The Sea Horse at Bahia del Sol | | by
Anna Reisman - June 11, 2001. |
 There's
always something a little exciting about going to eat at a hotel when you're not
a guest there. If you live here as I do, it's like being on vacation. If you're
on vacation here, it becomes a vacation-within-a-vacation...
Some
friends of mine had been telling me about all the renovations that had taken place
at the restaurant of a little hotel in Nuevo Vallarta, and about the brand new
menu they had going. In my mind, Nuevo Vallarta had always seemed extremely far
to go just to have dinner, but now with the new highway, it's really quite fast
- about 20 minutes. So we all decided to check it out last week. The
Bahía del Sol is a relatively small resort in comparison with the mega-hotels
nearby. The Seahorse is its restaurant, set right over the beach, next to the
hotel's pool. There are no street noises there, no buses, no hustle and bustle,
just the sound of the waves washing up on the shore. The restaurant is very pleasant
and airy, and there are glass panes to protect diners from the ocean mist while
still offering an unbroken view of the bay and the sunsets. The manager is there
to greet all the customers and the ambiance is friendly and laid back. I
should start off by stating that I was truly impressed by the range of items on
the Seahorse menu. Of course it includes appetizers, soups and salads, fish and
meat, and the house's specialties. But there are also little surprises ...like
the crêpes. You can have them as appetizers, a main course, or dessert,
and I love crêpes - especially when they're well prepared. But let's go
back to the beginning. My friend suggested we order the
Champiñones a la Antigua (old-style mushrooms) to start, so we did. They
were served in a little covered earthenware dish and they were delicious, seasoned
with white wine, garlic, spices and chile guajillo in a combination with which
I was totally unfamiliar. Turns out that all the recipes on the menu are tried
and true authentic family recipes from the state of Veracruz, renowned in Mexico
for its excellent cuisine. That heritage's influence became obvious to me as the
dishes followed each other. One of the salads on the menu
caught my eye, the Ensalada Delicia, a fresh mix of apple, celery, pecan, pineapple,
raisins and chicken in a creamy honey dressing. I thought it over and decided
on the Sopa Cantonesa instead. Wow! Shrimp, chicken, bacon, mushrooms and corn
in a dark, rich broth, not too spicy and with an unexpected wonderful Oriental
flavor. As we were eating and chatting away, in walked
Beverly and Willow. In case you don't know who they are, let me enlighten you.
This duo has been around here for a long time and Vallarta is very lucky to have
them. Beverly sings and Willow plays the guitar. Sometimes their lovely daughter
is present and listens to them play. This is coool Jazz, smoooth and sooothing
to the soul. As delicious as the following dishes were, this talented couple's
music made it even more so.  For
my main dish, I ordered the Filete Relleno de Huitlacoche because I just love
the flavor of those fungi. This is a thinly sliced beef tenderloin filled with
creamy huitlacoche, au gratin, and it comes with a combination of vegetables that
are well-chosen and perfectly prepared. Excellent. My friends had the filet of
mahi-mahi and the Supreme of Chicken Cordon Bleu. Both were delighted with their
choices. The only time we interrupted our dining pleasure was to applaud the beautiful
music of Beverly & Willow (they play there on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
For
dessert - of course - I wanted crêpes. You can order them in a choice of
flavors: caramel, mango, Suzette, patinadores (with ice cream, covered in blackberry
sauce), but that night, the Maître D' suggested I try them with a peach
sauce. Why not? So I did, and they were lovely. Oh yes,
as if the serene setting, the fabulous food and the marvelous music weren't enough
to attract us to their establishment, the Seahorse is offering a free bottle of
wine or free appetizers to its clients during this introductory period! I thought
you should know. Our most satisfying evening averaged
out to $200. pesos per person, not including wine, tax or tips.
Take a drive out there, get to see another side of our beautiful bay, a gentler,
quieter side. It's well worth the ride. For reservations and information, please
call: 01 (329) 71276. pvmomto3@hotmail.com |
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