There is a plethora of restaurants along Hidalgo offering something for everyone. Our favourites just so happen to be the ones owned by individual owners and restauranteurs. El Mexicano is a fine example of this. The evening we dined, there were couples and families and groups of friends all enjoying Isla’s warm hospitality.
Ever since I started visiting the islands of Quintana Roo I have loved the aqua-marine colour of the sea and El Mexicano embraces these colours from the shutters of the storefront, the metal chairs and even their dinner plates.
Their specialty is spicy margaritas, so we selected the mango version to declare that the spiced rim was savoury but not overly spicy. In fact, we both decided that our first tastes of mango margaritas might be our favourites of the trip. The yellow flower garnish increased our delight.
For starters we enjoyed silky tuna tostadas. We were cautioned of their spiciness but had a comfortable degree of heat. I especially appreciated a hint of sesame oil that I always enjoy with raw tuna. They were beautifully presented on shredded red cabbage and a lovely blue plate reminiscent of plates I recall seeing in Portugal.
Our shared main called Los Molcajetes, came in a sizzling hot volcanic lava bowl. Five head on shrimp, grilled panela cheese and chorizo sausage topped roasted tomato sauce, beans and guacamole. Blue tortillas accompanied. The elements were delicious speared with your fork or rolled into the tortillas.
The service was warm & efficient and the place was hopping! My guess is that the extensive menu with everything from burgers, macaroni & lobster, fish & chips, to oysters, tacos and tostados, can satisfy a family with youngsters, spring breakers or a retired couple.
Insider Tip: We sampled the Mixto Molcajetes on a previous visit including chicken, shrimp and skirt steak. Something for everyone in a single bowl!
Kath’s quote: “A bowl is a circle of unity, where all differences melt away and only connection remains.” Author Unknown. (But what the world needs now!)
Last night Kathryne and I had the pleasure of meeting Lior Zelzer, owner of Olivia, a long time favourite Isla Mujeres establishment that opened in November 2008.
The first time we were in that space was in 2006 when it was a place called Manolo’s. That restaurant had good food but lacked ambience. When Manolo’s closed Lior and her partner Yaron decided to open a new Mediterranean restaurant in its place. They set to work, taking a machete to the over grown bougainvillea, pruning it back to discover a whole lot of space they hadn’t even realized existed. The couple did an amazing job on designing the indoor dinning room, with its heavy wooden tables and Moroccan tile floors creating a Mediterranean atmosphere.
Even lovelier is the courtyard, full of lush greenery and low lighting featuring a large table in the very back under a thatched roof. Our family and friends have enjoyed many a dinner at that big table. In the slower season Olivia uses this table for communal dinning events. A chance for diners to come together and meet new people. Being a sometimes solo traveler, I so appreciate this concept and would take full advantage of it.
The beautiful tranquil space may have lead to the preconceived notion that Olivia is for romantic dinners and special occasions. While it’s perfect for both, it’s also a great place for a more casual dinner.
This Israeli couple, longed for the taste of home and decided to introduce their traditional flavors to the island. They knew they had a winning formula with the recipes of their grandmothers, whose backgrounds are Bulgarian, Moroccan, Greek, and Turkish. Lior told us that she will send the family recipe for a dish to anyone who wants it, saying they are for sharing.
It’s not easy to recreate the flavours of a place 7,000 miles away. Lior explained that some of their spices come from a market outside of Tel Aviv. Her description of the spice lady from whom stall she orders, painted a picture that added an additional enjoyment to the dishes for me. All the ingredients at Olivia are made from scratch, except for the painstaking phyllo dough and couscous. Both are far too labour intensive and comparable to the store bought. Lior joked that you should see her grandmother in Chedraui roughhousing the produce looking for just the right fruits and veg. Olivia strives for authenticity, even though you can’t source Israeli couscous on the island and the avocados are different from those in the Middle East, they create great tastes with what they have. We sisters are no experts, but Kath having traveled through Israel and Jordan, and I having travelled through Turkey, and both of us having been to Greece, felt we were re-experiencing the tastes of those countries.
We started our evening with small plates, as one does in that part of the world. The Moroccan tapas featured garlicky baba ghanoush eggplant dip, lemony couscous tabbouleh, a zingy carrot salad, and matbucha tomato sauce with roasted peppers, garlic, and chili. Each bowl was even better than the one before. Loved the tastes! This was all served with a basket of warm pita bread.
For main I had the pastilla, layers of phyllo pastry filled with ground chicken, onion, ginger, saffron, parsley, and roasted almonds. It was crispy and full of rich flavour. Served with a simple side of tomato chunks and onion in a light vinaigrette. The dish was so delicious!
Kath opted for the Chicken in Olives, two bone-in legs and thighs braised in a rich tomato red wine sauce. It features olives and warm spices and is served over couscous. Kath kept “oohing” and “ahhing” over the complex flavours and the tenderness of the chicken. The portions were abundant leaving each of us with “to go” boxes containing tomorrow’s lunch.
The menu is well rounded. A good selection, but not overwhelming. Lior noted that items like the short rib and beef kabob, are popular with folks who are looking for something that may be more familiar to them. There are nice salad options for gluten free and vegetarian diners. The wraps provide a very economical option.
We very much enjoyed the service, especially our server Larry. The whole team was welcoming and friendly without being overly formal or fussy. Lior added that it is important that the staff enjoy their interactions with the patrons and that was obviously the case.
Insider’s tip: The Chicken in Olives could easily feed two. Order a dinner salad and share both.
Kath’s quote: “Mediterranean food is a symphony of flavours, each element playing its part in perfect harmony.“-Authour Unknown
As Sue and I make inroads into the food culture of Isla Mujeres, we meet more and more locals who can claim that their families are founding families of the island itself. It is fascinating to me that so many of these first families work diligently to keep the hospitality surrounding Isla food and it’s recipes alive. Case in point, although I have eaten at Caribbean Brisas a number of times both in their original Centro location on the ocean side of Medina and in their current Colonia’s location, I have never met Karina one half of the ownership team in person. Karina is a vivacious woman whose love of food and the island are both obvious. She runs Caribbean Brisas and her husband leads the team at Caribbean Garden, only a couple of blocks away. Both restaurants are open for three meals per day and they also maintain separate, distinctive menus. Imagine, if you will, how hard this couple must work.
Caribbean Brisas was almost at capacity on the evening we visited. I know without a doubt that it is the delicious, authentic food that keeps their guests coming back.
This evening Karina explained in Spanish (thank heavens Sue was there) that their fish is always fresh and never frozen. She indicates that in spite of their extensive menu, their specials board ensures that they can highlight their freshly caught fish features. Black Grouper is available either blackened or tic n chix fashion and held the spotlight on this evening. But Sue and I decided quite easily what dishes we would share. We both love fruita de mare pasta so that was a given.
Clams, mussels, squid rings and shrimp were tossed in a light and sparkling tomato sauce made with top quality tomatoes, herbs and parmesan. I always appreciate when the sauce does not over power the briny taste of fresh seafood. I often request seafood pasta with a little oil, garlic, white wine and lemon but Sue pointed out that it may be impolite to muck with a chef’s recipe, so I will decline to do so in the future. Tiny ribbons of more parmesan adorned the spaghetti. I am a fan of oodles of parmesan, and am delighted that Isla restaurants do not adhere to what Italians follow as food doctrine, that is, parmesan and seafood should never meet. I am already looking forward to leftovers and I only ate a couple of hours ago.
Soft and fresh, French bread appeared to be sliced and then brushed with garlic butter. We were brought a second basket to lap up that delectable sauce.
We also selected lobster tacos. The meat had been pulled from the shell and then finely diced with a couple of simple veggies so that the sweet taste of the lobster shone through. We each enjoyed a soft taco and then Sue ignored the tortilla and finished the stuffing of the third taco with her fork!
We started with crisp tortilla chips and pico de gallo, accompanied with a lovely Chilean merlot as we were introduced to Karina. The rain had abated. A fresh breeze swept over us from the nearby Caribbean. Caribbean Brisas is aptly named. We enjoyed a lovely evening!
Insider’s tip: Next time I visit I would love to try the mussels in wine.
Kath’s quote: “Seafood is a celebration of nature’s abundance and a reminder of the wonders of the ocean.”-Unknown
We arrived at Grill Garden and were seated under a towering palapa that provided shelter on a rainy windy night. We soon forgotten our chilly walk and were enveloped by the staff’s warm welcome. Valentina and Javi attended to our every need, getting us settled with menus and drinks.
This was a first visit for all but one in our party. A couple of us had been for cocktails but had yet to experience this Argentinian gem. Two of our group were first time visitors on a day trip from Cancun. Grill Garden was a wonderful example of the island’s hospitality and diverse cuisine.
There is a grandeur to the physical structure that is matched by the portion sizes and presentation vessels. Known for dishes like its gigantic tomahawk steak and whole grilled fish and their inventive presentations, the restaurant has a more-is-more approach, and more of a good thing is indeed a good thing.
This is a gorgeous restaurant in a lush tropical garden with low lighting that gives it a cozy intimacy despite its grand scale. A perfect setting for a special celebration but with shareable dishes at reasonable prices it will be on my list to visit for no occasion other than great food.
We all placed our orders visioning a typical restaurant portion size but were shocked when the platters began to arrive. Our friend who ordered a beet salad and piña colada shrimp had no idea that the shrimp would be overflowing from a half a grilled pineapple and the salad would be a full sized dinner in itself. I too enjoyed the shrimp that is marinated in piña colada, breaded in coconut and served with a punchy dip. Even the flesh of the pineapple was deliciously caramelized and full of flavour. The beet salad looked fantastic with mixed greens with hibiscus flowers and pine nuts. At only 200 pesos it’s a great choice of the budget conscious.
Likely thinking they were ordering lighter fare, the girls opted for Baja fish tacos only to receive an abundance of battered fish piled high with coleslaw and garlic mayo. Another 200 pesos option. Neither of them were able to finish their portion.
My rib loving brother’s plate looked amazing and may be what I have on my next visit. Giant slow cooked smoked pork ribs were served with fries and roasted corn. And most intriguing to me was a link of house made Argentinian sausage. I saw the chef feeding the mixture of brisket, garlic, chipotle, jalapeño chilies and mozzarella into casings on my way past the open kitchen.
Kathryne and I opted to share three dishes, again we were envisioning regular sized restaurant portions. We will be feasting on leftovers all the next day. We too enjoyed a literal boat load (pineapple boat) of piña colada shrimp.
Then we opted for the ceviche, which when described as “a tower” should have been a tell tale sign of what was in store. It’s served in a custom made metal contraption that is slowly removed by the waiter to reveal layer upon layer of fresh seafood, onion, cucumber and creamy avocado. A lovely guajillo tomato based sauce is poured over top. It’s also served with a tiny Clamato shrimp shooter that can be drunk or poured over the dish. Kathryne chose to drink hers and loved it!
Our final dish was from the “Milanesa” section. Typically Milanesa is a breaded veal or chicken preparation from Milan, but this is a flank steak prepared in the same way. It’s a traditional Argentinian dish called Matambre. The cutlet is then smothered in melted cheese and your choice of topping. We opted for the carbonara featuring bacon and served with loaded fries.
We ended our evening with coffees with a splash of Frangelico served in champagne flutes and toasted to friendship and the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres.
Insider’s tip: The staff will do anything for you. Last year when we shared with Javie that we were going to make breakfast out of our leftovers, he gave us two fresh eggs!
Kath’s quote: “Cooking is an art and patience a virtue. Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist” -Keith Floyd
Sometimes the best things happen when you are open to serendipitous experiences. When I was making arrangements to visit this relatively new restaurant in the colonias, an English speaking friend of the owners joined our chat. I didn’t know this then, but Ricardo and Margarita’s friend Mike, from Indiana, had discovered this wonderful gem, when they temporarily had a location in Centro. The restaurant with its commitment to well prepared and fresh ingredients, just could not manage the Centro lease rates that keep increasing to the restauranteurs downtown, especially in on Hidalgo. So they moved back to the front of their own home. And luckily for diners, now that they have lower overhead, they are server amazing food at “old-fashioned” prices. Not all of you will remember colonia restaurants like La Bruja, the former rooftop restaurant owned by Ruben or the original set up of Bastos, but I do. These “old fashioned” establishments are what hooked me onto Isla fare and kept me coming back for 20 years!
The restaurant had kept my new friend Mike and his family returning to the island for the last five years and Mike loves the couple so dearly, that he is helping to promote their success. Mike created this graphic sticker that when you scan the QR code, takes you right to the restaurant’s Google Page with tons of info.
Margarita proudly shared that Mike is a big part of their recent success. The way they came up with their restaurant name is that it represents their names in addition to their two sons. I bet they will find a way to include Mike in that moniker too. Mike sat at the next table to us last evening with his vivacious wife and her two sisters. He was so interested in what we do and was intrigued when we shared a couple of hidden gems.
As you can guess, I love talking to other foodies, but I sometimes get off track as I am doing at this exact moment. So…to the food! Freshly prepared ingredients were placed upon on our table containing just sliced cucumbers, radishes and limes. There was also a bowl of pineapple salsa which I jumped at only to be warned by Sue that it was likely laced with chopped jalapeños and very hot! She was right and had I gobbled it, I wouldn’t have had a palate to discern all the complex flavours in the food that we sampled. There was also a matcha habanero sauce, but I stuck to the crema.
When we asked for suggestions, we were guided to the Alambre Mafer, a delectable mixture of red pepper, tomato, onion, cheese and a meat trio of chicken, pork and chorizo sausage! This sauteed mixture came covered with the cheese along side just-pressed maize tortillas.
I loved the savoury mixture so much that I greedily took home the leftovers (sorry Suze)!
Sue and I also split a Pastor Gringa, so named because gringas (not locals) typically order flour tortillas. First they grill a tortilla with ham and cheese and then they add the stuffing of your choice, in this case the bianco pastor that we could smell slow roasted over live charcoal at the door.
The pastor was perfection – I love fatty pork that has been charred and thinly sliced. Pastor was originally brought to Mexico by the Lebanese in their version called shawarma. I first fell for shawarma while visiting Israel and Jordan.
I wondered where all these recipes originated and Mike mentioned that the family originally came from the region of Guerro which is next door to the Puebla region where pastor originated.
The décor is simple and rustic but we were comfortable sitted under a ceiling fan, casually perched onto our stools. As more parties of people arrived, they found chairs and eating surfaces for all.
Ricardo appears to capably do most of the cooking. I was delighted when I saw him literally run down the street to pick up what looked like potatoes for another table. Now that’s fresh ingredients for you! I especially like grilled potatoes in Mexico so I am guaranteed to return to sample the shrimp tortilla dish that I captured a pic of at the next table. Sister Sue says that there is no potato on the taco as potatoes don’t have tails. But I still want to go back to the restaurant and see for myself.
Margarita is the hostess with the mostess, genuinely caring that we caught a cab afterwards as well as chatting to Sue in Spanish. The former, wears earrings that are shaped like heart shaped suckers, so she must be a fun-loving person!
Kath’s quote: “The best hostess is the one who can make her guests feel like they’re at home, even if she wishes they were.”-unknown
