|
| |
| |
|
EATING AND DRINKING |
| |
Belizean food is a distinctive mix of Latin America and the
Caribbean, with Creole "rice and beans" dominating the scene, but with
plenty of other important influences. Mexican empanadas are as common as
pizza, chow mein and hamburgers. In a few places Belizean food is a real
treat, with particularly good seafood, but in all too many others it's a
neglected art.
Where to eat
The quality of the food in Belize rarely bears much relation to the
appearance of the restaurant it's served in, whether you're eating in a
bar, a café or a smart-looking restaurant. Out on the islands and in
small seashore villages some restaurants are...
The quality of the food in Belize rarely bears much relation to the
appearance of the restaurant it's served in, whether you're eating in a
bar, a café or a smart-looking restaurant. Out on the islands and in
small seashore villages some restaurants are little more than thatched
shelters, with open sides and sand floors, while in other places you'll
find upmarket hotels with polished floors, tablecloths and napkins. Most
places, however, are somewhere between the two, serving up good food
without too much concern for presentation. You'll soon become accustomed
to the fact that lunch hour (noon-1pm) is observed with almost religious
devotion. Abandon any hope of getting anything else done and tuck in
with the locals. Only in Belize City, San Pedro and Placencia is there
much choice, with fast-food and snack bars sprouting on street corners
along with a few surprisingly elegant restaurants.
Travelling , you'll find that food sometimes comes to you, as street
traders offer up tamales, empanadas , hamburgers (literally a slice of
canned ham served in a bun) and fruit to waiting bus passengers,
although the practice isn't nearly as common as elsewhere in Central
America.
What to eat
The basis of any Creole meal is rice and beans , and this features
heavily in smaller restaurants. In many cases it means just that, with
the rice and beans cooked together in coconut oil and flavoured with
recado (a mild ground...
The basis of any Creole meal is rice and beans , and this features
heavily in smaller restaurants. In many cases it means just that, with
the rice and beans cooked together in coconut oil and flavoured with
recado (a mild ground pepper) and often with a chunk of salted pork
thrown in for extra taste, but usually it's served with chicken, fish or
beef, and backed up by some kind of sauce. Vegetables are scarce in
Creole food but there's often a side dish of potato salad and fried
plantains, and sometimes flour tortillas (the maize tortillas so common
in Guatemala and some other Central American countries are rarely served
here). At its best Creole food is delicious, taking the best from the
sea and blending it with coconut and spices. But all too often what you
get is a stodgy mass, with little in the way of flavour.
Vegetarians will find the pickings slim. There are no specifically
vegetarian restaurants, but in the main tourist resorts there's often a
meat-free choice on the menu. Otherwise, you're likely to be offered
chicken or ham if you say you don't eat meat. The fruit is good and
there are some locally produced vegetables, but they're rarely served in
restaurants. Your best bet outside the main tourist areas will be a
Chinese restaurant.
Seafood is almost always excellent. Red snapper or grouper is invariably
fantastic, and you might also try a barracuda steak, conch fritters or a
plate of fresh (though usually farmed) shrimp . In San Pedro, Caye
Caulker and Placencia the food can be exceptional, and the only concern
is that you might get bored with lobster , which is served in an amazing
range of dishes: pasta with lobster sauce, lobster and scrambled eggs,
lobster chow mein or even lobster curry. The closed season for lobster
is from February to June. Turtle is still on the menu in a few places,
in theory only during the short open season, but note that this is a
threatened species, and by even tasting it - or any other wild animal -
you'll be contributing to its extinction.
Chinese food will probably turn out to be an important part of your trip,
and when there's little else on offer Belize's many Chinese restaurants
are usually a safe bet. Other Belizean ethnic minorities are now
starting to break into the restaurant trade: there's a good Lebanese
restaurant in Belize City and excellent Sri Lankan and Indian
restaurants in San Ignacio.
Drinks
The most basic drinks to accompany food are water, beer and the usual
soft drinks. Belikin, Belize's main beer , comes in five varieties:
lager-type bottled and draught beer; bottled stout (a rich, dark beer);
and...
The most basic drinks to accompany food are water, beer and the usual
soft drinks. Belikin, Belize's main beer , comes in five varieties:
lager-type bottled and draught beer; bottled stout (a rich, dark beer);
and Lighthouse, Premium and Supreme, more expensive bottled beers and
often all you'll be able to get in upmarket hotels and restaurants. The
Belikin brewery also produces bottled Guinness . Cashew-nut and berry
wines , rich and full-bodied, are bottled and sold in some villages, and
you can also get hold of imported wine, though it's far from cheap.
Local rum , in both dark and clear varieties, is the best deal in
Belizean alcohol. The locally produced gin, brandy and vodka are poor
imitations - cheap and fairly nasty.
Non-alcoholic alternatives include the predictable array of soft drinks.
Despite the number of citrus plantations, fruit juices are rarely
available, though you can sometimes get orange juice. Tap water , in the
towns at least, is safe but highly chlorinated, and many villages (though
not Caye Caulker) now have a potable water system. Pure rainwater is
usually available in the countryside and on the cayes. Filtered bottled
water and mineral water are sold everywhere.
Coffee , except in the best establishments, will almost certainly be
instant. Tea , due to the British influence, is a popular hot drink, as
are Milo and Ovaltine (malted milky drinks). One last drink that
deserves a mention is seaweed , a strange blend of seaweed, milk,
cinnamon, sugar and cream. If you see someone selling this on a street
corner, give it a try. |
| |
|
