Ryan and I were so lucky to attend a beautiful dinner at Gasparito Restaurant and Art Gallery. This local gem is renowned for authentic Aruban dishes, the historic architecture of their building and inspiring Aruban art. The restaurant is family-run by the Barros family and we were immediately greeted by the owner, Raymond, upon our arrival. He explained the origins of the restaurant to us and that his son, Chef Dan, was the culinary mastermind behind all of their delicious dishes. Ryan and I decided to keep it truly Aruban and ordered everything that is native to the island.
We began with an appetizer of Warm Ravioli at the recommendation of the owner. This award winning appetizer features Gasparito’s house made Ravioli stuffed with cheese on a bed of Kerry Kerry upon request, a local delicacy, served in a mild bell pepper sauce. I decided to opt for the Gasparito chicken as my entree - a SECRET RECIPE of tender chicken breasts pan seared then baked and served in a succulent sweet tangy sauce. Ryan chose the Aruban combo which included many of Aruba’s Specialities like tasty fish, Keshi Yena chicken, a recipe from their ancestors of Dutch cheese melted and filled with slow cooked chicken, and Kerry Kerry. For dessert we both shared a slice of scrumptious cheesecake as well as the traditional Aruban/Venezuelan flan, called quesillo.
All the while, we were taken care of like family, with Raymond continuously coming up to us and the surrounding tables telling jokes and making us feel like we were enjoying a home cooked meal. Gasparito was by far the best food we have eaten in Aruba and I’m so happy I got to take Ryan for a true Aruban feast!
xoxo. Alexandra
