Thursday, June 16, 2011

Dining in Nicaragua One: Guapote

Guapote is a fine fish to eat. This fish belongs to the cichlid group of fish, a very aggressive predator, and the name is pronounced “wa-po-te”.
We were staying at a place on the isthmus between the volcanoes on Ometepe island in Lake Nicaragua. Not much of a place by gringo standards, but clean sheets, fans and not too many bitey things. And a restaurant. This was comprised of a couple of plastic tables with plastic chairs set out on the rear porch. The kitchen was an open air affair, wood burning stove, and an old coke cooler, chest type, for refrigeration. Thatch roof and open air. Rats usually seen running along the rafters waiting to grab something left carelessly out. The grill was a couple of pieces of rebar, bent and sagging from years of use, with a single log underneath providing the heat and smoke.
I had a grilled guapote, crosshatched in one inch squares with garlic rubbed into the cuts. This beauty was grilled to a charred perfection, along with several others for other people, and served with lime, rice and beans and I don’t remember what else. And Victoria beer, of course. The fish was probably the best I have ever eaten, bar none. The ambience was wonderful, the company outstanding and the beer cold and plentiful. Of course a bottle of 7 year old rum was on the table.
Now there might be some dispute over “Victoria” versus “Tonya” beer, but other than that, all agreed it was a great meal. And it was my birthday to boot. What a treat.
Image: www.panoramio.com. Typical way to serve guapote.

No comments: