 Haitian cuisine is comparable to that of "criollo" (Spanish for 'creole') cooking and similar to the rest of the Latin Caribbean, but differs in several ways from its regional counterparts.While the cuisine is unpretentious and simple, the flavors are of a bold and spicy nature that demonstrate African and French influences, with notable derivatives coming from native Taíno and Spanish techniques.Levantine influences have made their way into the mainstream culture, due to an Arab migration over the years, establishing many businesses.