For those who are not familiar with Suriname, it is a food lover's paradise - for taste, variety and price. Of course Suriname boasts lush rainforests, exotic wildlife and cultural delights...however, for what many people consider to be an under-developed third world nation, the food choices and quality are mind-boggling.
When you think about how Suriname came to be, with so many cultures throwing their contributions into the proverbial melting pot, it's easy to understand the variety. People from Java, China, India, Holland, Africa came to this place on the northeast coast of South America that was already inhabited by indigenous Amer-Indians, bringing oriental spices and cooking methods to combine with local foods. What has resulted is "Surinamese Food", and while we are by no means experts, we are having a great time discovering it!
One of the finest restaurants in Paramaribo is De Waag, which is located in the old weigh house right on the river. The building itself is historic and intriguing, as is the artwork it holds. When we visited, I enjoyed a chicken tagliatelle dish with mushrooms, olives and a delicious sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
Also at De Waag, which bills itself as an "Italian" restaurant, ribs are on offer. Tom went for these (there are veggies underneath!), and even had some to spare which he shared with an Australian mining exec named Steve who was at the next table:
Many of the dishes served in Suriname are stir-fried, like this combination of beans, almonds, chicken and mushrooms over rice from Zus & Zo Cafe. Very healthy, and delicious!
If you come to Suriname and find yourself overwhelmed by the exotic food options, or just miss home, you can find Burger King and McDonald's here in Paramaribo.The menu is very similar, but veggie burgers, wraps and more chicken selections are available here to cater to the local tastes.
This is by no means the end of the "food porn" that will come from this blog, as we have still not tried Indian roti or any local Chinese fare. We will also be visiting the famous Central Market and looking at the fruits, veggies, spices, fish and other goodies there. But now, it's time to head out to a cafe for an espresso!
When you think about how Suriname came to be, with so many cultures throwing their contributions into the proverbial melting pot, it's easy to understand the variety. People from Java, China, India, Holland, Africa came to this place on the northeast coast of South America that was already inhabited by indigenous Amer-Indians, bringing oriental spices and cooking methods to combine with local foods. What has resulted is "Surinamese Food", and while we are by no means experts, we are having a great time discovering it!
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| Chicken satay at Torarica Hotel; 3 skewers of meat marinated in delicious peanut sauce, with some bread to soak up the excess. A bit of curried cabbage slaw and prawn crackers complete the meal. |
Since arriving in Suriname, we have become enamored with satay! This dish, which is believed to have originated in Indonesia, is offered in many restaurants here, and is typically served with combinations of prawn crackers, pickled onions or curried cabbage slaw, and a lovely lightly spicy mayonnaise. Some places get fancy and give you roasted potatoes and a bit of salad, and the little basic "mom and pop" shop will give you just 3 skewers of delicious chicken for around SRD 7.00 (about $2.50 USD).
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| Zus & Zo's version..the works! |
One of the finest restaurants in Paramaribo is De Waag, which is located in the old weigh house right on the river. The building itself is historic and intriguing, as is the artwork it holds. When we visited, I enjoyed a chicken tagliatelle dish with mushrooms, olives and a delicious sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
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| It's rare that I can finish a pasta dish this size, but I made an exception in this case! |
Also at De Waag, which bills itself as an "Italian" restaurant, ribs are on offer. Tom went for these (there are veggies underneath!), and even had some to spare which he shared with an Australian mining exec named Steve who was at the next table:
Many of the dishes served in Suriname are stir-fried, like this combination of beans, almonds, chicken and mushrooms over rice from Zus & Zo Cafe. Very healthy, and delicious!
If you come to Suriname and find yourself overwhelmed by the exotic food options, or just miss home, you can find Burger King and McDonald's here in Paramaribo.The menu is very similar, but veggie burgers, wraps and more chicken selections are available here to cater to the local tastes.
 |
This is by no means the end of the "food porn" that will come from this blog, as we have still not tried Indian roti or any local Chinese fare. We will also be visiting the famous Central Market and looking at the fruits, veggies, spices, fish and other goodies there. But now, it's time to head out to a cafe for an espresso!
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