Dominican Cuisine

Dominican cuisine is hearty, comforting country cooking, blending Spanish, African and indigenous Taino roots with the bounty of the Caribbean. The everyday staple is la bandera, the flag, a plate of white rice, red beans and stewed meat that most Dominicans eat at midday. The classic breakfast is mangú, mashed green plantains, often served with fried cheese, salami and eggs. The great celebratory dish is sancocho, a rich, slow-simmered stew of several meats and root vegetables, while the coasts offer fresh fish in coconut and garlic.

What you actually see

• La bandera - the everyday rice, beans and stewed meat.
• Mangú - the mashed-plantain breakfast with cheese, egg and salami.
• Sancocho - the rich, celebratory multi-meat stew.
• The seafood - the coconut and garlic fish of the coast.

When to go

Year-round; humble comedores and market eateries serve the everyday la bandera and mangú, while sancocho is a weekend and gathering dish. Fresh seafood is best on the coast. Wash it down with fresh tropical fruit juices, strong Dominican coffee or a cold Presidente beer.

Honest expectations

Dominican food is hearty, filling and starch-heavy, built on rice, beans and plantain rather than fiery spice or refinement, so its appeal is honest, satisfying comfort food. Resort buffets rarely do it justice; the real thing is at local comedores and homes. The fresh seafood, the beloved mangú and the rich sancocho, though, are genuinely delicious tastes of authentic Dominican life.

Nearby

Santo Domingo, every town and the coasts have their comedores and eateries.