Fajardo Dinnertime Eats

 
May I recommend the red snapper at Sal + Pimienta By The Sea. We ate here on our first night in Fajardo and were replete with delicious seafood meals after a fun but long road trip from the west coast. 

Since we were staying at the well known El Conquistador Resort via airbnb we were not allowed to access their restaurants. It felt like a bummer but in the end it made us get out and explore! 

Fajardo truly is a sleepy town at night. We felt a little off at times; there just isn't a ton going on! Everything closes pretty early and there is not a main section of town. Sal + Pimienta and La Estacion are on the main road but there's no foot traffic, no sidewalks, no street lights, nothing is a destination except the restaurants themselves I suppose.

La Estacion is apparently sort of famous! Housed in an abandoned Esso gas station serving Nuyorican BBQ; Fodor's and Conde Nast have it on best-of-lists for not only Puerto Rico but the Caribbean as a whole. Bob found it on a whim, it sits just down the road from La Conquistadors pearly, exclusive gates. I sipped a juicy Guanabana mojito, we shared tangy Caribbean chicken wings and a terrific BBQ tray. 

They are open Friday through Sunday only. 

Mon/Fri @ 4 pm and Sat/Sun @ 2 pm.

On our last night in town we decided to give Las Croabas neighborhood another go. This is what you might consider the "main area" in and around Seven Seas Beach. 

We explored Las Croabas on a couple different occasions for lunch and it was very quiet; the only restaurant open was Costa Mia right at Seven Seas. (We ate lunch here - it was fine - I did not take photos!) A lot of restaurants have odd hours (La Estacion as noted above), close for 2 days in a row, or simply did not exist! We could not trust google for anything factual. 

Is this Fajardo still emerging from a pandemic?

 A quiet time of year? 

Business as usual?

On our last night we discovered El Pescador, a charming seafood enclave on the small circular strip surrounding Parque Pasvio. Camden slept in the stroller. Ryder was well rested and could hang. They serve martinis in frosted sea blue glasses and bright, fresh fish dishes with rice + salads.

We were delighted.

Our 6 month old! Kind as could be with long brown curls, shiny blue eyes, taking everything in and enjoying the world around him!

Pineapple Flan was a sweet ending to an enlightened stay in a unique part of Puerto Rico!

If you visit:

Sal + Pimienta by the Sea

 Road 987 Km 2.7, 

Fajardo, 00738

La Estacion

Carr. 987 Km 4.20 

Las Croabas, Fajardo, 00738

El Pescadore

Carr. 987 Km 7.2 

Parque Pasivo, Fajardo, 00738

Ocean Prime

I want to say this was one of the most indulgent meals I've had in along time - but that would only be half true. Last week was a whirlwind of spontaneity out and about the city. First came the sushi bar at Super Fusion in Watertown - one of our favorites which never fails to impress. We had double toro maki and a caterpillar maki, alongside carafes of hot sake, edamame and more. Second, after a night at Hotel Envoy's Lookout (the new see and be seen rooftop bar) a visit to Dumpling Cafe in Chinatown where we enjoyed crab rangoon, a heaping plate of mango chicken, ice cold Sapporo, and loads of the pork and vegetable dumplings that made them a citywide craze. So So GOOD.

And third this week came Ocean Prime, the Seaports newest upscale chain. This Steakhouse is swanky and sophisticated with an extensive wine room. We go all out, I'm talking east and west coast Oysters on the half shell ($19) followed by an exceptional Ahi Tuna Tartare ($18) and a ridiculous Point Judith Calamari ($16) tossed with sweet chili sauce and cashews - for no other reason than it's Thursday and we've had a great week, why stop now! 

Traditional cocktails accompany our indulgent first courses - a Dirty Martini with bleu cheese stuffed olives and their own Manhattan ($15) that adds Rosemary Grapefruit Peppercorn bitters! 

My 8 oz Filet Mignon ($41) and Bob's 12 oz Bone in Filet ($50) are executed medium rare with a warm, pink center. Both are expertly seasoned, tender and juicy. To accessorize our steaks we order Black Truffle Butter ($6) which is a very good call. Our a la carte sides of Whipped Mashed Potatoes ($9) and Asparagus with Hollandaise ($11) are flawless. We perused the lengthy wine list for quite sometime and decided on an Argyle Pinot Noir ($65) from Willamette Valley, Oregon. (We visited their tasting room last October - it's always fun to pick a wine that brings back good memories!) Finally, there was Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie ($11) with fluffy peanut butter mouse and decadent bittersweet chocolate ganache . You definitely can't end a meal like this without dessert.

Ocean Prime

140 Seaport Boulevard

Boston, MA 02210

*this meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own*

Mont-Tremblant | Québec

Here we are at Mont-Tremblant - the third and final destination on our Quebec ski mountain road trip! From Château Bromont we headed Northwest through Montreal and two and a half hours later arrived at the Marriot Residence Inn Manior Labelle situated at the base of Tremblant's vibrant pedestrian village. A few minutes later we were bar side at Microbrasserie La Diable with some excellent craft beers, a cauldron of poutine and a toasty, cheesy croque monsieur. I'm glad we discovered this chill microbrewery first-thing as it would not be our last time here!

We settled comfortably into our one-room suite situated on the on third floor of the front tower; with a small balcony overlooking the ski trail below. The living room décor and color scheme felt outdated while the kitchen was fully updated with stainless steel appliances and black granite counter tops. Steps away the Cabriolet Lift was a two minute ride up and over the village to the gondola base, while Voyageur trail looped around the village directly back to the hotels front door. Ski racks are appropriately placed here and locks are given at check in so you can be sure to secure your gear overnight. Cabriolet-out / ski-in accommodations could not have been more fun and convenient! 

Other hotel highlights included the dueling outdoor hot tubs and easy-access underground parking reached by the hotels central elevators. The only thing I found to be lacking was the continental breakfast. While there were plenty of options, the food didn't stack up and each morning when we arrived it was smokey / someone was burning something in the kitchen! We stuck to the waffle maker. If it wasn't complimentary I would have gone out for crepes. 

We stocked the fridge with our favorite local goodies collected over the past 4 days: St-Ambroise Double IPA (Montreal), Archibald - La Matante Blonde Ale (Quebec City) +  Domaine Pinnacle Ice Cider (Cantons De L'est).

We skied two full days - the first with local ambassador, Norm, who knew the mountain ins and outs, the history, and the meaning behind each trail name. I loved having our own personal concierge and the fact that he kept referring to me as a "reporter"! Day one was foggy with low visibility and some rain in the afternoon, while day two brought sunshine and blue sky with deceivingly chillier temps. The snow coverage was terrific with packed powder conditions. It was key to follow where the sun hit on day two, it made all the difference between soft moguls and chattery, icy slopes. Tremblant has a great variety of terrain on both north and south facing slopes (Versant Nord, Versant Sud). My favorite runs included: Zig-Zag and Haut Tension for steep bumps, Nansen Haut for a long green circle cruiser, and La Griffe and Laurentienne for fast blacks.

For après be sure to check out Le Shack where the top of the village meets the ski slope. A Bloody Caesar on La Forge patio in the late afternoon sunshine hits the spot. The lower section of the village is defined by old rustic wooden lodges turned restaurants (O Wok, Savoie), bars (La Diable, Le P'tit Caribou) and even some chic nightclubs (Jackalope Lounge). Back in the day these adorable little buildings were actually situated trail side and where skiers would spend the night. 

Featuring Thai and Chinese dishes, O Wok has seamlessly blended a modern Asian aesthetic into their rustic lodge. We had lunch here in our ski boots, which consisted of a Hot Sake Carafe, Steamed Pork Dumplings ($9) and flavorful, toothsome noodle bowls. I couldn't get enough of Le Pad Sew au Boef ($19) loaded with tender savory beef, thai basil, mushrooms, pepper and onions. Bob enjoyed a traditional Le Pad Thai Au Crevettes ($22). 

One evening we had dinner at Gypsy, a Mediterranean Tapas bar located at the village's Le Westin Resort. The urban chic atmosphere of the glorified lobby restaurant didn't quite mesh with the vibe of a ski village or resemble a Spanish inspired Tapas bar, so the whole thing felt confused. It simply read like a well designed lobby space that might - and in fact did - serve a nice cocktail so we started with Dirty Martinis. 

I was disappointed to see only three wines by the glass - inconspicuously listed among the bottles. Tapas bar or hotel lobby bar, identity crisis or not, I'd expect a few more choices either way. As far as the tapas themselves go the patatas bravas were underwhelming, but, fortunately, the rest of the dishes were a success. Shrimp a la Grand Mariner, soft grilled pita and red pepper hummus, perfectly seared scallops with avocado mousse, the lamb burger and the pork shank all proved satisfying!

The restaurant truly not to miss in Mont-Tremblant is La Savoie - an authentic Swiss Fondue and Raclette eatery. It is popular with families and makes the top of my must visit list in Tremblant thanks to a combination of the warm, cozy Swiss Alpes inspired atmosphere, our all around excellent server and the incredible experience of eating piping hot, bubbly, rich, tangy and creamy melted raclette cheese scraped off the wheel over potatoes, dill gherkins, pearl onions and dried meats like Parma Ham and Salami. La Raclette Savoyard ($50pp) includes all of the above as well as a lightly dressed green salad to balance out all the cheese and meat. A visit to La Savoie is not complete without Chocolate Fondue for dessert. A platter of marshmallows, shortcake, sliced bananas and strawberries are provided for dipping in a warm bowl of silky milk chocolate. 

There were quite a few large groups and families in for an early dinner (6 pm) and I know there was a second dinner seating around 8 pm (as we were unable to push our reservation back when we inquired). They obviously book up fast on weekends so make sure to get a reservation in advance.

In the heart of the Lauretians, Mont-Tremblant is a destination worthy ski resort for everyone from couples like us, to families, to large groups of friends. With a European inspired pedestrian village offering a wide range of cuisine, nightlife and shopping, you are sure to have a unique and memorable experience if you make the trip!

 Mont-Tremblant

1000 Chemin des Voyageurs
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec J8E 1T1, CANADA

*our accommodations, ski tickets, and most meals (not including alcohol or tip) were covered by Tourisme Quebec. Prices listed are in CAD. All opinions are my own*