old fashioned bakeries/diners in OSJ

[smurfm69]

Thanks Ann, I have learned a lot from other people's reviews so I hoped mine would help others. The conch fritters we ate, didn't taste rubbery. Have you read on here about the guy in San Juan that tries to scam people into giving them money? We didn't see him but ran into a couple that did and had given him some money.

[BC Gal Ann]

Smurfm69.

 

Thank you so much letting me know about the guy and his scam I read some of the posts and he would have gotten money from us for sure. It is unreal that people who scan others put so much energy into it.

 

Have you tried monfongo and is it as good as some say?

 

I am also thinking of just riding the trolley for the whole route if we have time, just to see some of the shops and building in San Juan. Do you think this is a good idea? Or maybe I will hire a taxi to just take us around.

 

Merry Christmas and all the very best to you and your family. :)

[Ms411]

Bcgal, a Puerto Rico resident advised me to order the mofongo "with sauce" or "sauced" and she also recommended Jibarito.

 

Some conch critters are very doughy, because they use too much bread dough. I usually order a conch dish that isn't fritters so you can taste the conch.

[BC Gal Ann]

Ms411, Thank you. We like any sauce, so one of us for sure will try it.

 

What does a conch taste like? :)

[smurfm69]

I was looking forward to trying mofongo, and was a little disappointed in it. It wasn't as good as I had expected. It could have been the place we got it from though. I would be willing to try it again from another place.

We did jump on the free trolley and rode it around the whole route and got off at the same spot we got on. It was a nice way to see some of old San Juan and didn't cost anything.

Hope you and your family had a nice Christmas too!

[orquidia]

Thank you so much Smurfm69 for the pictures of La Bombonera.

 

It looks like an older style diner - quite charming.

 

I am going to try one of those buns with jam. Did you try that bun with cheese and ham, as it looks like that's what is in it in the picture.

 

I also want to try the coffee leche (I am not sure what it actually is called)

 

Thanks again. :)

 

 

 

Café con Leche which means coffee with milk, puerto ricans do not use cream in their coffee, it is always served with milk and azucar morena is used also (caribbean brown sugar) Puerto Rican coffee is excellent but it is only sold in Puerto Rico, if you buy coffee in any coffee shop in PR it is 100% puerto rican, not colombian or brazilian, puerto rican coffee beans are not exported to foreign markets.

[BC Gal Ann]

Smurfm69 Thank you.

 

I am going to jump on the free trolley and see Old San Juan, does it go near the pier where Carnival docks?

 

After eating at La Bombonera, I am going to walk around and check out the shops.

 

Is there something in San Juan that a person should try or purchase?

 

I really appreciate all of the advise you have given to me. :)

[BC Gal Ann]

orquidia, Thank you.

 

With the Cafe Con Leche - is it steamed milk like a latte? As I really like my coffee hot.

 

I have never tried Puerto Rican coffee - I am looking forward to trying a cup or two. :)

[smurfm69]

Smurfm69 Thank you.

 

I am going to jump on the free trolley and see Old San Juan, does it go near the pier where Carnival docks?

 

After eating at La Bombonera, I am going to walk around and check out the shops.

 

Is there something in San Juan that a person should try or purchase?

 

I really appreciate all of the advise you have given to me. :)

 

One of the stops on the trolley ride is right by the place where you do the Segway tour along the water. You can see the ship from there. It's almost directly across the street from the CVS. We bought the usual souvenir stuff and got a Harley Davidson T shirt for my dad. The coffee is really good too. Happy to be able to help. :)

[BC Gal Ann]

Thanks Jerry,

 

It is really great to know that the trolley stops right by the segway tour. When they are finished they can hop on the trolley and meet us in downtown Old San Juan. I am going to try and find a map of the trolley route so we can decide where to meet up.

 

Have you ever purchased anything from the street vendors? I would love to try some ice cream, that I have never tasted before and so would my grand daughter.

 

You have given me so much information, that I feel that our day in San Juan is going to be amazing. :)

[Ashland]

Smurfm69 - wow... there was egg, ham and cheese in the bun (mallorcas) I may try one of those instead of the jam.

I just am not quite sure of the icing sugar on the top.

 

Do you drink your coffee with cream and was it good?

 

Thanks for sharing. :)

Just a sprinkling of powdered sugar is on top..also the fresh squeezed OJ...:p YUMMY !!!

[BC Gal Ann]

Ashland - thank you.

 

I am going to order the fresh squeezed orange juice for my granddaughter and maybe if I have room after the coffee - one for myself. :)

[Host Faith]

Thanks Jerry,

 

It is really great to know that the trolley stops right by the segway tour. When they are finished they can hop on the trolley and meet us in downtown Old San Juan. I am going to try and find a map of the trolley route so we can decide where to meet up.

 

Have you ever purchased anything from the street vendors? I would love to try some ice cream, that I have never tasted before and so would my grand daughter.

 

You have given me so much information, that I feel that our day in San Juan is going to be amazing. :)

 

You MUST try a shaved ice. I try and find a Piragua (shaved ice) cart whenever I'm in Old San Juan. My favorite flavor is the coconut- sweetened coconut milk over freshly shaved ice. Total yum, and just $2. Perfect on a hot day :)

 

 

[smurfm69]

Ahh yes the shaved ice! Down here in NOLA, we call them snowballs and have lots of snowball stands all over the metropolitan area. They are really good for cooling off on a hot day. The coconut is my favorite flavor too! We were there in the beginning of May and it was pretty hot.

[smurfm69]

Speaking of coconut, there is this small stand at the pier in St. Maarten, right by the ship. They sell this non alcoholic coconut smoothie for around $4 that is so yummy! I always end up getting 2 of them.

[BC Gal Ann]

Host Faith.

 

The shaved ice sounds so yummy. I will certainly make room for one of these. I love coconut.

The pictures sure make you want one now.

 

Thank you so much. :)

[BC Gal Ann]

Jerry,

 

I will look for the stand at the pier at St Maartens and pick up a coconut smoothie when I get off the ship and pick up another on the way back. Yum.... I am really looking forward to everything.

 

When you put NOLA on the post, I was not sure where it was, so I googled it and found out that you are from New Orleans... I am hoping one day to get there. It looks like a very special place.

I follow a recipe site that is from the Gulf Coast. Which I believe is somewhat close to you. The recipes sound delicious and so different from anything that I have eaten before.

 

If there is anything else you can recommend that I do in San Juan... you know I am so open to it...

 

Thank you again.

Ann from British Columbia Canada :)

[Ashland]

Speaking of coconut, there is this small stand at the pier in St. Maarten, right by the ship. They sell this non alcoholic coconut smoothie for around $4 that is so yummy! I always end up getting 2 of them.

Those are our favorites..Did you know they keep a bottle of Rum under the cabinet and will add it to your Coconut Smoothie (that's what the tip cup is for) ;):D

[Ashland]

Oh and we also love those conch fritters!

We have had the best Conch Fritters in St Thomas at Coconuts..those and a Bushwacker make for a Yummy treat :D

www.coconutsvi.com Enjoy this very popular place if/when at that port !!!

[smurfm69]

Jerry,

 

I will look for the stand at the pier at St Maartens and pick up a coconut smoothie when I get off the ship and pick up another on the way back. Yum.... I am really looking forward to everything.

 

When you put NOLA on the post, I was not sure where it was, so I googled it and found out that you are from New Orleans... I am hoping one day to get there. It looks like a very special place.

I follow a recipe site that is from the Gulf Coast. Which I believe is somewhat close to you. The recipes sound delicious and so different from anything that I have eaten before.

 

Yes the gulf coast is very close. We were pretty much living at ground zero for Katrina. The food down here really is the best! Be sure to let me know if you ever make it down to NOLA.

[smurfm69]

Those are our favorites..Did you know they keep a bottle of Rum under the cabinet and will add it to your Coconut Smoothie (that's what the tip cup is for) ;):D

 

Really??? I am going to be sure to get my smoothie "spiked" when we go there in October 2012. I may have to drink more than 2! lol

[BC Gal Ann]

Ashland, A shot of rum in the coconut smoothie sounds delicious. That is certainly a must try. Thanks for the heads up.

 

In St. Thomas, I am going to try to go to Coconuts restaurant to try the conch fritters, my husband will try the Bushwacker. It does sound like an interesting drink... I had to Google it as I had never heard of it before.

 

Thank you for sharing this information. :)

[BC Gal Ann]

Jerry,

 

Being at ground zero for Katrina must have been the most traumatic experience ever. I have seen videos, pictures and a documentary about New Orleans and Katrina and I could not believe my eyes. I also believe that what we saw, was only a small portion of what actually happened.

Unless a person experiences it, we can not imagine what you went through and how you felt.

 

Thank you so much for all of your help :)

[smurfm69]

Yeah we were pretty blown away by the things we saw when we first got to come back in the city. There were cars thrown around like toys, houses washed off their foundation and sitting in the middle of the street, dumpsters and boat trailers on top of people's houses, and mud everywhere. I hope I never have to go through anything like that again and don't wish that on anyone else. Things are much better now though.

[BC Gal Ann]

Jerry,

 

It is so hard to take in what you have written. I have never been in a hurricane and have no idea what that would be like. I can only imagine that my heart would be broken seeing where I live in ruins and so much destruction.

 

I hope that New Orleans has been rebuilt and that life is back to as normal as it can get experiencing something like that.

 

I thank you once again for all of the information you have given me for San Juan. I know that we are going to enjoy each and every moment.

 

I hope I do not gain too much weight , as I plan on trying everything that has been suggested. :)