Langostinos a la Papi

The little beach town of Cabarete is an unspoiled gem. It doesn't get the massive amount of tourists that flood into Punta Cana or some of the other resorts towns. However, it's just as beautiful. For the most part, Cabarete is free of major developments and maintains a local vibe (have the recession to thank/blame for that). There is one large hotel further up the beach and some of the bars can get a bit noisy... however, if you want to experience a relaxing Dominican beach town with local flavor, Cabarete is the place to go.

On this particular evening, I got a tip about a little seafood restaurant that specialized in langostinos and camarónes: La Casita De Dom Alfredo Papi. I was warned that the prices would be a bit high and it's the one place that will be filled with tourists... however, the langostinos a la Papi were supposed to be "to die for". Plus, the ambiance of eating on a beach (during winter) with the sand in your toes was worth a few extra dollars. My parents and I decided to give Papis a try. The food was great and the service was extremely slow (which was perfect since we had no where to go!)... got to enjoy our surroundings all evening.

(sorry, the langostinos were gone before I could take a photo)

Fresh Fruit While You Wait

If I had not been in the midst of drinking an ice cold Presidente, I might have enjoyed some fresh fruit juice from one of the women balancing baskets on their head. They were not successful selling to me this afternoon, but the business seemed to be thriving with the other tourists on the beach. 

"Ice Cold" Presidentes

In the Dominican, when they say that the beer is "ice cold", they literally mean it... the beer is kept buried in ice and is served just above freezing temperatures. It's a great refreshment after spending an afternoon in the hot caribbean sun. 

Local Flavor in Cabarete

Beachfront property in Cabarete!

One evening I decided to get dinner in the little beach town of Cabarete (on the Northern Coast of the Dominican). It was a cool little place with nice boutiques, good food, and fun beachfront bars. Before dinner, I took a little walk around the town and tried to capture some of the "local flavor".

The local transportation.

Nice colors/texture.

There's light at the end of the tunnel (and a nice beach as well)

Looking down the row of beach restaurants and bars.

The street scene