Browsing: Isla Mujeres

North Garden Restaurant-Isla Mujeres 2018

March27

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In Portugal this January.

When I am on Isla Mujeres, D is typically at my side. This year though, he was only able to be on the island with me for one week. This was because we had already traveled to Phoenix and Portugal this winter. I don’t mind dining alone. In fact it gives me an opportunity to observe the restaurant without distraction. I watch the servers and their interactions with guests. I also observe their delight at tasting and consuming their food. In this case breakfast.

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I had been on the beach early that day but my lawn chair unexpectedly broke and so I made my way back to my hotel. I decided to stop en route to see if North Garden had a table. Every other time I had walked by, the place was jammed and there were line ups of people waiting to get in. On this day though, there was only one larger party ahead of me. Breakfast became my consolation prize for having to cut short my beach time.

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The name of the restaurant became very obvious when I was sat down in the cool shade of this beautiful tree. This variety also creates a natural umbrella at Luna D’ Miel where we often stay. In addition to offering up its shade, it drops leaves on you periodically to ensure that you are awake.

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I started with a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. I was one thirsty girl, haven finished my water bottle on the beach at least an hour before.

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Since the restaurant was busy, I had lots of time to make my selection from their extensive menu.

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Pecan Eggs Benedict was my choice and I was delighted when they appeared so beautifully in front of me. Notice the inclusion of pecans and crispy strips of side bacon as opposed to the typical back bacon.

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I always cut into my Benedict right away to ensure the desired doneness of the poached eggs. One side was perfect and the egg yolk intermingled with the hollandaise sauce. Unfortunately the other side was too hard to do the same. In spite of my personal preference, the entire dish was delicious. I was anxious to visit North Garden again for lunch but did not have the opportunity. They are already on the “must try again” list for our next visit.

Kath’s quote:“In the garden there was nothing which was not quite like themselves – nothing which did not understand the wonderfulness of what was happening to them – the immense, tender, terrible, heart-breaking beauty and solemnity of Eggs. If there had been one person in that garden who had not known through all his or her innermost being that if an Egg were taken away or hurt the whole world would whirl round and crash through space and come to an end… there could have been no happiness even in that golden springtime air.”― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

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Love never fails.

 

 

 

Ana’s Breakfast at Fredy’s-Isla Mujeres 2018

March26

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Many cooks have a specialty they are known for. In our family D has his chocolate fudge sauce, Sister #2 her eggs Benedict, Sister #3 her chocolate lava cakes and me my lemon oregano chicken. Ana, wife of Fredy has her sopes. We first tasted them when she set up a breakfast restaurant call Mel and Alda’s in Colonias.

A sope is a traditional Mexican dish originating in the central and southern parts of Mexico, where it was sometimes first known as pellizcadas. It is an antojito which at first sight looks like an unusually thick tortilla with vegetables and meat toppings. The base is made from a circle of fried masa (ground maize soaked in lime, also used as the basis for tamales and tortillas) with pinched sides. Sometimes other ingredients (mostly meat) are also added to create different tastes and styles of sopes.

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Ana’s sopes are tender and full of flavour even before her delectable toppings are added.

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Since I can never get enough of potatoes, I chose to have them scrambled with eggs. There were beautifully fresh and seasoned perfectly. The crunchy bacon accompaniment was an added bonus.

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There are a couple of Canadian treats hat I enjoy when I am traveling, one is crispy bacon and the other is a good cup of coffee. Ana serves both.

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Fredy perched himself at the end of our table while Ana flew around the kitchen. She did come out to say hi and make sure that we were happy with everything. It was at this opportune moment that I captured them here.

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We are not coaxed out of our breakfast routine very often, (that is yoghurt and fresh fruit in our hotel), so we cannot advise on any other offerings from Ana’s extensive breakfast menu. But we can tell you that everything we have sampled on this and the previous occasion has been top notch.

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She also had this sandwich board out on Hidalgo while we were on the island. I think her breakfast and lunch offerings are only served during high season. Drop in and see what they are cooking up the next time you are strolling Hidalgo.

Kath’s quote: “Cooking is love made visible.” -unknown

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Love never fails.

 

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Topaz, Isla Mujeres 2018

March23

We like many visitors to Isla watched with interest when the Isla 33 Condos were built on the south east end of the island. We are “out of that league” as far as owning or even renting there. But we can dream, can’t we? One way to play along with that fantasy is to dine at Topaz -the main floor bar, restaurant and patio. The night we dined with good friends, no one could pick us out as renters from the airport strip. Or could they?

Upon arrival, we were sat at a lovely table on the patio. In fact that evening, everyone who was dining was doing so el fresco.

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We started the evening by sharing Mango Ceviche. This great variation on traditional ceviche tossed mango, white fish, cucumber, red onion and cilantro together and then marinated them in lime juice. I could detect another ingredient and when I checked the menu I found that there was also a splash of tequila in the dish. I couldn’t discern what kind of white fish was used in the recipe.

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We also shared coconut shrimp- a dish which finds its way onto many Isla menus. We make these at home when we are missing the island. A trick I utilize is creating a slit down the back of the shrimp to “butterfly” it and then press the increased surface into the coconut mixture. Topaz’s version didn’t do this so they were big and extra plump. I appreciated the innovative way they adhered them to the plate with a vegetable puree.

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I knew exactly what I was ordering as soon as I spotted this dish on Topaz’s extensive menu. The lobster mac and cheese included lovely chunks of lobster amidst a creamy cheese sauce and pasta. The dish was light on the promised truffle oil or perhaps I assumed it was light because I am addicted to the taste and crave it often. I did appreciate how the dish had been heated under a salamander broiler to caramelize the top layer. I ate every single rich morsel.

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D considered prime rib or lamb because he thought it was unusual to find these of an Isla menu but in the end wanted something lighter. He settled upon grilled tuna and enjoyed it immensely.

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One of our companions enjoyed these crunchy fish tacos.

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While the other tucked in to these beef tacos. She thought that the kitchen may utilize prime rib in this recipe and she appreciated the extra tenderness and flavour.

Our service could not possibly have been more attentive or caring. The staff are well trained and highly professional.

The moon was out that evening and from our vantage point on the patio we could see it glimmering on the sea. We lingered over our beverages imagining ourselves as permanent residents there.

Kath’s quote: “Aim higher in case you fall short.”  ― Suzanne Collins

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Love never fails.

 

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Chilito by Ruben, 2018 Isla Mujeres

March21

You may have heard of Ruben because of his generous heart and “Rueben’s Kids” -his charity on the island (more about this later) or you may know him for Ruben’s his little restaurant in Centro that has been putting out fabulous food since 2016. When you meet him, it is unlikely you will forget him for his exuberance for feeding people, taking care of islanders and life itself.

My sisters and I are cooks with three different styles. I am a “resourceful” cook (using leftovers and making recipe substitutions), Sister#3 is a trained cooked and is familiar with French culinary terms and techniques. Sister #2 is a decadent cook. She prepares food that tastes so good-adding extra cheese and sauce and her secret ingredient-butter! Ruben cooks just like Sister #2. His creations are all beautiful and carefully prepared but if he can elevate the taste with cheese, sauce or butter, he does and does so lavishly.

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Case in point: Ruben’s guacamole at Chilito’s was amazing. It had something extra that I couldn’t put my finger on-lime juice, garlic or crème fraiche? The guessing did not dissuade us. We made short work of the guacamole while we sipped frosty cold beer, red and white wine.

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The soup course was sublime. Ruben suggested we guess its ingredients and we weren’t even close. He wouldn’t share his secret proportions but he did tell us that it was a magical combination of spinach, zucchini and pablano chilies. The tastes were complex and yet beautifully melded. We decided we could all have returned the next day, just to indulge in that soup again.

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Both R & M chose entrees of grouper in sweet tamarind sauces which they loved. I selected garlic grouper which was sparkling fresh and terrific.

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Husband D chose the steak and langostino. Ruben apologised that they were out of filet and substituted a rib eye. Since D and I grew up in the steakhouse business, we know that a rib eye because of its proximity to the bone and increased marbling is a far tastier steak. When grilled properly (which this was) it can be just as tender as a filet. The sweet langostino was also beautifully prepared but just to be extra confident about the taste; Ruben had smeared herb butter over both.

The food was plentiful and so delicious that we all finished our plates and could not consider another morsel. But as we lingered over our beverages and chatted with Ruben, space was magically created and all of a sudden, two desserts and four forks appeared before us.

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While my companions scooped up the flan which they thought was great, I indulged in bites of the petite slice of chocolate cake that I requested. But I had to put my fork down and surrender. Delicious as it was, I was done.

Further to Ruben’s charity news…while Ruben’s in Centro supports Ruben’s Kids, Chilito’s will support the seniors of the island. Ruben enthusiastically spoke of raising funds for wheelchairs and walkers. This is what makes Ruben so special and his restaurants places that you love to return to. In spite of his personal issues, he continues to love islanders and travellers alike with his excellent fare and he knows that at the end of the day it is giving back that makes this world go round.

PS Anybody know what a chilito is?

Kath’s quote: “I believe that we all have a responsibility to give back. No one becomes successful without lots of hard work, support from others, and a little luck. Giving back creates a virtuous cycle that makes everyone more successful”.-Ron Conway

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Love never fails.

 

 

 

 

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Breakfast at Limon-Isla Mujeres 2018

March20

Today being March 20, 2018 you have very little time left to experience Limon for breakfast. But fear not, Sergio indicates that they will serve breakfast again in the fall. In the mean time, it will likely be no surprise to Limon fans, that breakfast was absolute perfection.

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Since there were four of us and we have known each other for decades, we were comfortable sharing and tasting each others’ food. I had selected the Eggs Benedict Limon Style. One was closer to a traditional style and the other with smoked salmon was a decadent diversion from classic fare. Both started with English muffins and a healthy base of sautéed spinach. The “traditional” version then was stacked with salami, Italian sausage and roasted ham infused with rosemary and garlic. I could have simply had a slice of that ham with a poached egg and would have been content. Both poached eggs were fresh and perfectly prepared and the hollandaise sauce on both was absolutely sublime. The second one was stacked with silky slices of smoked salmon. Tasting one version and then having a bite of the second was the perfect combination. Even though I swore that I would never be able to eat the entire plate, eat it I did! There is no room for petite appetites when you are visiting Limon.

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Our friend M is not accustomed to eating sweet offerings at breakfast but could not resist Sergio’s blitzes. The tender crepes were stuffed with both ricotta and mascarpone cheeses then surrounded by blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The final touch was a ladle of red berry coulis. My forkful sparkled and was delightfully light. Everyone agreed and would have loved to have shared the dish as an evening’s dessert.

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This enormous platter was D’s choice. Called an English-style fry up, the platter was laden with (starting at 12 o’clock and moving clock wise): sautéed Portobello mushroom strips, crispy bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, a log stack of sweet potato fries and more bacon. Holding court in the middle were two perfectly fried eggs on a piece of toast. D too was surprised by his own appetite and ate every morsel.

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Our friend R selected the soufflé omelet. Now R is a guy who knows his food. He is an expert at the barbeque and I have watched him painstakingly take 20 minutes and stir scrambled eggs for six. R was the perfect person to order Sergio’s soufflé. Sergio explained to us that it took him many tries to perfect this dish. R knew this to be true and appreciated the effort. In my mind, both men know that food=love. That is why both are so exacting in their craft.

In case you didn’t know, a soufflé is a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made by combining egg yolks and beaten egg whites. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means “to breathe” or “to puff”. Depending upon the timing of combining the eggs, the egg yolks may get tough or the entire creation may deflate or fall. Sergio’s dish was perfection and R knew it. He loved the touches of bacon-wrapped asparagus and sautéed mushrooms but it was the egg casserole that he ate with admiration and reverence.

The courtyard setting at Sergio’s is perfect under white twinkle lights in the evening, but just as lovely in the bright sunshine. Limon’s staff are always top notch and overall the breakfast experience was a microcosm of the evening one-perfect setting, perfect service and perfect food (made with love).

Kath’s quote: “Cooking is great, love is grand, but souffles fall and lovers come and go. But you can always depend on a book!”-Claudia Christian

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Love never fails.

 

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