Amantina’s Dominican Kitchen—Where Love Is the Main Ingredient

After a couple of long days of travel on my recent trip to the Dominican Republic, I wasn’t feeling well, thanks to a stomach virus. When I arrived in Los Patos, a small town in the southwestern corner of the country, I had no appetite, yet I knew I was hungry.

The question was—what could I eat that wouldn’t bother my stomach?

A local Dominican man name Papo had the answer. Well, actually, his wife—Amantina—did. He suggested that my friend Ely and I look for her and their mini restaurant over at the Los Patos swimming hole we planned to visit and to see what was on the menu for the day. We could also store our things in the kitchen for free.

Amantina would “take care of us,” he said.

Papo, a friendly local and restaurant owner

As I would soon discover, he meant it. She really would take care of us—and help me feel better somehow.

We found Amantina as soon as we arrived, partially because of the name “Papo Super Frita” painted on the food stand, but mostly because she was one of the warmest/friendliest people there.

I told her about my stomach and asked for her advice. She suggested “moro de guandules con coco” (rice with pigeon peas and coconut), which had just been made. It sounded good and seemed OK for my stomach, so I ordered it.

Amantina and Papo: married couple and mini restaurant/food stand owners

A Surprise Cook

About 15 minutes later, a young Haitian woman served me the meal. I took the first bite and thought “wow.  I’ve had some great rice and beans–believe me–but this time, it was out of this world. I was truly in food heaven.

“This is so delicious,” I told the girl, after I called her back. My appetite had been restored and I was feeling better by the minute. I wanted her to know how pleased I was with the meal.

“I made the rice,” she told me, her eyes full of pride. I was surprised and happy to hear it. I thought she was only the server. I had no idea that she’d done the cooking!

“Really? Well, great job!” She was now grinning from ear to ear. I think I made her day. Or perhaps she made mine.

When she smiled, I felt her positive vibes and realized there was a special ingredient in the rice that I would not necessarily have found elsewhere that day. Something that made the meal even better.

Love.

She exuded it and I’m sure it went into her cooking somehow. I’ve experienced that in certain meals before, and when it happens, there’s nothing like it.

What was her secret?

Where did that positive energy come from?

Sure enough, she is Amantina and Papo’s daughter!

Ona and her father, Papo

It turns out that they adopted her when she was a little girl. They also have biological children whom they adore. Whatever situation had led her to be available as a child was irrelevant; what mattered was that they took her in and cared for.

And I could see they’d done a great job. This was obvious in how they treated her and in how she turned out. And in how she cooked. The love was there.

A couple days later, when I returned to the town, I saw the family again. I was invited to their home and got to sit on their porch and enjoy a late-afternoon chat. I met other relatives, too. The extended family, in fact.

When it was time to go, Ona kept me company as I waited for the local guagua–the mini bus. I knew she was tired and had things to do, but she insisted on staying with me. And I was glad. I wanted to know her better.

We chatted about her life and her plans for the future, which she hopes will marriage and children. “I’m very happy,” she said. “I like my job and I love my family.” One look at her smile and there’s no doubt that it’s true. ”

Ona--Haitian woman and fantastic cook

The mini bus didn’t come for about 45 minutes, and I didn’t mind. The conversation continued. I felt like I had a little sister for a while, and it put a smile on my face and warmed my heart. I could see that Ona was happy just being with me, chatting and enjoying the moment. And I felt the same about her.

I don’t know when or if I’ll see her again, but she and her family will always be in my heart. Mi corazón, as they say in Spanish.

Amantina's Kitchen

How About You?

Have you had any amazing home-cooked meals, by locals, while traveling? If so, where were you? What did you have? Did you feel the love that went into the food?

Have you ever cooked any meals with locals while traveling? Or taken cooking classes abroad? If so, what was it like? Feel free to share a link in your comment if relevant.

Want to Make Moro de Guandules con Coco (rice, pigeon peas and coconut)?

Here’s a recipe that looks great; I think I might want to try it!

Here’s another recipe, on YouTube that looks good, too. It has pork in it, though, so if you’re a vegetarian, you’ll need to modify it.

Can’t Get Enough?

Want to read about more locals? Click here for more in the Meet the Locals series and other related posts (eg, Random Travel Moments).