By Joanne Curcio

Hard Rock Cafe San Juan

Hard Rock Cafe's signature legendary burger.

Think of it as hard rock meets spicy salsa. The Hard Rock Cafe® in San Juan, Puerto Rico, kicks the Hard Rock concept up a notch by sprinkling a little bit of Latin flavor into the mix and making it a feast for the senses.

Sure, you’ll find memorabilia from legendary rockers, but what’s really unique here in San Juan is that you’ll also find some mementos from leading Latino heartthrobs and music idols, including a shirt that once graced the body of Ricky Martin, a kimono worn by Jennifer Lopez and a sassy black leather jacket that once belonged to Latina diva Gloria Estefan.

The recently renovated Cafe is housed in a 300-year-old, impeccably restored two-level Spanish-style building in the heart of historic Old San Juan. The restaurant’s location in the picturesque city, with cobblestone streets, candy-colored facades and European archways, adds to its charm.

As for Latin flavor, you experience with your taste buds. The tropical San Juan locale takes the traditional Hard Rock menu and spices it up with several local dishes. When in San Juan, do as the Sanjuaneros do, and sink your teeth into the local Hard Rock’s juicy Churrasco Caribe—a heaping helping of freshly seasoned, grilled lean-cut skirt steak topped with mojito isleño, a zesty herb topping made with lots of fresh herbs and a hint of garlic. Or for a favorite with a twist, try the Pollo Asado, rotisserie chicken Puerto Rican style—rubbed with rich Caribbean spices and basted with juices that take your palate on a tropical vacation. Seafood lovers go wild for the Island Mahi, a generous portion of Caribbean dorado, which is a delicately flavored white fish lightly sautéed until golden brown and then topped with a savory creole sauce. All the local flavor entrees come with traditional Puerto Rican side dishes, arroz mamposteao (rice with beans with herbs) and tostones (plantains that have been mashed into medallions and fried to perfection).

Music memorabilia nd collector's items decorate the interior of Old San Juan's Hard Rock Cafe.

But besides the local taste sensations found here, you’ll also find the straight up rock and roll soul food that the Hard Rock is famous for. Get started with Joe Perry’s “Rock Your World” Quesadilla that takes grilled chicken and pineapple to new heights when it’s drizzled with the lead guitarist of Aerosmith’s own mango peach Tango hot sauce and melted jack cheese and stuffed into a chile-dusted tortilla. Another starter to consider is the Santa Fe Spring Rolls, stuffed with spinach, black beans, cilantro, corn, jalapenos and diced red peppers. Follow up with one of the Hard Rock’s famous flaming burgers—I recommend the Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger. For a lighter fare option, dig into a Haystack Chicken Salad with mixed greens, fresh veggies, pico de gallo and topped with grilled chicken. For dessert, the hot fudge brownie sundae is big and delicious in more ways than one.

Then when you’ve had your fill of food, you’re in the right place to party like a rock star. There’s often live music on weekends, but if you’re lucky, you might catch a special midweek show when the Hard Rock points the spotlight on budding local artists.

Article courtesy of Tables Magazine: Puerto Rico’s Guide to Great Dining, www.tablespr.com.

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