Today was my first visit to el meraki. My sister Kathryne went last year and still raves about it. And now I understand her affection. 

As you walk down the narrow entrance, the restaurant’s courtyard suddenly unfolds into a beautiful space with seating around an ancient tree. I love the rustic decor and the open kitchen. Besides the restaurant, there is a second floor sanctuary that offers a quiet place to read, mediate or enjoy a beverage or your food. The space is used for yoga, spiritual consultations, intimate musical and dance performances and has hosted pottery and sushi making classes. It’s meant to be a communal space that is shared. 

What Kath, and now I, enjoyed the most, is el meraki co-creator, Andrea. Swiss born, she first heard about the island from her mother who started visiting 25 years ago. Her mother brought her and the family 12 years ago and fell in love with the place. She moved here 3 and a half years ago, opening El Meraki in December of 2023.

We started by ordering beverages. I had the juice of the day, which was passion fruit and mint. My friend had the water of the day which was pineapple. They were both so refreshing. 

Deciding what to have to eat was not easy as there were a lot of delicious sounding choices. This vegan restaurant also offers lots of gluten free options. There is also a “Mexican dish” which changes seasonally and based on the cooks creativity and imagination. The day we visited they had vegetable tacos on offer. 

I decided to try the “Sweet Dream”; chick pea crepes, topped with a cashew cream and sweet cooked apples. I’m not one for anything overly sweet and this was perfect and full of flavour. 

My friend ordered the “Isla-Bowl”; a smoothie of banana, almond butter, protein powder, and spirulina, it was full of pineapple, papaya, and apple and topped with homemade granola. Andrea shared the vision for the bowl, the fruit is like all the treasures in the sea, the green smoothy, made with spirulina powder, a blue-green algae full of protein, vitamins and antioxidants, represents the sea itself. And the granola floating on top is like the island. Food as art!  I love when people think so deeply about what they present. Best part was it was super tasty and more than my friend could finish for breakfast. 

A fellow sitting next to us, visiting the island from London (England not Canada), thoroughly enjoyed an omelette, the restaurants one vegetarian option, that he requested be  filled with sautéed peppers, spinach, and onions. 

Next visit I’m going to have the “Sunrise of Memories”; oatmeal-banana pancakes with agave syrup and fresh fruit. A sure sign I loved the food, when I’m busy deciding on what to order for my next meal there. 

I so enjoyed chatting with Andrea. She has such a heart for the island.  She shows her care by offering fresh and healthy food and hosting events to improve people’s physical, mental and spiritual health. She talked about her dream of finding ways to increase sustainability on the island. Perhaps one day someone will let her set up a small community garden on their land. 

I absolutely cannot wait till the next time my vegan family members are on the island. They are going to absolutely love this place. 

In a video on El Meraki’s instagram, Andrea says “Do what you love and you will sparkle with that heart energy” That’s the energy I experience in Isla. And you can see that Andrea too is doing what she loves in the way she sparkles. 

Insider tip: If you stay in Centro, use that communal space as if it were your home. And then tell everyone you know about the oasis of el meraki!

Kath’s quote: Meraki is a Greek word meaning, “when you do something with love, creativity, and soul; putting a piece of yourself into what you do.” 

Love never fails.

I am starting with a reference to a post from 2024: “There are some readers here as well as my circle back home, that wonder why on earther I would holiday at the same place year after year for 20 years. Here on Isla Mujeres I have met so many people who have been coming here longer, come here more times a year and many more that stay longer than my cherished month. They get it. Don’t get me wrong, I know that it is a big world out there and I am blessed to say I have travelled to many places and hope to see many more. Isla is not a holiday for me, as strange as that sounds. It is even better. It is where I live; it is my home; it is my happy place for one month a year. You either get it or you don’t get it.”

Besides the people that draw us here every year (the locals, the ex pats, the other travelers), there is the food! Some of it is excitingly new. But equally so, is the fare we have enjoyed trip after trip. I cannot recount the times we have visited Rafael at Green Verde. His face lights up as we enter his well-loved restaurant, he lets us choose a favourite table and when we open the menu, we sigh in satisfaction that our much loved recipes are still there.

We started with cocktails. Green Verde’s artisan cocktails are worthy of mention, especially the Mezcal del Sur which D requested. A hibiscus house syrup, a touch of cinnamon and chile ancho created a smokey, complex drink that D adored. Green Verde is the only place on the island where this beverage is served.

I selected the frozen pineapple Margarita and was equally enamoured.

Since D arrived after me to the island, he hadn’t yet had a feed of ceviche. Greenverde’s mix of fish and shrimp was not swimming in lime juice but appropriately kissed with it. The sturdy chips allowed for large scoops as the bowl was enormous.

I now realize how often I order the same dish because I read through my own blog posts recently. I love the Mezcal Shrimp: first marinated in green sauce and then flamed in tequila, they were delectable when served on a bed of mashed sweet potato, alongside Mexican rice and fried plantains.

D and Richard both loved the Tequila Ribs-they were flavourful and fell off the bone. They were especially delighted with the buttery mashed potatoes and sauteed cactus, onions and carrots that were served as sides.

Melinda opted for Red Mole with Chicken. Green Verde’s mole recipes are authentically made with toasted chilies and vegetables.

Did you know that there are at least six colours of mole? The following is from the Que Rica Vida blog site:

• Black mole: Made with nuts, fruits, chiles, cinnamon, hoja santa (sacred leaf) and plenty of chocolate.
• Red mole: Similar to black and Mole Poblano. Its colors and taste depend on the chiles used, like guajillo.
• Green mole: Pumpkin seeds, cilantro and tomatillos are among the ingredients used.
• Yellow mole: Soft, spicy and without chocolate.
• Mole coloradito: Very similar to red mole, but sweeter because it’s made with plantains.
• Mancha manteles: It’s got it all! Sweet and sour, savory and spicy hues. Ingredients include chile ancho and pineapple.

We ordered one Lemon Pie and four forks for dessert. “Lemon” was lost in translation because what we were received was a luscious frozen pie of lime with vanilla ice cream and it was delicious!

The newest entertainment at the restaurant is Rafael and Paula’s beautiful daughter Lulu. I think that she was supposed to be sleeping but she packed up her backpack and pulled up a chair at our table. When we left soon after, she was blowing kisses from her Daddy’s arms.

I am in awe of how the Isla’s local restaurant operators manage. Staff shortages have to be managed by bringing in family members to help. There are no deep-funded investors behind these little gems. When I say they devote their life to the restaurant, I mean it literally! Bless them all.

Insiders tip: if you want to compare and contrast the moles, order the tricoloured moles. I have in the past and they are fabulous.

Kath’s quote: “Cooking with love provides food for the soul.” Authour Unknown

Love never fails.

There are so many excellent restaurants on Isla Mujeres. These days, I stay for two months, giving me lots of time to visit a lot of places. Writing for this blog and the Isla Mujeres’ Food Facebook group gives me lots of opportunities to eat at a lot of places. I could easily eat three meals a day in a restaurant and still have plenty of places I couldn’t get to. So the competition is stiff. 

There are a couple of places I will frequent more than a few times every trip. One of those places is Fredys Bar and Restaurant. Opened in 1996 by Fredy Poot Ucan, Fredys has become an Isla institution and Fredy has become my dear friend. We met almost 20 years ago. 

 Over the years Fredy has helped my family celebrate all kinds of events. Thankfully he always accommodates our requests for a table of 12 or more of our family and friends.

The year my niece got married on the island there must have been close to 30 of us. Kath & Doug have even had Fredy’s Pork Chop for Christmas dinner at Fredy’s one year. They brought their kids that Christmas and their first grandbaby even had her first solid food at Fredy’s-a pork chop bone!

And in turn, Fredy has always included our family in his Anniversary celebrations. 2026 will mark 30 years and he’s already been busy planning. 

Fredy has not achieved his success alone. His wife Anna is at his side. And you’ll often find his kids pulling shifts to help out.

This particular night that we visited, his youngest Mindy was pulling double duty. Bartending during her break dancing with her troupe for Carnival.

Fredy is famous for his double bone-in pork chop which is grilled to absolute perfection. Photo pending.

His fish and seafood are always fresh. Everything is make from scratch. Or as Fredy would say “not from Costco”!  We have always loved that his mains are served with potatoes and fresh vegetables sautéed in butter.  

So if you’ve yet to visit Fredys, located at the Northern most block of Hidalgo, let me highly recommend it. Not only for the fantastic food and the kick a$$ margaritas but to meet the man himself. He’s quite a character with a heart of gold. 

Insider Tip: Fredy often cooks ribs on Saturdays over peak season.

Kath’s quote: “Although the skills aren’t hard to learn, finding the happiness and finding the satisfaction and finding fulfillment in continuously serving somebody else something good to eat, is what makes a really good restaurant.-Author Unknown

Love never fails.

My husband and I were not together this Valentine’s Day. He was working away in Canada and I had just arrived on Isla Mujeres for two weeks with my siblings. I decided to surprize D with something special on the day of his arrival. I had seen Facebook images of Valentine Boxes filled with glorious goodies and it was exactly the way that D and I like to eat.

When D was a poor student living in Toronto and I would visit him, we would go to an enormous deli in the basement of the Eaton Centre and order little bits of this and that and make it our supper. That was a very long time ago. An interesting tidbit in the full “circle of life” is that when D and I guest host at a Bed and Breakfast back home in Canada, I am responsible for making up the charcuterie boards! I even have a charcuterie “cook”book called “Boards”. So allow me to just say…I know my charcuterie!

The charcuterie box that was delivered promptly, as previously arranged and was chock full of two kinds of meat, four varieties of cheeses, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, square pretzels, wheat crackers, Tulum honey, pistachios, olives, dried apricots & cranberries!

The creator of these great boxes is Tahymi of TTB Cheese Boards & Select Charcuterie affiliated with one of our favourite colonia restaurants-Queen Macabi.

Tahymi is willing to add champagne or red wine to the box when you order.  Talk about convenience!

D and I started out nibbling on goodies on the west facing little terrace of our villa. Once the sun set we moved around back to continue to enjoy the savoury treats to the sound of crashing waves. The grin on D’s was from ear to ear. I knew that I had treated him to something very special.

You don’t need to order a box as a romantic gift, you could join your besties for sunset on Centro beach or have a family picnic.

Insider tip: When you arrive on Isla Mujeres, you could order a box for your fridge instead of consuming everything in one meal as we did. This way you could have a taste of honey with your morning coffee, a casual lunch around the pool and wine and treats at sunset. The conveniences of ordering from TTB are many: 1. You don’t have to take away from your day to shop 2. You don’t have to prep all the items, especially if your hotel room doesn’t have a kitchenette 3. You get small quantities of many selections, so you are not filling up that precious fridge space with packets of food and 4. Isn’t it wonderful to know that your food has been lovingly assembled?

Kath’s quote: Charcuterie is French for ”I’d like a sandwich, but I don’t have any bread”. –@Chrchurmudgeon

Love never fails.

I love Mexican food. The fresh tastes of cilantro and lime hook me in every time. When we first started visiting the island 20 years ago, the choices were pretty much Mexican, Mexican or Mexican. Slowly pizzas and Italian cuisines started making their appearances along Hidalgo. I was grateful because, the longer that you visit and stay somewhere the more variety you crave. I will confess that when sushi made its appearance on the island, I resisted. But as they say…if you can’t beat them, join them!

I was getting ready to move mid-island and was looking forward to a last dinner out with my brother Kelly and his wife Lorraine. Samura gave us the excuse to head towards Punta Sur. I was content to walk to the taxi stand when a local bus heading for punta sur, pulled up. Away we went, enjoying the ride with the locals. Our destination came up more quickly than I thought but we did hop off the bus, just in time.

I had visited the gorgeous garden setting before and was so enamoured by the lush foliage, charming basket chandeliers and the enormous tree that stands majestically in the middle of it all.

Our attentive server suggested that I commence the evening with a cocktail and recommended the Akira Cocktail. Suntory is a Japanese spirits label and Samura imports their whiskey and stealthily mixes it with coconut liquor, pineapple juice, lemon juice and cherry juice scented with lemon. The resulting taste is mild and refreshing.  Lorraine chose a cabernet, and I eventually joined her.

Our dinner started with 2 appetizers as we watched a couple next to us be entertained and fed at the hibachi grill.

The first, once again suggested by our server was Lobster Spring Rolls. The light but crispy wrappers expertly assembled by their chef were stuffed with delectable vegetables and fresh Caribbean lobster (a cousin of Canadian lobster caught in our maritime waters).

Next up was Spicy Rock Shrimp which both Lorraine and I declared were our favourite that evening. Big crunchy tempura shrimp were adorned with a spicy mayo, ginger and chives. We were more than impressed.

Kelly helped with our offerings but also tucked into a Thai Chicken in Yellow Curry.  The coconut milk sauce was swimming with eggplant, red onion, peppers, broccoli, basil and chicken of course.

After appetizers, we were served a sushi course of Dragon Rolls and Samura Beef Rolls. The Dragon rolls were glistening with tobiko (caviar) and eel sauce. The roll itself contained breaded shrimp, a sliver of mango and sesame flavour obtained by a drizzle of oil, I suspect.

The Samura Beef Roll were stuffed with surprising Manchego and cream cheeses, cucumber and asparagus. Thin ribbons of beef filet adorned the crown of the roll along with avocado, mayo, sriracha and eel sauce. Both were richly satisfying.

In fact, when the time came for us to discuss entrees with our server, we asked instead to share one final course. Skewers of beef were marinated in teriyaki sauce and skewered with sweet onion. They brought to mind, Teriyaki Tidbits that my husband, sister and I prepared and served at The Keg Restaurant back in Canada many years prior.

For dessert, we asked that our server bring us a single treat with 3 spoons. It was Chocolate Ingot which the menu described as double fudge and ice cream. So one dessert divided by three people multiplied by twice the chocolate equals ? The answer is total contentment.

The evening was magical. Was it the island itself, the lush, ancient garden or a rare opportunity to dine with my brother and a dear sister-in-law? Regardless, it was an evening that we won’t soon forget.

Insider tip: Linger over dinner. If you are like me, the littlest touches, bring me the greatest joy.

Kath’s quote: “I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that“.-Jose Andres Puerta

Love never fails.