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The Spot, Culebra, PR

What to Eat... Fede and Alicia find The Spot
November 2010 / By Joa Tous

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"If you've had enough rice and beans, come to me, you'll get  something different". And that’s exactly what Alicia from quaint petit  bistro The Spot does. And I say you take her up on that offer. Alicia   prepares everything you will never expect in Culebra: Indian, Lebanese, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean… For the past eight years she has  challenged the culebrenses’ palettes with a refreshing and exotic menu,  which has kept them coming back for more. “When I created my menu, everyone thought I was crazy because no one ever thought I would be able to sell a pita pocket sandwich filled with beef and lamb, feta cheese  and black olives”, she says. Still today, her pita sandwiches are a   favorite amongst the locals; young and old alike.

In the company of her husband “Fede”, these two are a culinary power couple. Fede is the “face” of the operation, greeting guests and offering the very menu and specials Alicia dazzles us with. But it doesn’t stop there; he is also her sous chef. This ‘two-man-show’ has been like this from the start.
The “start” was Café Isola (in Culebra); their  first “spot” for five years before they had to re-locate and decided to open The Spot almost four years ago. A  place also recognized for being the first to bring espresso and draft beer to Culebra. When they arrived to the  Island from Switzerland, Fede didn’t speak Spanish or English (Alicia was his translator), but he managed to learn  both in Culebra.
Lamb chops
Although they were determined to start their first restaurant by themselves, they say they could  not have done it without the help and support of all the friendly people they came across in the process. "…we had so much fun discovering things for ourselves", says Fede.

Charismatic and sincere, Alicia and Fede have earned the hearts of locals and visitors alike. This charm comes  across in all their creations and their joy of eating and sharing good times. Alicia’s hearty, juicy “Middle Eastern” hamburger made with hummus, pickles and feta cheese (betcha’ never had one like it); panini with prosciutto,  fresh basil leaves and mozzarella with olive oil and love; couscous with chicken curry (to mention a few) and  Fede’s famous coffees, will lure you with an aroma you can smell all the way to Flamenco.

“I only cook what I like and I like a lot of things, so it works”, says Alicia, who gets her inspiration from traveling,  her family, cookbooks and cooking shows. For her, this is what’s normal cooking, it’s what she likes; it’s what her  family likes. “I think I bring something different to Culebra. But it really, comes down to this: I love eating. I  figure if I have to eat, I might as well eat something good. You have to work with love and passion.” And this is exactly what Alicia and Fede do.

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