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Vieques.- The fusion of Caribbean, Spanish, and French cuisine with the unmistakable criollo touch of local cooking is the aroma that draws Viequense diners to Nuestro Local 00765, an innovative venue that promises an exquisite culinary experience in a tranquil environment with affordable prices.

Denis Román Benjamín, the visionary behind Nuestro Local 00765, emphasizes that the name is a tribute to Vieques’ identity, reflecting not only the ambiance of the dining area and its surroundings, but also the flavors of the dishes served to guests

“It all started after Hurricane María. There was no power for 11 months, and many of the restaurants here closed. One night I was chatting with some friends, we started talking about opening a restaurant for the locals; a place where viequenses felt a sense of ownership. So we decided to name it Nuestro Local with the Vieques zip code, 00765. We conceptualized it, and thank God we brought it to life. Our goal was to create a space where locals, Viequenses themselves, could truly feel at home,” explained Román, attributing the ideation of the project to his friends, whom he describes as the intellectual architects behind the gastronomic venture.

“In Vieques, you can find tacos and hamburgers everywhere you go, but you won’t find fried fish or arepas (maize dough fritters). They call us viequenses ‘comearepas’ (arepa eaters). So in that conversation we started joking about the food we like made grandmother-style, and that’s how I created the menu,” explained the young entrepreneur who offers a varied and identity-rich menu.

According to the fisherman-turned-restaurateur, the most requested dish from this diverse menu is a surf and turf combination that is a favorite among viequenses.

“The most requested dish is the Malecón, it’s the surf and turf in Vieques. It includes a cut of meat and fried fish, mashed vegetables, an arepa, vegetables, and that’s why it’s very popular,” he said, emphasizing that his main clientele are local residents of the island.

“Another popular item is Los Bravos de Boston, featuring a New York Steak paired with the customer’s preferred side. This dish is named after a community called ‘Los Bravos de Boston,’ a community that Viequenses rescued years ago, but were later displaced by mainlanders. Today, many foreigners live there, which is why we named it that, because Americans really enjoy the NY Steak,” Román commented with a laugh as he mentioned the names of each dish.

Other culinary options that attract diners because of how delicious they are include El Cañón, fried pork bites served with breadfruit or plantain tostones, and 18 Grados Norte, a beef steak with the house sofrito (a fried medley of aromatics). “We wanted to exalt our gastronomy with the type of food our grandmothers made, which is what everyone eats here. And present the dishes related to the communities. That’s why you’ll find El Fortín 1845, a nod to the famous fort atop the hill; El Punta Mulas, featuring the catch of the day with cilantro mojo and arepas, and El Cayo Blanco, which has breaded shrimp with your choice of side,” explained the well-known restaurant owner.

Popular sides include arepas, breadfruit tostones, mashed vegetables, and mamposteado, which, according to Román, is “made with local ingredients, I use local ingredients; conch, octopus, fish. Our best-seller at the moment is lobster. We also started making a seafood rice,” said the owner.

Although Román believes that the initial goal of Nuestro Local 00765 has been met, he sees the restaurant expanding its culinary options by introducing a fish market, a bar and snack area, and enhancing comfort with an interior courtyard adorned with murals depicting the life and history of Viequenses.

Located on Antonio Mellado Street, in the emblematic building where the #70 Puerto Rican flag of Héctor Collazo rests, Nuestro Local 00765 is open seven days a week, from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.