It was a vibe! Autentico Volume 2 checked every box.
After a lovely Bucket List Experience dinner, my taste buds were pumped for the next day. The Pavilion at Wilhelminastraat!
The 2024 festival exceeded my expectations. Not only was the food incredible, but the ambiance and the energy were on a different level. So I knew the 2025 edition would be just as good, if not better!
Arubans + Food = Soulmates đ„
Itâs no secret that Arubans love food. We love food trucks, good barbecue, snacks at parties, you name it. If thereâs no food involved, donât invite us. Autentico brings together the best of Aruba's gastronomy in a non-intimidating way. Top chefs, creative mixologists, and even up-and-coming stars like our talented culinary students (their goat stew was the best seller btw!) So, I was excited.
Since this was Autentico's second year, I already had an idea of what to expect and how everything worked. As I entered, the first thing I noticed was the art on the ground. All Autentico colors. Loved that detail. I took it all in as I waited for my cousins to arrive. The string lights, the people, the colors, the smell. Lovely... But let's not get too distracted... Theyâre here! Letâs eat!
Nothing says culinary festival like a greasy sandwich... đ„
My peeps topped up their wristbands, and we were ready to go! My first stop was Azar Open Fire Cuisine. I had dinner at Azar once, and their rotisserie chicken was ah-mazing and juicy! So, when I saw they had a rotisserie chicken sandwich on the Autentico menu, I just knew I had to sink my teeth into one. The sandwich was branded and looked proper greasy, like it should. The flavor, the juiciness. Ugh. It was a great start.
Pop-up art? đș
Right on the little square where Azarâs stand was, the Autentico team had set up a unique photo-op with one of the Downtown Trolleys. They covered it in Bougainvillea (Trinitaria in the Caribbean). The Autentico Trolley was too beautiful not to stop and take a pic. With steelpan music in the background, we headed to our next restaurant stop.
From land to sea đ
I wanted to step outside my comfort zone. My son, who is only 6, is quite the adventurous eater. So I wanted to impress him by telling him I ate octopus. Casa Nonna had just that on the menu. Their âPolipoâ had good flavor and included potatoes & bell peppers.
Can't go wrong with Italian đ
My last food stop of the night needed to be filling. I was still pretty hungry. I decided on the lobster ravioli at Eskama. The black ravioli made with squid ink was interesting to look at. Generously filled with lobster, on a sea of creamy goodness. I would have preferred a less smoky flavor, but it was still delicious.
New Pavilion Experience: A cooking class! đšđ»âđ«
Next on my agenda was a new experience at The Pavilion. A cooking class by Chef Christian Petroni, a renowned Chef, TV personality, and best-selling author. He started the session by sharing funny anecdotes about his life in The Bronx, his summers in Ponza, Italy, and how his mom perfected the recipe we were going to make because it was his dadâs favorite dessert. A really funny guy with good energy. He had everyone laughing. Super down-to-earth, and invited us to ask as many questions as we wanted. But I was too excited to get started on dessert to ask questionsâŠ
On the table, the ingredients for us to build our own personal tiramisu. Chef Christianâs version. I was excited! From his recipe in his cookbook Parm to Table, we had a ready-to-go creamy filling made with mascarpone, lady fingers, of course, espresso, our local Pepe Margo coffee liqueur and rum, and some cocoa powder. He said, "We are the boss of our tiramisu.â You decide how much of the espresso and liqueur are soaked up by the lady fingers.
Since I am not a coffee drinker, I briefly dipped those fingers and started building. For me, the creamy filling was the star of the show, so I packed as much as could fit in that tiny plate/bowl thingamajig, then added another round of fingers. I finished it off with more filling and topped it with cocoa powder. It was delicious!
We finished the night by hanging out, chilling on the grass at the picnic area, yapping and enjoying each otherâs company. What a great night! My stomach is already looking forward to Autentico 2026. Will you be joining for a bite or two (or three)?
Autentico Aruba Culinary Festival returns October 3rd to the 11th, with The Pavilion on the 10th and 11th.
Check out my 2025 Pavilion Reel đ„
Read all about my Autentico Bucket List Experience
