Casa Naranjo – Top Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta Casa Naranjo – Top Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta • mango– Vallarta Gourmet Paper • Photos by Ana Raisman & Jesús de Avila • June 2009
Since it had been a fair time since our last visit here, we opted to once again be thrilled by the food and presentation, and found that their preparation had improved to even greater heights.
We nestled down in the chic interior featuring murals of tropical fruits - especially oranges, limes and tangerines – well cooled and backed with soft dining music. The center is an open kitchen where chefs/owners Andres Espinoza and wife Lucy prepare each dish with the help of their assistants. After browsing the fine menu, we were presented a basket of warm dinner rolls accompanied by a nicely softened butter.
They seemed to have made a quick jaunt from the oven to our table. We would be hard-pressed to find a better start to assuage our growing appetites.
The server brought a beautiful starter of smoked marlin empanadas. They were cut at the corners so each formed a wedge and were placed onto an underlying chipotle cream sauce, which had a medium kick to it. The homemade turnovers were crisp on the outside while retaining the soft moist filling superbly.
Baked Panela cheese in butter came in a small baking dish and worked wondrously with the warm rolls. Another basket of bread was brought. The wedges of cheese had a thin edge and creamy insides so were easily spreadable. The dish was only lightly seasoned, allowing us to taste the delicate flavor of the soft panela.
One salad was shared - and it was superb. The menu described it as a shrimp salad with spinach, orange and sesame seeds. The dressing was delicate, accenting the sweetness of the butterflied shellfish served at room temperature. Tossing well had incorporated the seasonings evenly so each morsel burst with flavor.
Among the entrées, we chose the chicken breast stuffed with flor de calabaza (squash blossoms) and ricotta cheese. The minced blossoms were mixed with the soft cheese and made a fine filling. The breast was sliced, each containing a generous portion of the stuffing. Underneath was the same chipotle cream sauce which blended with the understated chicken. Two half-moon rows of vegetables circled an edge of the plate, one of carrot slices, the other of squash, both cooked al dente. Garnish was a fresh sprig of basil.
There are several sauces for fish offerings listed and one guest ordered the sea bass [Robalo de la Bahía] with scallop mousse in a crust of potato, but with the fresh basil cream sauce. Presentation was delightful, again with the crunchy vegetables. The fish was thick, moist and flaky, cooked to perfection. Silky meat mixed beautifully with the soft basil accent.
The country-style beef filet with potatoes, mushrooms and spinach came as a large filet, cooked in a traditional ranch method. It was a red meat lover’s dream, tender and bursting with simple flavor, not covered by many other flavorings.
Due to the number and size of the plates ordered, sadly we had to opt out of desserts. Noted was a tasting menu composed of five courses plus coffee. Call ahead to find out the current offerings.
All of us departed with smiles from the meal, but also promises that we would return quickly and report to our dining friends that Casa Naranjo is one of the top restaurants in the entire Puerto Vallarta Bay Area. Email to a friend
• Casa Naranjo Restaurant
263 Naranjo St. Col. Emiliano Zapata
Phone: 222-3518 • Website: www.casa-naranjo.com
* Gary Beck is the author of “Beck’s Best”, the Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Guide (over 360 estaurants) which has become a hit with visitors and local residents alike. He does not receive free meals nor accept advertisement. www.cafepress.com/vallartaguide. He is also the moderator of the PV South Side group at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Puerto_Vallarta_OldTown_SouthSide/
Email: garyrbeck1@yahoo.com
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Since it had been a fair time since our last visit here, we opted to once again be thrilled by the food and presentation, and found that their preparation had improved to even greater heights. 
.
The country-style beef filet with potatoes, mushrooms and spinach came as a large filet, cooked in a traditional ranch method. It was a red meat lover’s dream, tender and bursting with simple flavor, not covered by many other flavorings. 