April6
Sister #3 here. Kath needed to recruit my help while vacationing on Isla Mujeres recently so that we could post about as many of the island’s restaurants as possible.
I am not sure how it happened that I never visited Seso Locos back when it was located on Hidalgo, but this year I was determined to make the effort to get out to their new location down island, just south of Chac Chi and just north of Green Verde. Anyone to whom I mentioned my plan to visit this establishment all came back with the same response, “their pizza is excellent”. And they are right, Seso Locos does a thriving pizza business, eat-in, take out, delivery, they make between 20 – 30 pizzas every day. But when I arrived and was talking to Jesus (affectionately known by his friends as Seso) he shared that he is most proud of his fish and seafood dishes (for good reason as I was about to discover).
The sign out front claims “the best margaritas” so when the waiter offered us a Bulldog – one of those beautifully icy margs with an ice-cold Sol upended into it, who was I to refuse? What arrived at my table was so huge I had to request three additional straws and get my table mates to help me out. I can now officially say I am in love with the “bulldog” and plan to do my best to recreate one sometime this summer, when the Canadian weather finally gets warm. It will need to be a day where I don’t need to leave the comfort of my back yard.
The decision making process of what to order from the extensive menu was tough at first. We knew we needed to try the infamous pizza; my brother had the “Isla Mujeres” a combination of bacon, salami, and mushroom. It was large enough to feed all four of us and made for great left overs.
Friend D ordered the Parmesan fish, which was lightly breaded, melt in your mouth tender and fresh.
The dish that impressed me most was sister-in-law L’s coconut shrimp. I have eaten a LOT of coconut shrimp on this island, and this is by far the best I have ever had. There were 7, count them, 7 huge shrimp, in crunchy coconut perfection on her plate. Thank goodness she is generous and shared one with me. The sides of mashed potatoes and lightly pan-seared zucchini and carrots that accompanied both the fish and shrimp were a nice addition.
I asked Seso, if he could recommend one item that I should try from the menu, what it would be? This is how I came to experience the Poblano Chile Seso Loco. Wow, talk about a rich and decedent entree! This gigantic pepper was stuffed with fish, calamari, and shrimp. The pepper was then coated in a crispy batter, fried and topped with tomato sauce and cheese. I was glad I had people willing to help me out with conquering this bad boy.
We were stuffed, but somehow found ourselves convinced to try the apple strudel for dessert. A modern take on this Eastern European classic was the perfect ending to our evening. Crispy, cinnamony (is that even a word?) pastry filled with fruit and served with ice cream.
While the restaurant lacks a view, except for the traffic on the roadway on which it is located, the open air space is clean and quaint. The service was impeccable. Our waiter, who had studied in the US for many years had a better command of the English language that I do. Seso Locos is open daily from 8:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m. for breakfast and lunch and opens again at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. I know I will be back for that coconut shrimp next year and I would highly recommend you trying it out. Buen Provecho!
Kath’s quote: “The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living”.-Dione Lucas
Love never fails.