By Mary Ellen Psaltis
Imagine this: Homemade corn tortillas rolled around savory pulled chicken and smothered with green chili sauce – yes, that sounds good. How about hot-off-the grill flour tortillas, lightly chewy, ready to scoop up grilled peppers and strips of tender beef? Let’s add crispy chips, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo and a tall cool one. Now I’m really getting hungry.
I love eating typical Mexican dishes, especially in Mexico, where I get to don flip-flops and sunglasses. We indulged our quest for warmth and sunshine during February to slip down to Cabo San Lucas. As annual visitors we have our favorite places to eat, but we like to explore the neighborhoods and see what’s new for us. We can hardly wait for our ‘real Mexican’ meals, but we are also unwilling to eat tacos every day.
Here are three places – quite different from each other and all providing memorable culinary experiences:
Campestre
Calle Salvatierra s/n Entre av. Lopez Mateos y Camino al Faro
Hike from the center of town through the neighborhoods to discover an absolutely casual eatery where the drinks are impressively tall and the flavor is local. People talk about their ample and very reasonably priced breakfasts but we have enjoyed many a dinner, and name it as a favorite place. This time we shared a shrimp/cheese/vegie stuffed fish fillet that was more than enough for the two of us. We even took some back to the condo for the following day’s lunch. After being fortified with margaritas and some of the town best flour tortillas, we made the short walk to Chedraui to stock up on the week’s grocery essentials. Chedraui is a large all purpose grocery store with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, a bakery, spices and so much more. You’ll want to take a cab back to your ‘home’ with all your goodies.
For the first time on a different day, we went back for the acclaimed breakfast. The place was hopping. My husband had a heaping plate of chicken chilaquiles; I had a stack of pancakes and fresh fruit and we both had fresh made o.j. Our bill came to $16.00. A total bargain.
It’s a family owned restaurant with reasonable prices and pleasing food.
Healthy, Restaurant Wine & Bar
Calle 5 de Mayo
New to the restaurant scene is Healthy, which lives up to it’s name and motto, “Tu Salud Es Nuestra Virtud.” Your health is our virtue. There were no chips in sight. The attention to the quality of their food is apparent. The Pear Salad featured lightly dressed organic lettuce adorned with roasted pears, blueberries and cottage cheese. The Vegetarian Lasagna has no trace of pasta but a lovely stack of vegetables held together with a touch of cheese and spiced tomato sauce. Both of these lighter fares were welcome changes from other restaurant meals heavy with starchy tortillas and extra fat.
Owner Panaco Castillo brings years of restaurant experience (30!) as he worked for the Anderson Group (Senior Frogs, Carlos n Charlie’s). His partner is Chef Jonathan Zermann. They transformed a vacant, plain house into a welcoming tiled patio lined with plants. Their enthusiasm for their food and ambiance added to our time under their palapa.
Alcaravea Gourmet
Zaragoza Esq. 16 de Septiembre
Many eateries have plastic chairs and vinyl table clothes. Nothing wrong with that, but it is more adult and more romantic to appreciate an intimate table for two with linen napkins and china. With a Mediterranean menu of possibilities lovingly prepared by Enrique Diaz Gerard you are in for a treat. I don’t associate making reservations with places in Cabo, but this is probably one place where that is a good idea (unless you eat very early or late.) This is in part because there really is limited seating, but it is also because the menu is interesting and the food is well prepared.
Travel Warning to Mexico
Unfortunately, there is wide spread anxiety over travel in Mexico. Some of this is warranted. When people hear I travel to Mexico, they look at me like I must be kidding. I am not saying there are no safety issues in the country, but my travels fly over the tempestuous border towns and land in resort areas such as Cabo. Escaping the cold rainy weather in Olympia for a few sun-soaked days boosts my spirits and my vitamin D levels. We also stay out of trouble.
I adhere to the advice of an American friend who lives in Ixtapa:
Don’t drive around the edge of town late at night.
Don’t walk around drunk late at night.
Don’t try to buy drugs.
That sounds like good advice for any city.
Live Well – Be Well
A few recipe ideas:
No Pasta Vegetable Lasagna
Take your favorite lasagna recipe and replace the pasta with slices of roasted eggplant. The recipe may or may not contain meat (your choice). Cook the eggplant slices for 5 – 7 minutes per side at 425 degrees before layering.
Another option to build a more unusual lasagna is, in addition to the slices of eggplant, to use slices of zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. Use only enough sauce and cheese to bind the vegetables together. You will end up with an impressive stack of healthy vegetables.
Chilaquiles
This is pure Mexican comfort food and a favorite of my husband’s.
Fry up a stack of quartered tortillas, then drain. Heat red or green salsa and then add the chips. Often eggs are cooked in with the tortillas. Top with cooked, seasoned chicken and cheese. Sliced red onions can be placed on top before serving.
