Don't go home without sampling the worthwhile local cuisine. Here's some help with the menu:
Bananas hasa -- Fried plantains served as a side dish in Curaçao.
Bitterballen -- Deep-fried balls of puréed meat, popular in Curaçao.
Empanadas -- Similar to pastechis but smaller and made with cornmeal rather than flour.
Frickendel -- Tiny deep-fried hot dogs popular in Curaçao.
Funchi -- Cornmeal polenta.
Giambo -- A thick gumbo made with fish filets, salted beef, okra, fresh basil (yerba di hole), and shrimp.
Keshi yena -- Edam or Gouda cheese rinds stuffed with beef, chicken, fish, or shrimp, embellished with raisins, grated cheese, bread crumbs, olives, capers, and spices; created by frugal Dutch colonists who had to stretch their provisions to last until the next ship arrived, this recipe ensured that nothing would be wasted.
Kesio -- Eggy caramel custard with caramel sauce.
Pan bati -- A thick, sweet, corn bread-like pancake cut in thin wedges and served as a side.
Pastechi -- A crescent-shaped, deep-fried turnover filled with spicy meat, shrimp, fish, or cheese; popular for breakfast and as a snack.
Ponche crema -- Creamy eggnoglike drink laced with rum and flavored with nutmeg.
Pudin di coco -- Coconut pudding made with rum and served with lime sauce.
Salsa creollo -- Red, sweet Creole sauce made of tomatoes, onions, and peppers and served with fish.
Sopinan -- Soups made with salt pork or beef, whole fish, shellfish, greens, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and spices; more common in Curaçao.
Stoba -- Hearty stew made with chicken, beef, goat, conch, or fish.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
