Guide to Guavate and the piglet route By Discover Puerto Rico

What is a piglet? 

Lechón is roasted whole pork, which is cooked for hours over hot coals or an open flame, allowing the skin to become crispy while the meat remains tender and juicy. This is a dish that can usually only be obtained in the countryside of Puerto Rico and becomes more common during the Christmas season.

How to order in a piglet?

Lechoneras are restaurants that serve suckling pig and most are cafeteria style. When you arrive, you line up and order directly at the counter, either individual portions that include pork or chicken and two sides or you can order pork by the pound, chicken by the quarter, and sides by the container (small or large). The pork is placed on a cutting board behind the counter and chopped into pieces with a machete. The classic accompaniments are steaming hot on hot trays such as rice and beans, tostones, ripe plantains, mofongo, arroz con gandules, as well as yuca al mojo (cassava with onion, olive oil and vinegar), boiled sweet potatoes and bananas. The adventurous diner will also want to try the cuajito (stewed pork stomach), blood sausage and sausage. 

For those who do not eat pork, chicken is a good option since it is seasoned and prepared in a similar way to pig, giving it a great flavor. If you're a vegetarian, root vegetables and plantains are your best bet, since most rice and bean dishes probably contain pieces of pork or ham as part of their seasoning. 

Live the experience like a local

Once you have your meal, go to the nearest communal table - although some restaurants also have regular round tables - and start sharing the feast. The bar will usually be separate from the food station, so if the place is packed (and the good ones always are), then be strategic and have one part of the group in charge of ordering the food and the other drinks. 

After your meal, you can dance if a live band is playing or stroll through the roadside stalls to see if any souvenirs catch your eye.

Explore Guavate 

To make the most of your day in Guavate, try to arrive before noon, especially on weekends because traffic coming up Guavate comes to a standstill in the afternoon. The first lechonera you'll find as you exit the highway is Lechonera Los Amigos and next door is Café Prieto , a charming coffee shop on a covered terrace overlooking a stream. 

Drive up the mountain and you will immediately come across many other lechoneras such as El Mojito , Doctor Lechón , El Rancho Original , Lechonera Los Pinos , El Rancho Nuevo and many more. The higher up on the mountain, the more likely the restaurant will have a view of the Carite State Forest ( El Rancho Original and Los Pinos both do). 

Which is the best? It depends on who you ask, as every local has their favorite. Some people treat this road trip as a "chinchorreo" and try out a little of what looks good in different places. While weekends tend to be livelier (and busier) as most live bands perform on Saturdays and Sundays, it is possible to enjoy great food during the week as the most popular lechoneras are open on seven days a week.

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Source: www.discoverpuertorico.com