Review of the Flavors of San Juan Tour

A unique combination of history, culture, and fine food, Flavors of San Juan is a terrific way to get a taste (pardon the pun) of the old city at night in the company of a friendly and knowledgeable local guide. For a night out on the town, I highly recommend it.

So there we were, running through Cristo Street escaping a sudden downpour. Our second restaurant of the night, Rosa de Triana, was a few blocks away, so we decided to duck into a neighborhood bar. While we waited, our guide and founder of Flavors of San Juan, Leslie Padró, asked if the group would like to sample the local Don Q Rum. Naturally, she received a rousing yes, and so she pulled out her credit card and bought us all a drink, even though it was an impromptu stop not on the tour. We left feeling a bit damp, but cheerful and hungry for more. And those few minutes encapsulated what Leslie and her wonderful tour are all about.

The concept is ingenious: a tour of the old city, stopping at four restaurants to sample some of the foods that represent Puerto Rican cuisine. Along the way, Leslie (who has done her research to discover anecdotes not found in most guidebooks) talks about the ingredients of comida criolla, the architecture of the city, and other insights into Viejo San Juan. The key to Leslie's tour is that she, like the rest of us, is a customer. The meals aren't freebies accompanied by hard marketing. The selection of restaurants often changes to keep the tour original and organic. And the manageable size of the group keeps things intimate and manageable.

Our first stop on the tour was the no-frills Cafe El Punto, a local eatery off Fortaleza Street. While Leslie displayed and explained some of the basics of Puerto Rican cuisine (the difference between green plantains and bananas, for example), we munched on tostones rellenos, or stuffed tostones. This hearty and flavorful dish is a specialty of this spot, and owner Raul dropped in to explain that all of his ingredients are brought fresh from the nearby La Placita market.

From there we made our way to Rosa de Triana (with the bar in between), where we dined on traditional Spanish tapas, the food of the mother country, in a typically Spanish setting. Between chorizo and garlic shrimp, we received an unexpected bonus: a brief but powerful flamenco singing performance. After a brief stop at the El Convento Hotel for a bit of history (ask Leslie about the portrait of Saint John on his cellphone), we checked in at Bodega Chic for mojitos and Belgian French fries. Puerto Rican? Not at all, but with fries this good, served with the house mayo, and an atmosphere so, well, chic, it made for a pleasant interlude. Finally, we ended at Aureola for a special dessert sampler not found on the regular menu.

Four restaurants, four different types of food, and a fun, educational, and interesting tour wedged in between courses. That's what Leslie Padró and Flavors of San Juan is all about.