Review – New Smokehouse – Only at Iberostar Dominicana
As stated in our review of the Iberostar Dominicana, the resort shares 6 themed restaurants, 2 buffets, and 7 bars with the neighboring Iberostar Punta Cana. The 6 themed restaurants include Maria Bonita (Mexican), Star Rock Cafe (American), La Marimba (Smoke House), La Sibila (French), La Pagoda (Oriental), and La Cana (Mediterranean). All themed restaurants require a reservation during your stay. During a 7-night stay, you are able to book 3 themed restaurants. They open reservations for the week every Sunday.
During the COVID shut-down, Steven bought a smoker and has really enjoyed smoking meats and other things, so we knew that we wanted to visit Iberostar’s new smokehouse, La Marimba! Iberostar described La Marimba as “A meat lover’s delight, with the most succulent cuts grilled to perfection.” Do we really need to say any more than that!
Making Reservations
Making reservations was fairly simple. We talked to our concierge, and he directed us to Guest Services. We told them that we were interested in making a reservation at La Marimba and they gave us several options that were available. Our reservation was set for Saturday at 6:30pm for a party of 7, and we were on our way.
Note – you are also able to make reservations on the Iberostar App, but since Steven’s parents wanted to join us for dinner and they were in their own room, we had to make reservations with Guest Services, so we could make one reservation and make sure were all able to sit at the same table.
The Food
The food at La Marima is served family style, which is great so you can try all the smokey goodness. You are able to enjoy 4 different smoked meats and 4 different sides. Cornbread and fried empanadas with cheese and meat are also served with the meal. A Children’s Menu is also available for those little ones that are traveling with you.
Dress Code
La Marimba does have a dress code. They request that you dress casual/formal. Shirts with sleeves, Bermuda shorts, and shoes or sandals are required for you to enter the restaurant.
Location
La Marimba is located on the Dominicana side, down by the pool and beach area. It was nice to enjoy the ocean breeze while we enjoyed our dinner and family time.
The Service
The service at La Marimba was great, just as it was throughout the resort. When we arrived for our reservation at 6:30pm, they quickly escorted us to our table, provided us with a menu and water, and took our drink order. We had looked over the menu on the Iberostar app prior to dinner, so we kind of knew what we were getting into. The kids ordered the Kid’s Mac and Cheese and the adults ordered 2 plates of the Family Style Dinner. The meals came quickly and were hot upon arrival. After we were finished eating the main meal, they came around to take our dessert order. They had 3 options for us to choose from for dessert. Most of us ordered the Chocolate Cake or Banana Crumble with Milk Caramel. When the waiters brought dessert, they intentionally forgot the kids to see how they would react. After the kids realized it was a joke, the waiter brought them an extra big piece. We all got a good laugh at it.
Our Review
So, were our taste buds satisfied after this meal? You bet they were! Iberostar’s description of La Marimba wasn’t a lie. It really was a meat lover’s delight, with the most succulent cuts grilled to perfection! The meat was juicy, tender, and smokey! We really liked the brisket and pulled pork. The sides were also very good. The only thing that was a little off were the chili beans. They had great flavor, but a little greasy for our liking. Both of the desserts we tried were also great and were a nice way to end a great meal. Out of everything, the best thing on the plate was the fried empanadas with cheese and meat. We don’t know how they made these, but wow! We wish we had the recipe for our smoker at home. They were so tasty, we should have asked for another order!
In the end we were so satisfied with our dinner. Our family even joked that we should make another reservation on another night during our stay. Be sure to check this place out during your vacation!
Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for our latest adventure!