We have a tradition as soon as we get off of the ferry on Isla. We immediately (with suitcases in hand) head to Bally Hoo. This year it didn’t work out as I arrived late in the day and the rest of my entourage was waiting for an additional ferry to arrive. When D stepped off the ferry a week later it was late in the evening so that didn’t work out either.

Here are some previous visits from the Food Musings Archives:

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

The day after D’s arrival though, we were meeting a couple of old friends who were about to spend a week with us on the island. They arrived at lunch time and were hungry. When we asked them where they might like to go for lunch, they immediately said-Bally Hoo!

It didn’t take them long to decide what to order: one of them chose the shrimp tacos and the other the fish ones so that they could trade and share. They were happy that they selected tastes that are so entrenched in why we all love the island. We had just been to Mango’s for breakfast so unfortunately we couldn’t partake. But we happily got caught up with them as we sipped ice cold cervesas.

We would share a meal with them almost every day of their trip but this first one was very special with the excitement of just arriving on the island and the reuniting of four very old friends.

Kath’s quote: “To reminisce with my old friends, a chance to share some memories, and play our songs again,”. -Ricky Nelson

Love never fails.

I have always loved my dinner experiences at Abuelo:

• 2014
• 2015
• 2016

This year was no exception. There were five of us and then we were joined later in the evening by Sister #3 and Dona who had been at a Isla Scholarship reception earlier.

We were kind of boring as we all ordered coconut shrimp. That is with one exception. Rudy ordered chicken schnitzel and was very impressed but I neglected to get a good shot of his plate. I may prefer Abuelo’s coconut shrimp version to all the rest as I love their over abundance of long strands of sweet coconut. They also do a great job of grilled veggies, baguette and a vegetable rice.

Dona has enjoyed Abuelo’s green enchiladas in the past and did so again when she and Sister #3 finally arrived for a late dinner. Do you know what makes this sauce green? It is the tomatillo which is also known as the Mexican husk tomato and is a staple in Mexican cuisine. They have a slightly herbal taste, and are somewhat fruity and tart in flavour. I tasted green enchiladas again at Basto’s the following week and was blown away.

Later that evening we stopped for ice cream and churros purchased on the square.

Kath’s quote: “The food was delicious, the wine even better, as elemental and earthy as the wild hills where the grapes grew. They finished with sips of chocolate-infused port and cinnamon churros. ” ― Susan Wiggs, The Beekeeper’s Ball

Love never fails.

People have long told me that Vivien of Qubano makes the very best Cuban sandwiches on Isla Mujeres and that made sense to me since there are not an over abundance of Cuban restaurants on the island. My entourage had headed to Captain Dulce’s for the day. Since it was my last day staying in Centro before I moved to the airport strip, I wanted to take advantage of North Beach and eating on Hidalgo.

Just when my hungered peaked I found myself at Qubano. There was a lovely table in the shade and I snagged it.

It was tough to make a decision from the extensive menu but as soon as I saw that Vivien makes her own French fries, I ordered something that would be accompanied by fries.

I don’t actually expect exceptional burgers on Isla but I have been proven wrong now at Madera, Basto’s and Qubano. Look at this gorgeous patty complete with sauteed onions!

I cut it in half since I wasn’t sure how I was going to fit it into my mouth, at which time the gorgeous creamy goat cheese that had been placed inside the patty, began to ooze out in the most delicious manner. Now this was my kind of burger! The goat cheese added moisture, richness and an amazingly complementary taste. Who knew?

The burger was a mess to eat and I loved every moment. Since I was in my swim suit I thought that I would let the crystal blue waters at North Beach take care of that. I was so enraptured by the burger that I had completely forgotten my motivation for ordering it-the fries! There are two places I go for the fries on Isla: Basto’s, La Lomita and now a third-Vivien’s fries were fabulous.

Sometimes the best places are right there under your nose and you don’t even notice. Kudos to Qubano’s Stuffed Goat Cheese Burger and Fries!

Kath’s quote: “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”- John Scully

Love never fails.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Love never fails.

Full disclosure: I have been a fan of the cuisine of Scott Bagshaw ever since he opened the first Deseo at the old Royal Albert Arms Hotel on Albert St. in the Exchange. I was even able to pick out one of Scott’s creations in a black box seafood contest where I sat on the panel of judges. There is something about Scott’s conceptions that simply resonate with me.

Alas, although I have visited both Enoteca and Maque, I have yet to dine at Passero, Bagshaw’s newest restaurant at the Forks. I have attempted to make reservations a couple of times to no avail. As a consolation prize I recently met a colleague at Passero’s daytime manifestation- Corto. At Corto you can order a Italian take away sandwich and either eat it in the Common area seating, at Passero’s slick bar top or at one row of seating in the restaurant. Once you choose a table, you still order at the counter and pick up your food when it is ready. Heck I would wash my own dishes to eat Bagshaw’s delicious fare.

My lunch date chose the calabrian roast beef which had been grilled with provolone cheese, pepperoncini (a mild Italian pepper) and was served alongside truffle au jus for dipping. Lucky for me, she wasn’t shy about letting me taste a 1/4 of her sandwich (just so you know, I exchanged hers for 1/4 of mine). The sandwich was full of deep beefy tones and was busting with natural juices. We had been warned by the lovely woman at the order desk that our lunches would be messy and she was right.

My chicken parm was equally messy to eat but there were plenty of napkins provided and used I batch of them. A buttery brioche bun had been stuffed with a perfectly fried chicken fillet which in turn had been smeared with a roasted tomato sauce in addition to goey buffalo mozzarella. Crowning the bun was a dusting of Parmesan cheese to provide salty pungency. Not only did I eat every morsel, I used my fork to scrape the additional bits off the butcher wrap paper.

My companion also ordered these inauspicious crunchy potatoes. Tiny potatoes had been boiled, smashed and either roasted or perhaps deep fried to create the most amazing side. Maybe it was the garlic aioli that elevated them from tasty to sensational! The other sides were tomato salad, a spin on a Caesar salad or roasted beets. Next time I am at the Forks for lunch, I might just order sides. The romaine salad also included chestnut and crisp sausage and the roasted beets were enhanced by a smoked cambozola cheese, pistachios, blood oranges and salsa verde!

D and I love going to little places that have a certain vibe that they could be anywhere in the world-Possero/Corto is one of those places. I look forward to perching on one of these stools to check out the concoctions that both the kitchen and the bar is putting out. As I was leaving, I spotted a condiment out on the bar top. It was a squeeze bottle of my favourite black truffle oil. Another reason I cannot wait to visit again!

Kath’s quote: A great chef is an artist that I truly respect. -Robert Stack

Love never fails.