Restaurante Luis, a seafood shack not 30 feet from the waves of the bountiful Samana coastline in the Dominican Republic, fits this profile to a T. On my table perched crookedly in the sand there are paper plates piled high with the fruits of the sea: langoustine, giant prawns, and whole red snapper, along with mafongo (a mash of fried plantains with garlic and onions), golden rounds of tostones, crinkly french fries, and rice and beans. If that weren't enough, boys are going around with pails of oysters, selling them by the shell. There's beer here, including the Dominican beer Presidente, but I prefer to refresh with sweet water sipped directly from a just-cracked green coconut. After lunch the only dessert I'm craving is a dip in the turquoise waters just a few steps from my table. With simple food this good, who needs luxury?

Restaurante Luis
Playa Coson
Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic