Delicious Dilemmas Aruba Island Gourmet

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Delicious Dilemmas by Susan Campbell Much as we hate to make you work while on holiday, with this island’s awesome gourmet dining scene you’ll have some very tough decisions to make. And it’s not only about choosing where to eat, but also deciding what to eat that will be just as challenging, wherever you go! Choices, choices, choices…

The meat of the matter

With hundreds of fine dining establishments and scads of quality casual spots, you will definitely have to put your brain back into working mode to figure out where you want to dine if you really want to get a true taste of all this island has to offer. Sorry we can’t make it any easier for you, but the local chefs have made it their business to tantalize your taste buds with far more than choices of fresh fish and perfectly prepared meats. They have gone so far above the basic dishes that it will boggle your mind. And to make it even more difficult to decide, we’ve selected some stellar dishes right off Aruba’s finest menus to illustrate the extent of your upcoming dining dilemmas!

Aruba’s proximity to South America ensures remarkable beef dishes, especially in the gauchostyle Argentinian grills where all-you-can-eat meat nights served on giant skewers will surely put you into a carnivore’s coma! But the island doesn’t stop there when it comes to importing top-quality meat. The first-rate steakhouses specialize in USDA prime, dry-aged cuts of beef, and though it’s difficult to improve upon a perfectly cooked steak, side sauces and dips to accompany them can also be de rigueur. How about béarnaise, Portobello port wine,

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chimichurri, horseradish, umami, goat cheese garlic, or chipotle lemon-herb… to name just a few? As well, wood-fired-style beef delivers such smoky goodness that it’s in a category of its own. Chefs are also adding extra spirits to prime beef dishes such as dark rum-infused blue cheese tenderloin, and filet mignon “Madagascar” with green peppercorn sauce and cognac. Hungry yet? Of course, surf and turf is always a popular option (especially when you can’t decide between meat and seafood), but more creative versions of the standard are also on tap like lobster and lamb combos or samurai surf and turf Asian style. And you can never go wrong with beef stroganoff: prime tenderloin flavored with cognac, red wine, mushrooms, and sour cream. Beyond the beef

Pork gets special treatment in many places with variations like tomahawk chops served on a bed of caramelized onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes with chipotle chutney, chimichurri,

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and Jack Daniel’s sauce. Also beyond beef, you’ll come across bratwurst with sauerkraut, Wiener schnitzel, jerk chicken, and Aruba’s famous goat stew, which all represent comfort food from various cultures. Even Switzerland gets in on the act with Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, a Swiss dish of veal tenderloin in a fresh mushroom and Riesling sauce. Making waves with fish and seafood

Beyond the endless meat options, the bounty from the ocean provides a diverse treasure chest of choice delights as well. Aruban fish, conch soups, and fresh fish from Zeerovers right out of the boat top the list for local specialties. Fish like mahi-mahi, grouper, and wahoo are usually fried or grilled and served with a rich, red creole sauce. You can also catch your own fish on a hosted fishing expedition and have it cooked for you at a dining room. So your decisions about what fresh fish to order might well be determined by the catch-of-the-day. Easier. !

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