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Maunabo.- If traveling along the coast of Maunabo, along the PR-3 highway, is relaxing for you, living a gastronomic experience at the Paisajes Curet Restaurant is even more so. The restaurant itself holds a “window to the sea.”

With a menu specialized in seafood, this restaurant has a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea, which complements anyone’s visit to the locale. “The specialty here is seafood. People love our mofongo stuffed with seafood, the whole fish, and the paella. But honestly, during the time I’ve been here I haven’t made a specialty dish for the restaurant. We have so many favorites,” said Alvin Curet, who owns the establishment with his wife Abigail Ruiz.

Although the sea is its main source of inspiration, Paisajes Curet also has dishes on its menu that evoke a flavor that can only be found on land. “The churrasco is one of the favorites, as well as the sautéed meats, which is also an exquisite dish. We’ve tried to make a house dish, but we haven’t been able to. They’re all house dishes, (and) people love them,” the merchant insisted. In terms of drinks and desserts, Curet affirms that they have a wide variety of mojitos, margaritas and other drinks, as well as succulent desserts that vary according to the season.

“As for desserts we have the house flans. We switch the (available) flavors a lot; sometimes there’s cheese, vanilla, pistachio, coconut, or coffee flan. We also have cakes, ice cream and a variety of desserts,” he said. In addition to the restaurant, the place has an area where visitors can taste all kinds of fritters through Kiosko Curet. “There we sell the fritters they call ‘de punta a punta’ (‘from end to end’), which are well stuffed, not half-filled. We have pastelillos or turnovers, whatever they call them, with lobster, trunkfish, octopus, conch meat (carrucho), among others,” said Curet about the kiosk located right next to the restaurant. It enjoys the privileged view of the sea and a balcony with floorboards.

This kiosk specifically holds a special meaning for Curet, since it was his family’s original business. It was there that his parents started with the idea of conquering customers’ palates, and it has remained that way for the past 36 years. “This all started in 1987 with a kiosk. It was a small thing. Back then, what we had were fritters, rice with jueyes, [and] fish. The idea came from my father Luis Curet and my mother Carmín Velázquez. We began to evolve. Since we had initially started with some basic dishes, that same clientele began to demand more. So we formalized our offerings and added other dishes to the restaurant,” he recalled about the history of the business.

“My mother passed away in 2002, but my father is very proud of me because he says: ‘You’ve taken the restaurant to where I’d always dreamed of’,” said the merchant, who began managing the restaurant in 2003.

Although Paisajes Curet has been “quite an evolution,” the owner states that they have always remained faithful to their roots. They provide a unique gastronomic experience to their customers and an excellent service. “It’s a very family-friendly atmosphere and a unique experience for our customers. We have the view of the Caribbean Sea and it’s spectacular. My employees’ service is very good and people have a wonderful experience when they come to eat at Paisajes Curet, in Maunabo,” he stated.

According to Curet, one of the most popular areas of the establishment is the Family Spot. It is a room with a beautiful ceiling that imitates a fish tank. It is also surrounded by wide-open windows that make the client a part of the landscape. “This is the favorite room, it’s the one people want to sit in the most. It’s a popular balcony area and it’s decorated with a sea theme. There used to be a fish tank here, and since it was a little difficult to maintain I said: ‘Let’s recreate the fish tank on the roof’,” said the merchant. The restaurant also has a photo booth on site, where visitors can take pictures and see their photos on the screens while they enjoy their meals.

Paisajes Curet is open seven days a week. They operate from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday. And from Friday to Sunday their hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Kiosko Curet is also open seven days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.