YOU CAN find good fish on almost any restaurant table in the Caribbean. It’s almost always fresh, locally sourced and well prepared.

But the great plate of fish is often in more rarefied air — an exclusive place where master chefs turn seafood into an art form.

Above: the grouper at Kukua

We found precisely that at the Kukua Beach Club in Bavaro, an elegeant beachfront club and restaurant located adjacent to the Bahia Principe resort.

Kukua is a popular spot for weddings in the area, mainly due to its pristine station right on the sand.

But it’s also a veritable sanctuary for high-quality seafood.

After a delectable croquette sampler, Caribbean Eats tried two fish entrees: a grouper and a snapper, each of which were exquisitely cooked and, most importantly, perfectly seasoned.

It’s the latter that takes any fish dish from good to exceptional, and the kitchen at Kukua was spot on.

Kukua’s seafood-oriented menu (Italian pasta dishes and certain beef plates are also featured) includes ceviche, fresh conch, carpaccios and appetizers like tuna tacos, tuna salads and, naturally, shrimp and lobster dishes.

Plainly, if you’re looking for seafood in Punta Cana, this is the place. Indeed, it’s some of the best seafood we’ve had anywhere in the Caribbean.

Kukua
Inside the Punta Blanca Golf Club near the Bahia Principe
829-943-81-18
Open 11 AM to 11 PM

— CJ