Sexy, Stylish
SAN
JUAN
by Mark Chesnut
It’s Friday night at La Concha, and at the
glowing lobby bar members of San Juan’s young, beautiful
elite are gathered, enjoying exotic drinks and swaying
to the beat of a live DJ. Some have sunk into the stylish
winged chairs and white couches, their faces morphing
as the ceiling lights change color. Outside the giant
glass doors, patrons savor drinks along the multi-level
swimming pool, which at night is dramatically lit to become
a sculptural fountain.
La Concha, however, is more than just the newest hotel and hottest
bar in San Juan, it’s also a symbol of the burgeoning
stylishness of Puerto Rico’s capital. Not that
San Juan’s role as a Caribbean trendsetter is a
completely new phenomenon. This city of nearly half
a million attracted the attention of globetrotters even
before the birth of the piña colada, that seductive
blend of rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice. Depending
on who you ask, it was either during the 1950s or the
1960s that this intoxicating beverage first hit the
bars of San Juan. One story says that back in 1954,
a bartender named Ramon “Monchito” Marrero
invented the piña colada while working at the
Caribe Hilton. Another claims that the drink was born
in 1963, at a restaurant called Barrachina, and a third
version of the story places the credit with a bar in
Old San Juan.
No matter which version of the legend
you believe, the fact remains that by then the city
of San Juan, a colonial gem that dates to the early
16th century, was well on its way to becoming a vacation
hotspot. Once the jet age made travel faster and more
comfortable (and Fidel Castro’s rise to power put
an end to Cuba’s role as a tourism destination),
US vacationers looking for sun, style, and sophistication
increasingly began to jet down to Puerto Rico, and especially
the capital city of San Juan.
For residents and frequent visitors,
La Concha is just the latest (and most visibly striking)
example of what some have called the “Condado comeback,”
a return of upscale options and amenities for visitors
to the metropolitan area’s most centrally located
neighborhood. Located midway between historic Old San
Juan and the tourist district called Isla Verde (a less
interesting area that nevertheless has some excellent
hotels), Condado is a bustling beach-front community
lined with high-rise towers and an increasing number
of interesting restaurants and shops.
A quick stroll along the blocks near
La Concha quickly reveals shops bearing names like Cartier,
Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Salvatore Ferragamo,
as well as local designer Lisa Cappalli, who
operates a couture shop in Condado (and a ready-to-wear
shop in Old San Juan). A noteworthy stop for contemporary
art enthusiasts is Primer Piso, a gallery that
moved from Old San Juan to Condado in 2008. “Condado
is the place to be,” says Michael Williams, the
gallery’s director. “I still live in Old San
Juan, but really appreciate the access to beaches, dining,
and shopping that Condado has to offer. There is a sense
of ‘new’ sophistication that the Condado offers,
which is unmatched in the Metro San Juan area. With
new chic resorts such as La Concha and the soon-to-be-completed
Vanderbilt, Condado is sure to become a destination
of luxury.”
It’s already a great neighborhood
for dining. San Juan as a whole, in fact, is fast positioning
itself as the creative culinary capital of the Caribbean.
Traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, which incorporates
Spanish, African, and indigenous Taíno Indian
traditions and ingredients, can be savored at a variety
of venues, from hole-in-the-wall dives to upscale restaurants.
The international diversity of Puerto Rico’s capital
is on view at many venues in the city, including Kali,
a dark, stylish restaurant where Pan-Asian cuisine fuses
nicely with live DJs—a good mix for late-night
weekend dining.
Travelers who can’t wait for late
night to get their fix of Japanese cuisine in Condado
can head to Wasabi, one of several restaurants
that offers outdoor dining along Ashford Avenue,
Condado’s main artery. Puerto Rican touches enhance
the cuisine at Wasabi, where lunchtime specials include
the Power Box, which features churrasco (skirt steak),
salad, and mofongo de yucca (mashed yucca). Also recommended
for tasty outdoor dining is Yerba Buena, which
serves up pan-Caribbean cuisine, with major influence
from Puerto Rico and Cuba (the “rocking tables”
make for great people watching spots, and live Cuban
music enhances the experience on weekend nights).
Dining options are equally creative
at La Concha, even if you’re not staying at the
hotel. For dinner, the most strikingly beautiful option
is Perla, housed within a gigantic, seashell-shaped
structure behind the main hotel. Perla’s owner,
US chef Dayn Smith, has designed a menu based on seafood
and contemporary urban American cuisine. Perla’s
wine cellar contains 4,000 bottles with more than 1,000
different labels. The restaurant’s bizarre shell
structure, constructed in 1958, sits in a reflecting
pool; inside are eight hand-blown Murano glass lamps,
and guests enjoy beautiful views of the nighttime shore.
Main course dishes include seared arctic char with artichoke
ravioli, grilled barramundi in tomato chutney, and grilled
filet mignon with ginger sauce.
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When the Spanish arrived in Puerto Rico
in the early 1500s, one of the first places they built
up was the area now known as Old San Juan (Viejo
San Juan in Spanish). Located strategically at the opening
of a natural bay, it quickly became an important arrival
and departure point for the entire island. Impressive
forts, including the massive El Morro, as well
as dozens of elegant colonial and post-colonial homes
and businesses, were built along its narrow cobblestone
streets.
In recent years, Old San Juan has been impressively restored
to its former glory. While the neighborhood may be noted
for its pristine colonial architecture, style-seekers
are just as likely to love the area for its trendy fusion
cuisine and stylishly designed eateries, especially
along Calle Fortaleza, one of the main dining streets.
One of the highest-profile restaurants
on Fortaleza (sometimes called SoFo, for South Fortaleza)
is Marmalade, a venue that sports a lounge-like
atmosphere, with a gigantic, glowing orange chandelier,
and a live DJ spinning good vibes. Entrees, which include
seafood, duck, and beef, run from $15 to $29, and from
Sunday through Wednesday from 5 P.M. until 10 P.M.,
guests may enjoy a “bottomless” glass of wine,
from more than 35 varieties. Celebrity chef and owner
Peter Schintler frequently makes an appearance to meet
his diners (and he’s planning to open a new restaurant
soon, called Jam, in Condado).
Among the newest places to enjoy stylish
ambiance and innovative cuisine is La Madre,
which opened in August 2008. The menu includes interesting
variations on Mexican dishes, including duck quesadilla
with wild mushrooms and guacamole, ahi tuna with black
beans and salad, and cocoa and chile pork ribs. The
ambiance, the work of local architectural designer Reynold
Rodriguez, is just as much of a draw as the cuisine.
This small but fabulous venue uses materials like vinyl
and fabric in whimsical ways, and abstract movies, slides,
and old black-and-white footage of Puerto Rican documentaries
flash on one wall.
A quick glance at the menus of just
a couple restaurants in Old San Juan proves that it’s
easy to find gourmet cuisine that fuses Latin flavors
with elements from around the globe. Tantra serves
up an enticing array of Indo-Latino cuisine, complemented
by an extensive wine and martini list. Among the offerings
is a six-course Indian tasting menu, priced at $65 per
person ($30 extra for accompanying martinis), which
includes South Indian red snapper, chicken tikka masala,
and dessert.
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