By guest blogger Margaret (note from Kath: long-time friend of honourary sister D).

One of the first places Andy and I went out for breakfast on Isla  was a little place on Hidalgo-with a sign with “Crepes” written on it.

It wasn’t busy so we decided to sit at outside at a small table.  Our waitress greeted us warmly and we ordered “cafe”.  We learned her name is Gloria and although she doesn’t speak English fluently, she communicated easily with us. She was very warm, smiling and told us about her trip to  Canada wich included Vancouver, Jasper, Calgary and Niagara Falls. 

Andy ordered crepes with frest fruit.  It covered the whole plate decorated with chocolate, icing sugar, whipped cream and a strawberry.  The presentation was wonderful.  Inside was piled with fresh fruit-delicious.

I chose an omelet with tomatoes and cheese, served with lettuce, cucumbers and tomato.  It was also an extra large serving.  The eggs were moist and not over-cooked-yum.

What a relaxing way to start the day on Isla!  Scrumptuous food and coffee served by Gloria (with smiles) at a very resonable price.  We have resturned for another breakfast since and if Gloria sees us passing by she is sure to yell “Hola”.  We recommend Crepes on Hildalgo (close to the square).

Kath’s quote:“…sprinkled with sugar and eaten hot, they form an exquisite dish. They have a golden hue and are tempting to eat. Thin and transparent like muslin, their edges are trimmed to resemble fine lace. They are so light that after a good dinner, a man from Agen is still willing to sample three or four dozen of them! Crêpes form an integral part of every family celebration. Served with white wine, they take pride of place on all joyful occasions.”-Anatole France

As with many unfamiliar places, until I had been there (twice now) I just couldn’t picture its locale.  One of the many reasons why Isla is so quaint is that addresses are more abut associations and relationships. This suffices in most cases, as you really only need an address for your first visit right?  But gringas like me like to bring our ways of categorizing things from home with us when we travel, so here is Chuuk Kay’s address:

Calle 16 de Septiembre Lte. 14 Col. Electricistas.

Whether you ask a cabbie, wander around yourself, or navigate Laguna Macax by boat-find this place! You will have found a little oasis without the  bustle of Hidalgo.  My husband arrives today and I am picturing a little table in the sand for a cozy dinner before we go.

Yesterday we sat under the palapa and enjoyed the free wii fii. The food was amazing, which was no surprise, as Ventura the manager has run some of the best dining rooms on Isla.

We started with a mixed ceviche.  I was appreciative of the tomatoes and red onions sliced into little slivers-it made scooping the fresh seafood onto a tortilla chip less precarious, as mine always has a way of toppling off and landing on my bosom.

Next came two lunch entrees which we shared-fish tacos and shrimp enchiladas.

Both were delicious but I was especially thrilled by the enchilada.  The shrimp were sauteed with a bit of heat and tomatoes & peppers to create some oomph.  But then the rolls were topped with a tomato cream which provided a delicious contrast.

We also plan on assembling the gang (there are over a dozen of us) and going back.  Four of us were there last weekend and Javi can create a party atmosphere to make it feel like New Year’s eve at 4 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon.  He and the full band (with no name) play a full range of favourites and requests, but their Mexican sets are my favourite.

Kath’s quote: “A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.”-Laurie Colwin

I have been musing about food for over a year, but today is a first.  I rarely have the opportunity to enjoy a fine meal and then have the time to write  about it while the taste is this fresh in my mind.

I am crazy about the yogurt in Mexico-especially the banana, pear, peach, walnut variety that we have in the fridge right now.  With one of the mini bananas sliced in and an extra crumbling of crunch on top-I am addicted to this breakfast.

So it takes a bit of coaxing to get me to break my routine but this morning we did.  We arrived at Cafe Cito to find Sister #3 and an honourary sister just finishing up.  Steamy cups of coffee were presented with little bowls of fruit salad.  The eggs taste richer down here-perhaps it is from what the hens are fed.  My eggs were served perfectly over easy with sauteed potatoes, onions and green peppers.  A little basket of hot buns and toast are the cradle for the banana/coconut/pineapple jam.  It looks a little bit like baby food and tastes extraordinary!

V had the Mexicana.

Richard ordered the Savanah-scrambled. 

After breakfast we strolled through the market and now I am perched at my little desk with plans for another simply delicious meal ahead.

Kath’s quote: “I have had, in my time, memorable meals of scrambled eggs with fresh truffles, scrambled eggs with caviar and other glamorous things, but to me, there are few things as magnificent as scrambled eggs, pure and simple, perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.”-James Beard

Your love is like a rock.

La Lomita’s was the very first restaurant we visited on our first trip to Isla Mujeres in Feb 2005.  We landed at noon and decided to pick up some groceries and grab lunch before we took a cab to Punta Sur and our Villa.  We picked up our necessities at Mirtita’s and as we got out Laura’s map to get our bearings, we looked up and saw La Lomita’s.  Wow-what a great place to start our multi-year love affair with Isla and its food.  We spoke to the next table that were salivating over the Chiles Relleno.  We opted instead for papa fritos (french fries from just cut potatoes) which provided my first taste of a squeeze of lime instead of our accustomed vinegar.  We also shared shrimp with garlic and polo frito (fried chicken) with “pink” rice and fuchsia coloured onions. 

We could not get the idea of trying the Chiles Relleno out of our heads and tried to go back on the Sunday of our first week.  We found out and have remembered since, that La Lomita’s is not open on Sundays.  But we went back a third time for our last meal of that first trip and discovered that the Ophelia’s Chiles Relleno were definitely worth waiting for.  The whole poblano chile gets hotter towards the stem.  They are stuffed with a creamy white Mexican cheese, breaded and deep fried and then served on a bed of homemade tomato sauce and topped with cream and a “feta” style cheese. 

We returned for Chiles again in February 2006 when we had a bit of a food “accident”.  One member of our party thought that the green sauce on the table was guacamole and she took a sizable scoop on her taco chip.  It was so fiery that she could hardly speak and it took a good ten minutes before our concern for her subsided. 

When I took my husband to Isla for the first time in January 2007, he was anxious to try the Chiles as well.  There are some situations in life that I find particularly unique-we were waiting for an authentic Isla meal while watching Rachel Ray in Rome on “$40 a Day” which had been overdubbed in Spanish.  The world is a very small place. 

My husband loved the bean soup but saved me from future dismay by not consuming the entire bowl.  Our intention that night was to go out for coconut ice cream but even though we had split the meal, we were too full!  Supper was $14 for two of us including beer.  

We were excited to introduce our kids to the restaurant when we took them there in December 2007.  That experience though was “difficult”.  We were a large group and had all ordered beer when we arrived.  We could see that each time the table next to us finished their beer, the glass was cleared, washed and then delivered with beer to us.  Unfortunately they got the glasses first and we were almost finished eating dinner before we all got ours.  When in Mexico-you just have to relax and do things the Mexican way.  The food was fabulous as usual, so I was content.

I’ve seen mixed reviews on La Lomita’s on the message boards lately.  I hope that all is well for this family.  See you soon Isla. 

Kath’s quote:  “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.”-David Auerbach

I have 22 more sleeps before my winter get-away and I am in “eager anticipation” mode.  I am yearning for warmth (it was -43 here yesterday), for the sand between my toes, to wear flip flops and pareos all day long, to walk by the water, to travel with my beloved entourage and to see all my Isla friends again.  But truth be told-I can’t stop thinking about the food!  Lime wedges to squeeze over everything, creamy “just-made” guacamole, salsa that tastes so fresh- it dances in your mouth, ceviche and fresh fish, fish and more fish.

I am not an “all-inclusive” kinda girl.  For me, part of the pleasure of a meal-is the hunt to obtain it.  I won’t even be able to direct you to my favourite little “fast food” tiende on Isla Mujeres because I do not think that it has a name and I didn’t even get to check to make sure that it was still there on my last visit.  But right now I have this insatiable craving for their fish tacos!

The person ahead of me ordered a fruit platter and so the process began to peel each of his fruit requests, then pull up a chair to sit while lovingly slice each one and then assemble them on the plastic plate-and voila (20 minutes later) a feast for the eyes and the taste-buds.

My tacos could not be started until the fruit plate preparations were completed and cleaned away.  Worth the wait? OMGoodness-yes. Fresh….perfectly cooked…crunchy toppings…messy….and cheap!  Less than $5 for a feast that I took down to the beach to share with my gang.

Kath’s quote: “Ruling a large kingdom, is like cooking a small fish.” (Handle gently and never overdo it)-Lao-tse, Chinese philosopher (6th century BC)

it is well, it is well with my soul