|
The Unplanned…
As they do every year, at the end of February, escaping from the extreme cold, Mary Anne and Jamie ―best of friends from Toronto― arrived to PV to enjoy a Mexican holiday! This time they spent their first two days in a small hotel in Bucerías, Nayarit, and, from the moment they checked into their hotel we began a gastronomic-cultural tour that would not have been as successful had we planned it.
We immediately headed to Jamie’s favorite dining place in Bucerias called “El Chivero”, this is a traditional restaurant on the beach offering a tropical ambiance typical of the area. They were having a great celebration and a Mariachi Band was playing those popular songs that make a romantic Mexican start to whistle and sing with emotion upon hearing them. We were catered to with great ease and we delighted ourselves with an order of “Ceviche de pescado marinado con limón, cebolla, jitomate y zanahoria” [Fish ceviche, shredded raw fish marinated with lime juice, onion, tomato and carrots] [$70.00 Pesos]; an “Aguachile de camarón abierto estilo mariposa marinado con limón y chile” [butterfly-style open shrimp, marinated with lime and hot chili-peppers][$125.00 Pesos], and a “Filete de pescado a la plancha acompañado de arroz y verduras al vapor” [Griddled fish fillet with rice and steamed vegetables] [$110.00 Pesos]. That day my friends learned that the best way to listen to Mariachi music is.. “free”! A trip just to eat here is definitely worthwhile; when you get there ask for my good friend “Emilio”.
 Friday night in Nuevo Vallarta… Connie, David, Bruce and Gail [the rest of my friends from Toronto] are already here, approximately at 10:30 p.m. and not having an idea of what we would find we decided to take them for a stroll to get better acquainted with Bucerías. Searching for a place with “fajitas”, we discovered a most peculiar taco stand called “El Fortis”, where Connie, although hesitant, decided she would eat a “quesadilla” [folded, not rolled tortilla with cheese] with beef and two “tacos al pastor” [shepherd-style tacos from a spit] for me. For Mary Anne, Jaime, Gail, Bruce and Dave we bought margaritas and beers at “Yoyo Mo’s” a neighboring sports bar. We ended up practically eating tacos on the street without having planned it, drinking beverages from a different establishment and listening to live music [a good rock & roll band] pouring out of “Bucerías Grill”, another sports bar located across from the taco stand. Based on our experience while there, I can tell those who enjoy mingling with the locals: this is your ideal night!
A beef taco is as good as the sauce that accompanies it, and in this case the sauce is a guarantee for it is made by hand on a stone mortar! This time my friends learned how tortillas are made by hand with a high-technology tool! If this sounds strange to you, you should come to this place and get a first-hand experience!
The next day, as desired by Jamie, we celebrated his birthday at Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo, the restaurant of our good friend Roberto who greeted us as cheerfully as always and catered to us warmly. This is a place with a tradition of seafood specialities; in this occasion they surprised us by including “Tapas” [Spanish-style tidbits] in their menu ―as when it first started― and by informing us that Saturdays are live salsa nights!
 Taking advantage of the news we started with Tapas of “Garlic shrimp sautéed in White wine with extra virgin olive oil, champignons and a dash of a miniature chili pepper, called chile piquín” [$95.00 Pesos], “Fried Calamari Rings accompanied by ali-oli [ali stands for garlic, oli stands for oil, olive oil, of course] Spanish sauce” [$65.00 Pesos], “Garlic octopus seasoned with butter, guajillo peppers and White wine” [$75.00 Pesos], and “Fried Crab croquettes served with a creamy chipotle chile sauce” [$63.00 Pesos]; all served in the right measure leaving us room for the main courses, these were: “Fish fillet Veracruzana à la Puerto Nuevo” [$115.00 Pesos] fresh, with an excellent consistency; “Mussels with a house recipe of Tartar sauce” [$245.00 Pesos] will have you licking your fingers; and “Camarones Arriera” [Shrimps with cowboy-tough sauce][$225.00 Pesos] creamy and deliciously spicy! After that succulent dinner and a few Margaritas, Connie discovered that dancing salsa is easier than speaking Spanish!
Brushing aside the off-key singing by the waiters when they perform “Las Mañanitas” or “Happy Birthday”, there is no doubt Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo is still a must for seafood lovers!
 To break away from the beautiful monotony of the ocean, the seafood and the margaritas; we organized a morning excursion to San Sebastián del Oeste located 1300ft above sea level, our experience was a wonderful one! My friends finally found themselves in a place where they could see and feel another face of Mexico, one that reflects a longing to have time stand still as well as reining in accelerated progress. As we arrived into town we went to Eva María’s diner to have a breakfast of “ranchero eggs” and “beef with chili peppers”, accompanied with just made tortillas, everything in the countryside style of the sierra. Nothing compares to the flavors you taste here, one of their secrets is the use of lard in the preparation of refried beans! Prices are ridiculously low, a breakfast for seven people including freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee was less than 30US!
 For their last night in town, Mary Anne and Jamie asked me to take them to the place I told them about upon their arrival: “La Esquina de Los Caprichos” [The Corner of Whims]; it is a tiny family restaurant with authentic Spanish cuisine catered to by its dedicated and passionate owners, Octavio and Miren. Mary Anne and Jamie, by now well tanned, surrounded by the restaurant’s casual and relaxed ambiance, were fascinated by the collection of photographs in the restaurant, the original china they use and charmed by the aroma flowing out from the kitchen, we ordered what to them would be the most exquisite delicacy of their trip. Tapas: “Beef Carpaccio” very fine slices of filet marinated in vinaigrette made from raspberry vinegar, olive oil and capers that melt in your mouth [$95.00 Pesos]. “Calamari from the griddle”, cooked with oil, garlic and parsley; with an unmatchable consistency and flavor, telltale of their freshness and precise term of cooking [$48.00 Pesos]. “Garlic Shrimp”, whole shrimp cooked slowly, so their juice bathes them, little by little, with a flavor that makes you ―despite my instinctive rush to devour them― relish in savoring them just like they were cooked… very slowly! [$55.00 Pesos]. “Sausage au red wine”, a rather dry, lightly smoked sausage from San Juan, drowned in red wine to become the juiciest dish! [$55.00 Pesos]. “Tuna croquettes”, with a soft and crunchy taste [$45.00]. Main course: “Salmon from the griddle”, sealed with simplicity, a Little garlic and parsley, served with tomato and sautéed vegetables, the best complement, though they could be a delicacy on their own! [$100.00 Pesos]. As we were finishing we could tell from looking at each other we would go for an encore… so we dared into some “Piquillos rellenos”, these are peppers of a vibrant red stuffed with a dough made from tuna, cheese and onion and covered by a sauce from the very same peppers, lightly spicy! [$65.00 Pesos]. We should point out that these peppers are endemic of the Spanish region of La Rioja.
 A pear au red wine with a sweet and strong taste —nothing like it in Puerto Vallarta― [$35.00 Pesos], and a robust, double-chocolate cake [$35.00 Pesos], accompanied by a good coffee, were the best way to round-up our soirée, it was like the other side of a rainbow of flavors that started already over a week ago.
Dianne Jacob in her book “Will Write for Food”, points out that what solidifies the prestige of a good restaurant is ”its consistency”, in its processes, quality, taste and service, she therefore recommends going back to a restaurant repeatedly and trying different dishes in order to be able to make a balanced comment or evaluation about its cuisine. Taking this into account, I will share with you that “La Esquina de Los Caprichos” is definitely a restaurant maintaining its excellence prestige. Mary Anne expressed it somewhat differently by saying: After visiting Puerto Vallarta every year for 20 years, from this moment on “La Esquina de Los Caprichos” is my favorite place!
I thank God for the life of Mary Anne, Jamie, Connie, David, Bruce and Gail, who, just by their presence make a difference in my life! Email to a friend
..until next time and God bless you all.
El Chivero Restaurante
No. 9 Pacifico Ave.
Bucerías, Nayarit
Open daily from
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Phone: [329] 298-0612 |
Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo
284 Basilio Badillo
Romantic Zone.
Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
Open daily from
8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Phone: [322] 222-6210 |
La Esquina e Los Caprichos
402 Miramar – Iturbide Corner
Downtown Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
Open Monday to Saturday from
1:00 a 10:00 p.m.
Phone: [322] 222-0911
* Cash Only |
Until next time and God bless you,
Jesús de Avila.
E-mail: editor@pvmirror.com
My Feedback about this Article |
Previous Articles |
Current
Weather Report
