Yesterday was a long day with the 3-1/2 hour drive to the eastern end of Hispaniola and the island's major resort area of Punta Cana. We have ensconced ourselves at the southernmost end of Punta Cana, literally at the end of the road in the reasonably new resort area called Cap Cana. Started about 4-5 years ago the area boasts what is expected to be the largest marina in the Caribbean facing the straits between the DR and Puerto Rico to the east (apparently a huge sport fishing area). He marina has many accommodations, shops and dining spots and is about 5-10 minutes north of us at the entrance to the thousands of acres complex. There are several golf courses for those inclined, a golf club with condo-like hotel, villas and bungalows; our exclusive destination the Villas at Caleton which number only 16, each with private pool, butler and literally thousands of square feet per villa (I believe Will is giving an extensive description in his "Samuel's travel diaries..."
After we arrived we ordered Samuel a superbly delicious hangar steak with a chimichurri sauce that was okay and not nearly as good as that made by our friend Mario in Guantanamera in NYC (this had lots of onion and cilantro leaves whole and much less garlic---Samuel did not like the leafy texture). After the babysitter arrived, Will and I headed up the steep limestone cliffs behind the villas (by car, not on foot!) to a beautiful location overseeing the entire region's twinkling lights below. This portion of CapCana has been chosen by the Trump folks for a huge hotel/condo/villa complex which has been temporarily put on hold for now due to the economic downtown (as has the entire Ritz-Carlton project planned for CapCana as well!). Anyway, the Trump folks do have FAITH at FARALLON (the name of the complex) which is a very beautiful dining spot that is elegant, yet casual with great views (maybe better for lunch) and decent to excellent food.
There was one waiter who spoke English (Italian, Spanish and a bit of French), so we were okay and the menu is multi-lingual as well. As we sat down small grappa glasses of lemon-passion fruit granita were brought out and we both managed to get the ices all over us as the glasses were not the right type to use for ices....they brought out different glasses, but the results were the same, so I waited until mine was melted to try and enjoy it.
At this point Will spotted a large dead bug (ant?) in my elegant Schott crystal wine glass OOPS! We did order a bottle of wine, but the glass was quickly replaced. The wine list listed CORVO BLANCO 2006 from Sicily as an Albarino (a Spanish varietal) which it is not; it is actually a Grecianico-Insolia blend and a decent buy at $32 to boot considering the prices we have been paying for wine in the capital. Our second wine was an even tastier CLOUDY BAY 2005 CHARDONNAY from New Zealand with the slightest hint of oak and lots of flavor for the fish and chicken we had.
The bread came with a small plate of herbed butter for each of us, but never a knife...so we just dipped the roll into the butter, which was luckily soft. We settled in enjoying the space with a large pool outside the window, wondering what it was for and the large central living room, giant potted palms and sliding glass doors to the kitchen beyond.
We both ordered the SOFT SHELL TEMPURA ROLL for an amazing $10 which was delish, but lacked more than a miniscule bite of crab in each slice. It was billed as with avocado and tobiko, and we wondered where that was too....no wonder it was $10!
Will had a nice FILETE ENROLLADO de POLLO en Salsa MEUNIER which had little shrimp filling, but was a moist chicken roulade with vegetables, and according to the menu "perfumed with truffle oil" which it barely was, I guess. My MEROT MURAT was an excellent piece of Grouper Filet sauteed with French mushrooms (were they really from France?), Artichokes and a very nice light Hollandaise Sauce (although I would not call it Hollandaise).
We decided to split a dessert called "FAITH" which was Pineapple Flambeed with Vanilla Ice Cream and a yummy caramel sauce..paid the bill and headed back down to our villa for bed.
With Faith was pretty and the food was not bad and too expensive, I hope we can do better while in CapCana for five days...
