Chuleta cancan is Puerto Rico's version of the Philippines' lechon kawali. It's the same Spanish concept for a simple, juicy pork belly with full flavors. Spanish cuisine is mostly identified with rich, aggregate tastes rather than individual tones- which leads me to hazard a guess that the genius of cancan lies on combining both Spanish and non-Spanish food qualities: a slab of succulent fried meat pre-cooked in Caribbean spices- which ones? I have no idea.
The meat is tender, the fat is buttery and flavorful, the skin is crunchy. The fact that cancan is served with red beans and mashed plantains also does wonders. It comes with an herb sauce that very well complements the redness of the meat. To top it all, it is served with a long piece of roasted pork skin, orgasmic I must say. Apparently, cancan is a native recipe coming from South Puerto Rico.
Raices is a restaurant in the southern part of Old San Juan that serves superb Chuleta cancan. You know it's a good eat as you wait hours queueing up to get in. The ambiance is great, the hostesses are very nice and accommodating and the food is- albeit ordinary- exemplary. I did not get to try the cocktails but I heard they are great too; maybe next time, when I go back to the beautiful city for seconds.
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