - meat stewed until it falls apart in its sauce.
• The seasoning - bitter orange, oregano and rum in the pot.
• The roadside restaurants - the highway places that specialise in nothing else.

When to go

Year round; the dish is not seasonal. Lunchtime is when the restaurants are fullest. Holiday weekends see the most traffic on the highway.

Honest expectations

It is a heavy dish and portions are large. Quality varies widely between roadside places. The northwestern highway is a long drive from the main tourist areas.

Nearby

Monte Cristi is at the coast, and Dajabón is south on the border.