Al pasito — Restaurant in Las Terrenas

Short Review - if you are a foodie YES go here 100% - order the Thai green curry and if available order the octopus.

Al pasito is a charming hidden garden style restaurant nestled in-between a very local feeling part of the Dominican neighborhood.

We were met by a lovely smiley waitress that was excited to help us and who made every effort to speak English to us and make us comfortable.

The menu is reassuringly short and includes star items listed within other excellent examples

We had the panko squid which were great but the Thai green curry was the best I have ever had in my life and by a decent stretch. (Context - we have been around the global food block quite a bit). They have adapted local ingredients into the dish in an outstanding way. The base broth for the dish created by an outstanding chef.

Naturally, at this time, the wine in the Dominican is limited. The list is thoughtful and excellent for the prices charged. We had a bottle of the Rose Cotes du Provence for $20

We made a second reservation 15 seconds after trying the Thai curry and are going back tomorrow for the whole Octopus and beef Tataki which where not available on the Wednesday that we went. We got the understanding that some items are only available on the weekend which seems a recurring theme in the area. I suspect both will be out of this world and I plan to report back.

Whoever is behind this restaurant really knows what they are doing. Give it time and you will be joining a long...

While the food was decent, our overall experience left much to be desired. We were shocked to be charged $160 for what was, at best, a mediocre meal. We ordered three cocktails (which were mostly juice with a splash of alcohol), one appetizer (we received two by mistake and let it go), and two octopus entrees.

As someone who frequently enjoys dining out, I’ve had far superior culinary experiences for significantly less—including full three-course meals at high-end establishments. This place lacks ambiance, has no beach access, and offers no parking, making it incredibly difficult to even get to.

Unfortunately, I left feeling taken advantage of. I would not recommend this restaurant and suggest exploring other options that offer better value...

I am not sure why there are so many good reviews, the food was terrible. We ordered the octopus entree and it was chewy and stale. Upon sending it back the manager told us that it was indeed not fresh and that they cooked it earlier in the day, refrigerated it and then heated it up. The pesto pasta was so bland and pasta also seemed reheated (had a gritty texture). We got the burger after sending back the octopus and asked for it to be cooked medium and received it still bleeding. Might I add that while we were there they were openly setting up a birthday party with large balloons they kept popping in the middle of the restaurant which made the ambience...