Curacao Traditional Foods

[HealthyTouch101]

We have decided to walk around town on our own and see the Temple and other things, since HAL does not have the Jewish history tour offered on our trip.

 

When I do this, I like to try local foods that may be unusual. After some research, I see that there is a dish called "Stuffed Cheese" that I would like to try. It is also called KeshiYena.

 

Read about iguana stew and may try that; if you know of a good one there, please tell me where.

 

And thee are two cornmeal based foods called funchi and tutu that sounded tasty, since we like cornmeal/polenta/grits. Tutu adds black-eyed peas.

 

If you know of any location where I might get these local foods, please note them. Within walking distance of ships is perfect (within a mile) and street stalls are no problem.

 

Thanks.

[curacao]

We have decided to walk around town on our own and see the Temple and other things, since HAL does not have the Jewish history tour offered on our trip.

 

When I do this, I like to try local foods that may be unusual. After some research, I see that there is a dish called "Stuffed Cheese" that I would like to try. It is also called KeshiYena.

 

Read about iguana stew and may try that; if you know of a good one there, please tell me where.

 

And thee are two cornmeal based foods called funchi and tutu that sounded tasty, since we like cornmeal/polenta/grits. Tutu adds black-eyed peas.

 

If you know of any location where I might get these local foods, please note them. Within walking distance of ships is perfect (within a mile) and street stalls are no problem.

 

Thanks.

 

My local favorite "local" food is Bittenballen (SP?) I don't eat Iguana but I only know of one place where they serve Iguana, and it at Joanchi's in Westpunt, which is not in your mileage range. Sorry. Maybe Curacaoqueen knows where to eat Iguana ... Ft. Nassau ???

[HealthyTouch101]

Thanks, but I am more interested in the other items than iguana. It sounds like the Old Market will have food vendors I will enjoy. I just wondered if they had these traditional foods where tourists might find them there easily.

 

Some of our favorite memories of travel involve street foods.

[Isa65]

At the Plasa Bieu you will get all kinds of traditional food (funchi, beef stew, goat stew, fried red snapper, conch, tutu, rep'i pampuna - pumpkin pancake- etc). You will not find Iguana very easily in the downtown area.

Your best bet is the Plasa Bieu (Old Market) as all the food there is fresh, delicious and cheap.

[curacaoqueen]

The Old market is awesome, really good food and cheap prices, we had pumpkin pancake with fried fish, oh so yummy

[cruiseapril]

We are fond of the bitterballen and kroketten we had in Curacao. They are kind of like croquettes- at Fort Nassau in Curacao we would have them with a hot mustard sauce and also have a nice rum planters punch.

 

Wonder if Fort Nassau still has them?

[Isa65]

We are fond of the bitterballen and kroketten we had in Curacao. They are kind of like croquettes- at Fort Nassau in Curacao we would have them with a hot mustard sauce and also have a nice rum planters punch.

 

Wonder if Fort Nassau still has them?

 

Yes, they do. You can actually order bitterballen at each cafe as an appetizer. When you're in the downtown area you can order these at Iguana Cafe or better yet at Plein Cafe Wilhelmina (end of the main street), Cafe De Buren or Cafe De Tijd.

[HealthyTouch101]

Thanks everyone. The Old Market sounds perfect for us, after we tour the Temple.

 

Looking forward to some new flavors.

[Isa65]

You can also ask the ladies for a sampler plate. You'll get a little bit of beef stew, chicken, fish, whatever.

 

The best stall in my opinion is Yvonne (very first stall when you enter). Bon apetit!

[CanadaBunny]

Do these recommendations apply to dinner too? My ship gets in at 1 pm, then I have an excursion from 1:30 to 5 pm, so I'm hoping to have dinner somewhere that offers local dishes - ideally within walking distance from the ship, but I'm open to taking a short taxi ride somewhere too. Suggestions?

[Quasar1011]

Is that the Old Market between the Waaigatplein and the WWII monument?

[HealthyTouch101]

Just back from a visit there. The Old Market is a bit out of the way--we ended up finding it by hit or miss. I cannot give an address, but ask locals, like we did. I said I wanted the old market and funchi and I got there eventually. Unfortunately, on our arrival, it was near 4 PM and not a stall was open, though coals were still hot and pans with stuck food were on a stovetop. There were a 3 people at tables, but we didn't linger, as it was obviously closed. I wouldn't try there for anything but lunch.

 

I forgot to add, that the Old Market is a concrete block building with the flag painted on top. You enter from either end. There are picnic tables inside to sit at. I wish I'd known that, I was looking for an open-air type market with street vendors, not bricks and mortar.

 

We were happy with a stop at a cafe for beer and snacks: http://www.eetcafedeburen.com/index.php?pg=3 We tried the bitterballen, frikendellen, and the krokets. The bathroom was usable and the food was quick. Reasonably priced and we were ready for a break in the shade.