Casa de Campo Living » CCL Reviews

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: The Salon de Belleza

Rebecca — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:36:15 +0000

Casa de Campo’s Salon de Belleza or Beauty Salon is everything a salon should be; clean, tidy, bright and most importantly relaxing!

The staff are so talented, friendly and efficient that you can relax with a magazine and a nice cup of tea and know that your hair and/or nails are in good hands!

I love this salon so much that I am doing a ‘Casa de Campo Living Review’ on it – so that all of you, my readers will be inspired to visit, maybe spice up your own hair style and treat yourselves to some really nice pampering!

Undoubtedly the best thing about this Salon is the people! Jhoanny and Dolares, the two hair stylists are just wonderful! They are very friendly, and always keen to please, of course, they are not the only 2 members of staff and all the ladies I have met in the Salon have been very pleasant, efficient and welcoming – it is their smiles and eagerness to please which makes this salon stand out as being so great! As well as the staff, I always enjoy chatting to the other ladies (men and children) who are there having their hair and nails done, everyone is always friendly and willing to gossip!

However, having friendly staff does not a good salon make! When I went to have my hair cut, coloured, styled and blow dried, Jhoanny very patiently went through all the different options, colour tints, hair styles and listened very carefully when I explained what I wanted – which must have been difficult as I wasn’t even sure what I wanted! In fact I was so indecisive that when I sat down and Jhoanny set to work on me I was a little worried I had been a little too vague, but Jhoanny seemed so confident that I relaxed and was more than happy reading my magazine until she was done!

In the end, I was thrilled with my hair cut, the colour and everything – despite my inability to explain what I wanted, Jhoanny did a superb job and my new hair cut/color was exactly what I wanted!

The Salon de Belleza, which used to be located in the main hotel area, has now moved – it is now on the road between the hotel and the Links/Teeth of the Dog golf pro shop, opposite from the lake.

And here are a few other Casa de Campo ladies, I captured getting their hair done:

To make a reservation call: 809-523-82244 – don’t worry they speak good English!

And here I am ‘modelling’ my new haircut and my new pretty pink dress – nothing boosts your confidence like a new hair cut!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Onno’s Sunday BBQ

Rebecca — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:50:04 +0000

In Altos de Chavon, every Sunday is “BBQ Sunday” at Onno’s Bar – the perfect opportunity to relax with your friends or family with a good burger or sausage served straight off the BBQ. Last Sunday the 4th of July was the first “BBQ Sunday” and Casa de Campo Living was invited by Nathan Bailey, owner of Onno’s Bar to experience and enjoy the BBQ, the relaxed atmosphere and a few chilled beers.

Onno’s Bar is known as one of Casa de Campo’s nightlife hotspots – with a live DJ and drinks offers every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights which attract Casa de Campo’s younger ‘party’ crowd, BUT with Sunday BBQ’s Onno’s Bar is offering a perfect FAMILY option!

Believe it or not, Onno’s Bar Sunday BBQ’s which starts at 6PM, is ideal for families wanting to relax and spend a little time together – with spacious outdoor seating, the big bean bags for the kids to sit/play on, ‘chilled out’ music and good food at great prices.

This past Sunday, we ventured up to Onno’s Bar to try out the ‘Sunday BBQ’ for ourselves and were very pleasantly surprised – the BBQ had been set up outside on the terrace, so the smell of freshly cooked burgers and sausages wafted over the outside seating area – delicious and very tempting!

As for the food itself, it was in my humble opinion, delicious – the hotdogs were so good I tried to eat 3 (I ordered 1, then another 2, but only managed to eat 2 and a half, I’m not a complete pig!) As for the burgers, we tried the Bacon Cheese Burger, which you could only describe as ‘fully loaded’ with crispy bacon piled high and plenty of cheese melted atop of the bacon and more cheese melted and gushing below the meat – not for dieters, but very tasty!

The ‘fully loaded’ Bacon-Cheeseburger

Between 6PM and 9PM is Family Fun time – the perfect chance for parents to relax and kids to play and eat in a safe space, however, from 9PM Onno’s ups the tempo with some more ‘up-beat’ music for the ‘younger’ crowd.

Last Sunday, when we were there, being young-ish ourselves we actually arrived late and so enjoyed our burgers (and 3 hotdogs) with the ‘younger crowd,’ here are my photos:

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Tropical Day Dream massage at the Cygalle Healing Spa

Rebecca — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:36:08 +0000

The Cygalle Healing Spa in the Casa de Campo hotel is a haven of tranquilty, where you can forget your worries and enjoy a truely relaxing experience for your mind and body. As one of the Cygalle Healing Spa’s biggest fans, I have enjoyed most of what they have to offer – in this article I ‘review’ their ‘Tropical Day Dream massage.’

Arriving at the spa for my massage I felt particularly stressed, but the efficient and friendly welcome staff quickly put me at ease and as soon as I walked into my private massage cabaña I had already forgotten all my worries…..

Before my massage began, my masseuse, whose name was Doris invited me to watch my fruit body mask being prepared, (you can see the ingredients in the photo above), the mask is made with 100% natural ingredients – fresh seasonal fruit, aloe vera and organic yogurt, for my mask we used pineapple, mango, passion fruit, banana and papaya. Doris put all the ingredients into a mixer and made my body mask – which looked and smelt like a smoothie, I kind of wished I could eat it!!

The massage begins with an organic cane sugar exfoliation, which is also made fresh (you can see the ingredients in the photo above) and once I had changed out of my clothes and slipped into a robe in the luxury of the private cabaña bathroom I was ready to be scrubbed and pampered!

Being a very busy girl (soo many parties, so little time), I don’t often get the chance to pamper myself so my body fully appreciated the exfoliation which was thorough, but gentle and massaging all at the same time.

After the exfoliation, came the frothy body mask which ‘we’ had made earlier – Doris smoothed the fruity mixture over my freshly exfoliated skin and when I was fully covered, wrapped me up in the towels to keep me warm and left me and my body to absorb the goodness.

By the end of my massage I felt relaxed and vitalised and now having relived the experience, I’m wondering when I can squeeze in another visit to the spa….

To read about my ‘Hot Stone massage’ experience at the Cygalle Healing Spa, click here and to read about my ‘modelling experience in the Cygalle Healing Spa click here.

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: AquaNautas Helmet Diving in Bayahibe

Rebecca — Sun, 02 May 2010 12:20:44 +0000

AquaNautas helmet diving is quiet simply a unique and incredible experience – all the fun and beauty of real diving without all the scary, stressful parts!

AquaNautas is an international company with branches all over the world and lucky for us there is one right near Casa de Campo – in Bayahibe. Casa de Campo Living was recently invited by AquaNautas to try out this exciting activity, so that we could write a review for you and it was AWESOME!

We all loved the experience and I would recommend it to everyone – the idea seems scary at first, but in reality it’s just great fun!

So what exactly is AquaNautas helmet diving?
Helmet Diving is an underwater walking experience – with the use of special helmets you are able to walk around under the water! Helmet diving is just like diving or snorkelling except much easier and therefore more fun – there’s no need to worry about complicated equipment and air tanks and you don’t even need to be able to swim!!

Our experience:

I can honestly say that our experience of Helmet diving was fantastic. When we arrived we were met by our guide, who explained the helmet diving process and whilst in the comfort of a cute Bayahibe cafe we watched a brief safety video which made everything seem so simple….

After the brief we got into a small boat to be taken to their base – which is essentially a floating platform in the Bayahibe bay, where they keep the helmets and from where you start your underwater adventure!

Once we were all safely on the platform, we took off our clothes, put on special shoes to walk on the sea bed and then one by one descended down the steps, helmets on and into the water….

I know I’m making the process seem really simple – but it really was, you literally just put the helmet on and keep going down the steps and da-da you’re under the water and breathing normally.

Once we were all in the water, the men (my dad and my boyfriend) were thrilled, jumping and dancing around, whilst us ladies (me and my mum) were a little nervous – it feels so strange breathing underwater that initially I was worried I would stop breathing!

Fortunately, after a few minutes we calmed down and were able to enjoy the experience. Walking underwater feels a little like walking on the moon (I imagine) – you have a different type of buoyancy which allows you to jump and float up and down which is fun and fascinating.

Whilst under the water we walked around, admiring the fish, coral and just enjoying the incredible experience of walking underwater. We were led by a guide wearing scuba gear who directed us where to go, showed us interesting fish and coral and generally looked after us.

There was also another helper with snorkeling equipment who swam down from the surface to check on us – which made you feel very safe, in fact we were only 3 metres down so being able to see the surface was rather reassuring!

Whilst we were wandering around, our guide was busy taking photos and even making a video so that we have great photos of the occasion!

If you would like to experience helmet diving in Bayahibe please contact us and we will arrange it for you!
Email: info@casadecampoliving.com

These photos were sent to us by Aquanautas, of some of the sealife you may see on your experience!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: La Piazetta – a forgotten treasure?

Rebecca — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:50:50 +0000

Casa de Campo Living was recently invited to the La Piazetta Italian restaurant in Altos de Chavon to do a ‘Casa de Campo Living Review’ and we were thrilled to discover and enjoy this hidden treasure of a restaurant! We LOVED La Piazetta – read on to find out why, or pick up the phone and book yourself a table for dinner now – you will not regret it!

La Piazetta has been an Altos de Chavon staple for many many years and with good reason: it is quiet simply excellent, if you haven’t visited for a long time – now is the time to rediscover this hidden treasure!

At La Piazetta you will find prices which are by no means cheap but are very reasonable given the outstanding quality of food and service. They have a very extensive menu, which although elaborate avoids being pretentious - all portions are plentiful as well as being beautifully presented. The waiters are polite, discrete, and friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

The decor and ambience of La Piazetta hasn’t changed much (if at all) since it first opened and so retains a very traditional, rustic appearance without appearing shabby, which creates a wonderfully charming and romantic atmosphere. The old-Italian decor of herb tiles, paintings and hanging pots and pans all add to the magic and illusion of La Piazetta.

Throughout the evening the musical duo – an accordion player and a singing guitarist visit each table one by one, always keeping a very respectful distance, keeping the ambiance light heartened and romantic. This duo are a huge asset to La Piazetta – they are extremely talented and the accordian player has been playing at La Piazetta for over 30 years – since 1975!

The Food!! Very delicious!

*** Appetizers***

A very popular La Piazetta appetizer is it’s traditional Italian Antipasto (US$17) - a huge bar and array of antipasto treats – everything from eggplant to artichokes to beetroot, cheese and beans, pasta salad, cold meats, olives and much more! These photos speak for themselves:

Shrimp Salad served with polenta and a delicious extra vigin oil sauce, fresh tomatoes and capers (US$15) – this dish was light, refreshing and delicious!

Caprese Salad Piazetta style, fresh tomoatoes, mozzarella and roasted red peppers served with a basil and balsamic vinaigrette (US$15) - this classic dish is perfectly executed, the freshness of all the ingredients made this popular dish really come alive with delicate flavours. The mozzarella was soft, springy, moist and of course delicious!

Tuna tartare with avocado, green apple and ginger (US$15) – quiet simply the BEST Tuna tartare I have EVER tasted! So absolutely delicious - an explosion of flavor that is unexpected, but tremendous. The fresh tuna explodes on your tongue with smoky hints of av0cado and a subtle hint of ginger, adding a refreshingly beautiful touch. This dish is a must try!

Warm Octopus salad with potatoes and red wine sauce (US$15) - perfectly combined with undertones of capers, celery and porcini mushroom, made this a very pleasing dish for the pallette. A touch of sweet balsamic reduction adds to the presentaion, but also adds to the hints of flavor that make this dish a sheer delight.

*** Main Course ***

Osobuco (a special) – served on a bed of saffron risotto, the meat was so tender and rich it fell of the bone, and melted in my mouth. This hearty dish was truly delightful – a meat-eater’s dream!

Beef fillet with a porcini mushroom crust and sauteed vegetables (UD$33) - tender, rich and cooked to perfection (exactly as requested) – a very good steak. I especially loved the porcicni mushroom crust, it had a splendid flavor.

Grouper fillet served with lentils and mixed vegetables in a leek sauce with a hint of saffron (US$26) – a light yet hearty dish, the fish had a very delicate flavor which was perfectly complimented by the lentils and deliciously garnished with a Julien of vegetables.

Lamb chops ‘Sottadito’ served with sugar peas and dried plums (US$35) - this was the second time I’d tried this dish at La Piazetta and I loved it just as much as the first time. Fresh, juicy, flavourful lamb, combined with the peas and the plums – delicious!

***Deserts***

Tiramisu with confit of cherry and yogurt (US$9) – beautifuly presented,with hints of Amarreto and coffee with a consistansy that brings out the essence of the desert.

Warm apple tart with pine nuts and raisins served with Sabayon and Santo wine sauce (US$9) - deliciously crusty with a melt-in-your-mouth apple centre topped with almond slices. A classic dish and very very tasty! Another must-try!

Warm Chocolate Tortino with vanilla ice cream ($9) – 100% delicioso – slightly crispy on the outside, soft, warm and runny on the inside! As I eagerly cut into this desert the sticky, chocolatey, goey-yumminess oozed out and combined with the melting ice cream. Heavenly.

And the man behind all this incredible food? Chef Manuel Sánchez, who has been the chef at La Piazetta for many years.

Our conclusion? La Piazetta is wonderful!

To reserve a table for dinner call extension #5339

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Weekly Specials at Onno’s Bar

Rebecca — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:05:50 +0000

Every time I visit Onno’s bar I am always very pleasantly surprised – it feels like Onno’s is constantly striving to improve, by upgrading their furniture, the menu and innovating with special student’s nights, parties, DJ’s and now they’ve added weekly specials to their already impressive menu. When we first arrived at Onno’s, we were surprised to find that Onno’s has upgraded it’s decor – again! Has Onno’s grown up? We think so! New tables, combined with their new adult oriented cuisine (click here, to read our article on their new menu), it seems that Onno’s is doing a wonderful job of creating a far more upscale ambiance.

Having spoken to the young and energetic owner, Nathan Bailey, he informed us that the new look was indeed a serious attempt to attract the dinner crowd “having long been known as THE hot spot in Altos de Chavon and having recently added delicious seafood to the menu, we felt that by slightly changing the ambiance, we could create a more comfortable dining experience which villa owners, residents and resort guests could all enjoy – whether coming for a causal diner while watching the game or coming for a romantic evening.”

And now to fit in with their new image Onno’s bar has a list of weekly specials, which during our Casa de Campo Living review we were able to try! Of course, the weekly specials change every week, but here is what we tried:

BBQ chicken (RD$365.00) – saucy! This nice piece of chicken was saucy and juicy, coming with crispety crunchyety delicious onion rings!

Lemon and Garlic Shrimp (RD$825) – sauteed with fresh garlic and served with a bowl of golden-delicious looking French Fries.

Fish Fingers and Chips (RD$350) – about as close as you are going to get to fish and chips, a personal favorite of mine, which were perfectly dippable in a delicious tartar sauce!

Lemon Chicken breast with white rice - although at first glance this dish may make you long for a nice tan and a little color, the chicken did pack a surprisingly zesty lemony punch that had a few delightful undertones that gave the chicken a mysteriously intriguing flavor.

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Cadaques resort – a new family oriented destination in Bayahibe

Rebecca — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:32:05 +0000

While Cadaques is not your typical dreamy soft white sandy beach resort, it is a unique, fun and interesting place ,which is quickly becoming a great new hot spot in the La Romana-Bayahibe area.

Family friendly this place most definitely is! Cadaques focuses on creating a fun, yet relaxed atmosphere with safe areas for kids to run around and play with minimal supervision or stress. A nightly kids movie at 6:30pm is the kind of touch that parents will appreciate – giving the little darlings something to do while mommy and daddy enjoy a thin crust pizza or steak cooked on volcanic rocks – all just steps away from the beach. Like the idea of an outdoor movie? Worry not, at 8:30pm another movie is played, this aimed at the parents.

For those of us who know and love Casa de Campo, Cadaques will instantly strike a chord. It’s remanisent of Casa de Campo circa 1985, with enthusiasic staff eager to please, a relaxed family oriented community and a beach-focused ambiance.Cadaques feels like a blend of the Marina Casa de Campo and Altos de Chavon – a quaint village with modern chic architecture and cute passageways and balconies. Unlike the Marina and Altos de Chavon however, Cadaques not only has it’s own beach, but is essentially on the beach – from every apartment or hotel room you’re only a few steps away from the sand.

As well as having apartments for sale and for rent at very reasonable prices and 18 hotel rooms, Cadaques also has a surprising number of amenities: swimming pool, pier, restaurant, wine bar, art shop, spa as well as plenty of gift and convenience stores.

The swimming pool is ideally located just in front of the restaurant and on the beach – making it the perfect spot for mum and dad to relax and have a drink or a bit to eat while the kids can play in the pool.

The beach itself is not the pristine, white sand beach you might want, it is nevertheless very beautiful and has a nice sandy area large enough for sunbathing. A plan is underway to continue improving upon the beach.

Floating in the sea are a number of inflatable water toys – playing in the sea was never so much fun!

Jutting out into the sea is the resort’s pier, which is large enough to dock a boat to – making it a great and family friendly alternative to Palmilla to spend the day.

The pier also has a number of sun loungers, making it a popular spot to sunbathe, take a dip in the clear blue water and the view from here is just stunning – you can see right along the coastline in both directions.

Aside from everything else Cadaques also has a charming restaurant – both on the beach and next to the pool, which serves breakfast lunch and dinner and has a bar, serving drinks all day. As we were lucky enough to spend a weekend relaxing at Cadaques we were able to enjoy a number of meals there – all of which were fantastic. We will definitely be going back to do a full review on the food, but for now here are our photos of a few dishes, which all tasted as good as they looked – with the exception of the ‘pasta a la vongole’ which tasted even better!

We can fully see Cadaques growing to become a staple of the La Romana-Bayahibe area, though this will surly be accomplished through grass roots fanatisism that it can evoke by adding a whole new dimension to yachting in Casa de Campo.

In the coming years we will keep our eye on Cadaques, as we are confident that with the right management, this place will become an exlusive beach resort of the highest caliber. As for today, we strongly recommend it to those adventerous boaters looking to add something new to their weekend expeditions and take full advantage of the unique facilities, pricing and enthusiastic service.

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Tracadero – Its time for something fresh!

Rebecca — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:10:15 +0000

Every once in a while we come across something really nice. Sometimes, we are treated to something exceptional. We are happy to report that we found a place, a mere 15 miles from Casa de Campo resort (or 20 miles from Central Romana), which in short is exceptional, in every respect of the word. Having previously done a mini-review of Tracadero as part of Casa de Campo Living’s press trip to La Romana-Bayahibe, we were pleased to be invited back to complete what we started.

Tracadero is a unique place in Bahayibe which is part restaurant, part country club, part movie set – yet completely fabulous. From the moment you step foot in Tracadero you are transported to an exclusive club on the shore of Porto Fino or St. Tropez. The chic and elegant decorations provide the nautical touches that help set the mood, yet do not detract from a truly exceptional view of the Caribbean sea. From here its easy to understand why the La Romana-Bayahibe area of the Dominican Republic is gaining a strong reputation for being the riviera of the Caribbean.

While Tracadero as a restaurant is truly exquisite, the addition of an immaculetly kept member’s only beach club, make this a must try destination in the area. Lounge chairs are placed sparingly around, ensuring that there is sufficient space to lie around, while maintaining a certain level of privacy. Walking around the property, one immediately notices two or three tables sitting on the edge of the water, providing what we imagine is an unbelievably romantic dinner spot on a clear and starry night.

So what about the food you may be asking by now. In short – devine. As we were invited to come and try a few representative dishes, we were pleasantly surprised that our senses of taste, smell and touch (texture) had been tingled, teased and quite pleased. Our expectations suitably surpassed we allowed ourselves to be enchanted by the freshness of it all. Each dish used the freshest of ingredients, infusing playful touches and unexpected flavors, resulting in unique sensations that we can not only recommend, but will be visiting again soon.

I shall elaborate. The cuisine is clearly Mediterranean, with a distinct Italian influence and an obviously experienced hand running the show behind the scenes. Starting with a fresh, home-baked bread which is brought out with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rock salt and pepper grinder, the scene is set for a palate teasing meal. We got the chance to try a few items, all of which were exquisite!

Ceviche de Chillo – This appetizer was delicious, its freshness bursting in your mouth. Prepared with hints of passion fruit and light touches of citrus, this ceviche was done just right.

Fresh Shrimp Ceviche - Fabulous! This unique dish really set a high standard, with its presentation and aroma. From the second this dish landed in front of me, the aroma ignited my imagination with a mysteriously delicious smoky flavor which we struggled to identify. After some frustrating attempts to identify it, we were informed that in addition to the citrus, fresh avocado, a touch of balsamic vinegar - the magic touch was delivered by something as simple, yet unexpected as an apple. Don’t ask us how, but do take our word that this is a dish that will surly please the pallet.

Fried Calamari – We frequently make light that most restaurants seem to have an overlap in the dishes they serve, so seeing when the plate of fresh fried calamari and shimp arrived, for a moment we may have had our doubts, which quickly dissipated. The freshness of it all was apparent, but the flavor was what you would expect from calamari done right in a small restaurant in Fumiccino. Crispy, light and not at all greasy, this dish will be sure to please anyone who is fond of a crispy seafood treat.

Shrimp Cocktail – Fresh, fresh, fresh! The shrimp cocktail was very fresh. Its a simple dish you’ve had several dozen times, so the freshness of the dish is what most impressed us – a shrimp cocktail done just right.

Turbante de chillo con salsa de pimenton dulce – Fresh chillo wrapped around a couple of fresh shrimp, prepared with a fresh sweet red pepper sauce on a bed of fresh mashed potatoes with hints of garlic, this dish was creative, fun and vibrante.

After such a great meal, there is nothing like being able to relax in the shade by the ocean – maybe taking a dip in their ‘ocean pool’, which is as lovely as it is refreshing and fun. Though there is no proper beach within Tracadero, it is nevertheless an absolutely stunning, relaxed and chic place to enjoy an evening or afternoon, sipping a cold mimosa or refreshing beverage.

On a side note, while hard at work, sacrificing ourselves ‘researching’ this unique place for our review, we bumped into a few Casa de Campo villas owners whom have already discovered Tracadero and were returning for more – choosing Tracadero as the place to spend their wedding anniversary! Congratulations Guillermo and Malele Strofer, from all of us at Casa de Campo Living, we wish you the best and many more!

Here are our photos of the Strofer’s enjoying their special family lunch:

We’ve been also informed that on weekends they have a ‘Chilli Beach’ concept which is not unlike an outdoor club (similar, yet smaller, version of the Minitas New Year’s Eve Party). We’ve yet to experience this, but if you have and would care to write a review, we would love to hear from you! Like Lucas or Dom Ham, we know that Tracadero will not only be around for some time to come, but it will soon become a staple for Casa de Campo villas owners, residents and guests alike.

Here are some photos of the ‘Chilli Beach’ area – taken during the daytime. I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s absolutely stunning and would no doubt make a fantastic spot to party the night away – we can’t wait to go back!!

For more information and to make reservations call: 809-906-3664 (Mr. Martino) / 809-968-4013 (Mrs. Marcella Terrone).

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Andaluz Tapas Bar y Mas – a cute new place in La Romana!

Rebecca — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:01:59 +0000

Casa de Campo Livings is always very excited when a new restaurant opens, whether in Casa de Campo, Exploring La Romana specifically or Beyond Casa in general, and we are always MORE than happy to try it out! The latest restaurant to subject itself to one of Casa de Campo Living’s reviews was Andaluz Tapas Bar y Mas… – a restaurant that has been open for a little over 2 weeks in La Romana town, right on the first corner after the police station and across from the Salon Miami Beach and Aeropaq, on Calle Francisco Richiez esquina Altagracia.

As we walked into Andaluz Tapas Bar y Mas… we were a little nervous, as the setting is rather dark (exactly like a traditional Tapas bar in Spain), but we were soon greeted by Kendy, the manager / owner and a very friendly as well as a polite waiter who took us to our table and made us feel instantly welcome and at ease (though his English was not what you would call fluent). Later, after we’d over-indulged ourselves on an incredible range of delicious food, we left satisfied, very happy and looking forward to our next visit, especially our next order of the uniquely delicious egg rolls!

The concept of Andaluz Tapas Bar y Mas… is that of a tapas bar – a place to have a relaxing drink in a low key atmosphere, with the option of a few light snacks as well as a good selection of platos fuertes. Of course with any new restaurant or bar they are still finding their feet and are slowing adding new items to their menu and adapting to suit customers needs and wants – as should always be the case. The bar interior has a rustic-modern feel, with wooden ceiling and walls and modern red and grey bar stools and seats. There is also a good sized flat-screen television, perfect for enjoying Torros game or other sporting activity.

Although the menu doesn’t technically include any ‘tapas’ labelled items – we tried a number of their ‘appetizers’ which were in essence tapas and in actuality, very delicious!

Here’s what we had and hence what we can recommend you try!

Calamari (RD$250): Very good. Each piece had been delicately battered and fried and none were even remotely greasy! The squid inside was good quality, not chewy like in some low-quality calamari.

Beef Carpaccio (RD$210): A nice large portion, plenty to share with a few people as a nice picadera, served with a small rocket salad and thin slices of good quality and tasty parmesan cheese.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup (RD$150): Creamy, thick, delicious, with a great natural pumpkin flavour – made fresh daily and 100% delicious!

Egg Rolls filled with vegetables, chicken and aurora sauce (RD$200): NOT your usual crispy, greasy egg roll – MUCH better, these eggrolls are delicious, honestly the best I think I’ve ever had. They are 100% in-house made; the tortilla part is made with local flour, which is thick, crispy on the outside yet soft and suave on the inside. Hiding inside is the chicken and vegetables, which have a delicious flavor with a hint of ginger. AWESOME dish: a must-try.

Mini Brusquetta: The bread for these is made in-house and hence is much lighter and essentially better than most other Dominican breads, topped with tomato and onion, with a drizzle of olive oil, they have a good strong onion flavour, that is not overpowering. The Brusquetta are served in lieu of a bread basket, an original idea and a nice touch.

Octopus Carpaccio (RD$200): Soft, fresh, delicious and needs nothing more than a squeeze of lemon – this comment was made by my boyfriend, who ate the entire plate all for himself, in a matter of minutes! I, sadly am a little squeamish about the idea of octopus and so decided not to try it – despite my boyfriend’s squeals of delight and half-hearted insisting that I give it a go!

Lobster Bisque (RD$150): Creamy yet light and smooth with a good lobster flavor without it being too overpowering, we would definitely order this again.

These photos are a gallery of the above dishes, in the same order as above – while they don’t do justice to the flavors, we hope it will help give you an idea of what to expect.

Also on the menu is a great range of main dishes; meats, pasta and seafood. For example they offer 12oz Fillet Mignon with a green pepper or mushroom sauce (RD$500), Lamb Ribs with rosemary sauce (RD$500), Sauteed Red Snapper (RD$390) and Porto Real lobster (RD500), among various others.

Below are photographs of the Red Snapper Andaluz and the Burrito Andaluz, which we didn’t try but they look delicious… along with one or two other shots.

The Essential Facts!
Restaurant: Andaluz Tapas y Mas…
Cuisine: International
Location: Calle Francisco Richiez esquina Altagracia
Telephone: 809-813-5219
Proprietors: Mrs. Gladys Quiñones & Mr. Ramon Montero (aka Kendy, former Chef of Limoncello).

Have you been to Andaluz Tapas Bar y Mas…? Write your own review to share with the community in the comments section below!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Onno’s Bar – now with FANTASTIC Seafood!

Rebecca — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:56:41 +0000

Onno’s bar; the name and the reputation conjures up an image of drinking, partying and dancing – great if you’re in the party mood, not so great if you’re hungry! However, Casa de Campo Living recently discovered that Onno’s bar has a GREAT new menu, including some delicious seafood dishes!

Casa de Campo Living was recently invited to a tasting at Onno’s Bar in Altos de Chavon, Casa de Campo, to try out a few dishes on their new menu and so off we went to Onno’s Bar, fully expecting to experience maybe a good burger, some Nachos, a steak….I was VERY pleasantly surprised to be served some VERY good quality seafood.

To start we tried a 5 different shrimp appetizers, which to me (not a huge fan of seafood) seemed a little overwhelming at first, but it was all so delicious I was MORE than happy to eat it all!

The dishes we tried were:

Shrimp Cocktail; a classic dish, the shrimp had a great flavour and the cocktail sauce was perfect
Lemon and Garlic Shrimp Skewers; wonderful with a delicate flavour
Butterfly Fried Shrimp with Tartare Sauce; very good, naughty but not at all greasy!
Garlic Shrimp; perfect for garlic lovers!
Sizzling Chile Shrimp – shrimp sauteed in olive oil and chilies; VERY VERY spicy – not for the faint hearted, if you love spice you will LOVE it, otherwise, chose something else!

These photographs are of these dishes, in the same order.

After this overwhelmingly delicious selection I actually didn’t expect any more food and so I was thrilled when we were served 2 more dishes; Seafood Pasta and Grilled lobster.

On the menu the Seafood pasta is described as ’sauteed shrimp and calamari served with spaghetti in our homemade tomatoe sauce’ which is essentially exactly what it is. What it also is, is very good – the pasta was cooked to perfection the sauce was delicious and the seafood was fantastic; a very nice ‘light’ dish.

The Grilled Lobster was FANTASTIC; tender, flavourful and served in plenty of garlic butter.

This may be hard to believe, but Onno’s Bar in my opinion ranks as one of the best places to eat seafood in Casa de Campo! Of course I cannot vouch for the consistency, however the food that we tried was excellent!

Next time you’re in Altos de Chavon I recommend you give Onno’s seafood a try – I agree sometimes seafood isn’t as tempting as a burger….but in this case it’s well worth it!

Onno’s Bar also now has new furniture – gone are the old uncomfortable bamboo chairs and sofas – hurray! The bar now has black wood benches with large, soft and comfortable cushions, which make sitting in groups much easier than before. In the photo below you can see the new furniture:

These are copies of the new menu – notice it still includes all Onno’s classics such as Nachos and burgers, but also the seafood which, as I think I already mentioned, is very good!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Lucas, a Casa de Campo staple

Rebecca — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:47:23 +0000

If you live in Casa de Campo, you’ve probably heard of Lucas restaurant - in which case you will know that Lucas is in fact not inside Casa de Campo, so why do we consider it a ‘Casa de Campo staple?’ The answer is simple – because Casa de Campo villa owners, residents and visitors alike all love it!

Lucas is hidden away in the top of Buena Vista Norte, less than a ten minute drive from Casa de Campo, and is well worth the short trip and the slightly bumpy road to get there!

The restaurant has a really quaint outdoor area, set under a large tree decorated with lights and lanterns, which despite the plastic furniture is really rather charming and actually quiet romantic.

The menu is full of classic Italian dishes: pizza, pasta, meats, antipasto, foccaccia, there is something to please everyone! Last time we visited we tried a number of pasta dishes, which I’m pleased to announce were suitably al dente – as deemed by my half-Italian boyfriend, who is very fussy with his pasta! I am also a big fan of Lucas’ meat dishes - especially the chicken in mushroom sauce, the chicken is moist and the sauce is creamy and very tasty! Other good Lucas classics are the foccacia bread, the tomato bruschetta and the crispy fried calamari.

As you can see from our photos Lucas is a Casa de Campo social hot spot and it’s not even in Casa de Campo!

Have you been to Lucas? Write your own review to share with the community in the comments section below!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: the Hot Stone massage at the Cygalle Healing Spa

Rebecca — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:57:21 +0000

The Cygalle Healing Spa in Casa de Campo is a tranquil refuge and the perfect way to pamper and heal yourself after a hard days work, or even a hard weekend of partying!

Casa de Campo Living was recently invited to experience the Cygalle Healing Spa’s signature Hot Stone Massage so that we could review it for you!

Having seen the publicity photos which feature the hot stone massage – a lady lying with black rocks on her back, I was having great difficulty imagining what exactly the massage would involve. And so lying on my front I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Hot Stone Massage is exactly that – a massage using hot stones, the masseuse massages with the hot stones in her hands so that the massage is warm, very nice indeed!

The massage actually begins with a more traditional massage, as the masseuse massages your neck, back and arms using essential oils, presumably to prepare your skin and to relax you ready for the hot stones. The hot stones are heated in a bath of hot water before they are used to massage every part of your body, of course the stones are more warm than hot – this is a massage after all, not a test of endurance!

Throughout the massage the masseuse alternates between massaging with the rocks and with her hands – after all there are some parts of our stressed out bodies that need that little extra needing! Being massaged with rocks and hands is heavenly, there is nothing quiet like the warm sensation of the rocks which leaves you feeling throughly massaged and completely relaxed!

If you have never tried a Hot Stone Massage at the Cygalle Healing Spa – I strongly recommend you try it, its the perfect way to leave all your troubles behind you!

The Cygalle Healing Spa is offering a special rate for Casa de Campo Living readers for the Hot Stone Massage – so now is the perfect time to try it! Tell them we sent you to receive your special discount!

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Santo Domingo Aquarium

Rebecca — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:15:11 +0000

I was very pleasently surprised by the Santo Domingo Aquarium – while it is certainly not comparable to SeaWorld or any large aquarium in Europe or the United States, it is rather nice!It is well kept, clean and although not huge does have a nice variety of fish and other marine life.

Immediately as you walk in is a small pond absolutely brimming full with turtles – big sea turtles, all flapping about and seemingly attracted by visitors. It’s great to see these fantastic animals so close up, but very sad to see them in such a small and over-crowded space.

After the turtles is a series of smaller tanks set into the wall – just as you would see in any other aquarium, with various types of fish, lobster, crab, sea urchins – nothing overly exciting but nice enough to spend about 20 minutes wandering around.

The highlight as with all aquariums is the water tunnel – I was hoping to see a big shark, but unfortunately they didn’t seem to have any, but it was still a fun walk-through journey and kept me amused for about 5 minutes!

Aside from the actual ‘aquarium’ there is also a rather charming outdoor area – literally on the edge of the Caribbean sea, with a fantastic view of the rest of Santo Domingo.

Opening: 9.30-6.30 Tuesdays-Sundays
Cost: RD$30 (Dominican residents) and RD$50 (Tourists)
Address: Av 28 de Enero, across the Rio Ozama from the Zona Colonial

Final Verdict: Not a ‘must see’ but a great place to amuse the kids, or to pass a little time – if you’ve got nothing else to do!

Some more photos:

Casa de Campo Living Reviews: Angelo’s Restaurant – fantastic fresh Italian food in the Colonial Zone

Rebecca — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:26:06 +0000

On a recent trip to Santo Domingo, when strolling around the Colonial Zone, I stumbled across a very nice restaurant to enjoy an early evening cocktail – but the service, atmosphere, food and drink were so good I ended up staying for most of the night!

Angelo’s is located in the prettiest part of the Colonial Zone – in a plaza overlooking the Alcazar de Colon, which feels very Mediterranean. It is the perfect place to relax, watching the sun go down as people wander by. It is unsurprisingly rather ‘touristy’ – with Dominican singers, rose sellers and even a man offering to take a Polaroid photograph of you. In many ways, the Colonial Zone is reminiscent of Lincoln Road in Miami, filled with great restaurants, street sellers and more.

Angelo’s is one of a group of restaurants in this area and whilst I have not visited the others (yet) and therefore cannot make a comparison of any sort, I can say that Angelo’s is a very good restaurant; good service, good food, fresh ingredients with a great relaxing atmosphere.

The service was impeccable, our glasses were never empty and we were never neglected or left wondering where our waiter was!

The food we tried was remarkably good. We had the Angelo’s signature Bruschetta, typically a nice but fairly unremarkable dish – here it was fabulous. The mozzarella cheese was obviously imported, delicious and almost melted in your mouth, combined with fresh tomatoes, a touch of basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil – we were left fighting over the last little piece!

Angelo’s specialises in pizzas and other traditional Italian fare. As a main course we decided to share a very special pizza – the ‘Rebecca,’ a new pizza creation, created especially for me and of course named after me! The ‘Rebecca’ pizza has imported prosciutto ham, topped with plenty of fresh rucola, a fair sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Modesty aside, the ‘Rebecca’ was simply divine – almost as beautiful and delicious as the real thing – me!

The restaurant has a great outdoor area as well as an expansive indoor area and even a beautiful and very romantic balcony area, full with flowers, which looks out over the plaza. There is also a roof garden area, which can be reserved for special functions or romantic dinners – surely a unique and splendid experience.

Next time you’re in Santo Domingo, I recommend you try this restaurant – ask for a ‘Rebecca’ she won’t disappoint you!

If you would like your restaurant reviewed by Casa de Campo Living please email; info@casadecampoliving.com

Explore La Romana: Dom Ham – darn good burgers!

Mr Casa — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:30:30 +0000

From time to time we are introduced to wonderful restaurants outside of Casa de Campo that meet all our essential requirements:

1) Clean
2) Safe
3) Delicious food
4) Good value
5) Delicious food
6) Unique Ambiance

In our humble opinion, Carlitos Pichardo’s Dom Ham not only fulfills all these basic criteria, but exceeds all expectations: the burgers are simply sensational!

By far the best thing, but by no means the only good thing about Dom Ham is its mouth watering beef burgers. While this is only our humblest of opinions, we are confident that any burger-lover or indeed lover of good food will agree – Dom Ham rocks!

Located a mere five minutes from the gates of Casa de Campo in La Romana, one street up from the Clinica Canela (Calle Altragracia Esq. Benito Moncion.), Dom Ham, is a no frills open air establishment, with its own parking, thatched roof and unique decor. If you’re looking for chic and trendy, this is no place for you – this is a place to find a serious burger, sausages and a real German Weiss Beer!

German weiss beer, while a favorite of ours (and one we strongly recommend), is only one of 19 different types of ale you can enjoy. As far as we know, Dom Ham has La Romana’s most complete selection of beers, making it an ideal place to go and watch baseball, football or other sporting event on the large flatscreen TV mounted over the bar.

As for the food. Ooh the food! The burgers are simply divine! The sausages are brought in from Santo Domingo – direct from an authentic German butcher. While it is hard to say how authentic they really are, we can say they are simply delicious, try a little with their fresh garlic bread while waiting for your burger and enjoying your Weiss beer and you will not be disappointed.

Aside from the great food and great beer, the place is clean, cheery and has a great, relaxing atmosphere; with regulars at the bar and the surrounding tables filled with customers happy to be eating and drinking well. With ample parking right at the side of the restaurant, you don’t need to be constantly worrying about your car (although, there is a small risk that you will leave with a Dom Ham sticker on your bumper!)

So you’ve had a great meal, watched a ball game, enjoyed a few imported cervesas and you ask for the bill. What should can expect? Less than you would imagine. The most expensive German beer is around RD$150 or so, and a bacon cheeseburger slightly less. A hearty dinner for two would set you back no more than a single appetizer at some other establishments, making this an ideal place to go for a quick lunch or dinner any day of the week. BTW – did we mention they also have free WiFi?

Dom Ham
Tel: 809-550-9220
Calle Altragracia Esq. Benito Moncion. La Romana, Dominican Republic

Have you visited any good restaurants outside of Casa de Campo lately? if so, please let us know as we would love to explore, try and hopefully recomend any! Of course, if you would like to write your own review of any great restaurants that you know, we would love to hear from you! Email: info@casadecampoliving.com

We are also aware that places change constantly, so if a place we have reviewed no longer has the level of quality that we described – please leave us a comment! Its important to keep everyone safe and enjoying only the best!

Beyond Casa: Centro Asturiano restaurant/club – a taste of Spain in the heart of Santo Domingo

Mr Casa — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:43 +0000

While we are obviously big fans of Casa de Campo, if you’ve spent any time reading CCL you’ve also figured out we are HUGE fans of good food. For us good food IS a reason for being and quite frankly something that we simply could not live without. It is for these reasons that we are excited and thrilled to share with you, in this edition of ‘Beyond Casa’ , a little Spanish restaurant that is simply out of this world – something you’ll not hear us say often.

Centro Asturiano de Santo Domingo, although we are referring to it as a restaurant is actually not a restaurant, but is a type of ‘club’ much like the La Romana Country Club in Casa de Campo or the Club Caza y Pesca in La Romana. However, it is essentially a restaurant/pub/bar, upstairs it has a formal dining area, whereas downstairs it has an informal bar-like area, and outside patio, where food is also served.

To start with, you must order a bottle of cider ’Sidra de Asturias,’ this type of cider is traditionally poured in very small quantities from a height into the glass, this technique is called escanciar un culín and is done to add air bubbles, thus giving it a sparkling taste like Champagne. If you are skilled in this special pour, or game for laugh you can try this technique yourself, otherwise they have these little machines that will ’simulate’ the function of the long pour. Surprisingly, it works remarkably well.

Next up, the Papas Bravas are a must. A generous portion of potatoes with the a stripe of cheese, a stripe of slightly spicy tomato sauce and a last stripe of a freshly made, garlic mayonnaise – outstanding! Next on your must order list is the ham croquettes and/or the authentic chorizo in cider – simply spectacular! While the rest of the food is imaginably up to the same level, it is hard to order more, when one is as throughly satisfies as we were!

Lastly, we must discuss the price. While this is by far the best authentic Spanish restaurant we have found in the Dominican Republic so far, and by all indications, has authentic freshly imported foods, the price is simply impressive in it’s… well, just see for yourself.

I hope that after reading this you are inspired to visit this gem of a restaurant for yourself next time you are in Santo Domingo.

Centro Asturiano de Santo Domingo
Av.Bolivar No 58, Gazcue

The President is Rafael Rodriguez Garcia, and his contact details are as follows:
Email: centroasturianosantodomingo@yahoo.com
Tel: 809-682-2156 or 809-854-3456

Special Summer Airfares from Rome & Milan to Casa de Campo