Seeing as I was traveling to the Dominican Republic and it was unsafe to leave the resort grounds, I did not think there would be many options when it came to eating. But to my surprise, I discovered some amazing #EEEEATS at my resort's restaurants.
#SpoonTip: I stayed at the Be Live Collection Marien in Puerto Plata.
Here's how to work your way through the hotel's buffet:
Passion Fruit
A fruit native to the Dominican Republic's climate, passion fruit is used in just about everything. At breakfast, I enjoyed eating the fruit straight from the skin or mixed in fruit juice. The long list of health benefits commonly attributed to passion fruit is due to the nutrient, mineral, and vitamin content of the fruit, which includes antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, fiber, and protein. So why not kick everyday off with this super fruit from now on?
Plantains
When it comes to fruit, it's easy to decipher which is which simply by sight. That, however, is not the case with plantains. Thinking I was scooping some slices of banana on my plate, I actually was surprised to discover that they were plantains. I eat plantain chips regularly at home and occasionally on the side of my meal at a local cuban restaurant, so the taste was nothing foreign to me.
Once I made the discovery that my hotel had these, I tried to incorporate them into my everyday diet knowing they help regulate the digestive system and are rich in potassium, which combats the effect of sodium on your blood pressure (and not to mention they're super tasty, too).
Piña Colada
This was by far my go-to drink on (and off) the beach each day (non-alcoholic of course). The refreshing blend of pineapple and coconut left my taste buds wanting more. Too bad my resort only served it in extremely small plastic cups.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Another basic vacation drink, a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri is the perfect pick-me-up drink to enjoy by the poolside or on the beach as well. I also had one some nights at dinner with my meal to keep an equal balance between the savory and sweet.
Churro
A Spanish delicacy, a warm churro with cinnamon sugar is perfect to pair with coffee at breakfast. My resort actually had a churro chef at the breakfast buffet, so when I was craving something sweet, I made sure to grab one occasionally on some mornings.
Tres Leches
Another Spanish delicacy, my resort's Mexican restaurant served a delicious tres leches cake, prepared almost identical to the video above. I'm having severe nostalgia just thinking about it now!
Sorbet Assortment
When it comes to the choice between ice cream and sorbet, I usually wind up leaning towards ice cream. But because it was so hot, I certainly did not mind shifting towards the sorbet option because it tends to be a nice refreshment. The Greek restaurant at my resort served a sorbet trio for dessert, with passion fruit, lime, and strawberry flavors. No complaints there, that's for sure.
I hope these foods inspire you to be adventurous and try them out for yourself if you are ever traveling to the Dominican Republic!