Aruba - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 122

Where to Eat

N o need to dress for dinner. Restaurants on Aruba know

you're on vacation, and probably sunburned, so they
don't expect you to put on uncomfortable clothes. Chances
are you'll be dining outdoors on a patio, perhaps overlooking
the sea, and anything more than clean shorts or a colorful
sun dress will appear pretentious.
For a small island, Aruba has a lot of places to eat, and most are good; a few
are outstanding. The variety of cuisine is extensive, and you can find
everything from Argentinian steaks to German Wienerschnitzel to
Aruban fried funchi. Chefs are determined to wow you with their talent
and become the topic of complimentary chatter around the resort swim-
ming pool.
Unfortunately, if you plan to dine well and often, you will be spending
heavily. Almost everything in the restaurants' kitchens is imported, and
the cost is passed on to you. To ease the sting and allow visitors to try a
variety of eateries, two programs are available: the Dine Around Program
and the Visit Aruba Program.

Dine Around
The Dine Around Program is sponsored by the Aruba Gastro-
nomic Association, 800-793-6028 (in the US) or 297-586-1266

(on Aruba); fax [phone]; www.arubadining.com. A long list
of excellent restaurants belong to the program, which allows you
to prepay for a package of three ($109), five ($177), or seven ($245)
dinners that may be enjoyed at any of the member establish-
ments. Each evening meal includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert,
and coffee or tea. Another plan allows you to purchase five break-
fasts or lunches plus four dinners for $214.
The Visit Aruba Card costs $10 and al-
lows cardholders to receive a discount at
participating restaurants, as well as ho-
tels, car rental agencies, and island at-
tractions. Purchase the card before you
leave home, and it will be delivered to
your hotel. Contact Visit Aruba, www.visitaruba.com.

All-inclusive packages sometimes allow guests to dine at restaurants in
other resorts, so ask when you make your reservation. Most resort restau-
rants serve wonderful meals, but you'll enjoy more variety if you try some
of the independent establishments, as well.