Bronx Foodie: Thinking Dominican Foods and a Valentine's Day Menu Review

Bronx Foodie is actually on vacation this week, in the Dominican Republic celebrating Carnival and DR's Independence Day. Read on after the jump for 5 foods you should try this weekend in honor of Dominican Independence Day. But first, I had to share the results of my Valentine's Day meal with our readers.

I ended up making almost everything from scratch. The crab cakes appetizer came out tasty, but a little dry. Next time I'll try frying instead of baking them. Then I made grilled skirt steak (in a grill pan), mashed potatoes, and asparagus. The entire entree came out great and I served it with red wine. I decided I wouldn't have time to make the Tiramisu, so my sweet husband went to Arthur Avenue and bought two huge peices from Palombo Bakery. They were delicious.

Now, onto my vacation. By the time you read this, I will be lounging in the sun in beautiful Santo Domingo. But it occurred to me today that I was most excited about the food I'll get to try. And you don't have to travel to the Caribbean to taste great Dominican cuisine. Here are five things that you should try this weekend at your local Dominican Restaurant. They are not exactly the healthiest foods, but if you've been cooking as much as I have, you deserve a treat.