RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK
A PERSONAL REVIEW OF RESTAURANTS AROUND THE WORLD

MI CUSHINA
ARUBA

You should try to hit this restaurant during your visit to Aruba because they turn out some good local food.

We've eaten here several times over the many years we've been visiting Aruba and I'll always remember our first visit the best.

It was around 12:30 in the afternoon when we arrived for lunch.  The owner personally seated us and proudly informed us about the daily special -- Iguana stew!  My fellow diners gave each other "that" look but the owner raved about it.  His pitch went like this, I still remember it:
"We have a special and this special is Iguana stew.  You will like it, this I guarantee.  If you don't like it your meal will be free." 

I asked him if it was fresh and where they got the iguanas.  His response: "Oh yes, day are very fresh.  We go out with da bee bee gun when the parking lot gets very hot and we shoot dem in da head."

Okay, I had to try it and it was okay.  I got part of the poor little green guy's boney head in my bowl (I was the only one who was brave enough to try it) and the broth was good.  The meat tasted like----oh, I don't know?  Maybe similar to chicken. 

Looking back I'm sorry I ate one of the cute little critters and you won't have the choice to make because harvesting iguana is now illegal on the island.

For true Aruban food try a baked, stuffed baby gouda cheese wheel called keeshi yena.  The other diners at the table tried fish with a typical Aruban creole sauce.  I think the fish was barracuda that day.  It is commonly found on menus in Aruba and is quite good.  A warning, however.  You've got to know what you're doing when it comes to barracuda.  Big ones are off limits and all barracuda are taboo in some areas due to the danger of a nasty fish poisoning called ciguetara.  The ones offered in Aruba are just fine and very tasty.

Mi Cushina does not have a web site.  They are located at Cura Cabai #24 in Noord.  I'm a little confused about their current phone number.  One is listed as 848335.  Another one lists this number 011-2978-48335 and yet another number starts with a 586 prefix.  Check when you get there.

ADDITIONAL ARUBA RESTAURANT REVIEWS:

Amazonia
Brisas del Mar
Buccaneer
Cafe Baci
Chalet Suisse
Charlie's Bar
El Gaucho
Gasparito
Laguna Fish Market
Marina Pirata
Old Cunucu House
Valentino's