The biggest surprise of this year’s sojurn to Isla Mujeres was the revamping of El Patio de Musica. I would venture to say that while the previous focus was on the music and beverages, the food seemed a bit of an afterthought. But that was then and this is now. Although they are the only establishment on the island that engages continuous musicians, we felt that the focus had definitely shifted.

Happy Hour is 3 until 6 everyday and I enjoyed a Mango Margarita for 70 Pesos (Lime Margs were 60 pesos). D appreciated that they boasted a complete line up of craft beer from the Isla Brewing Company. He especially enjoyed the Mucho Macho and that would be because D just is (mucho macho…). While D was on the island we returned each and every night to soak up the ambience and those delicious drinks.

One evening we stayed for dinner and boy were we glad that we did. We love charcuterie back home and order it often when we are dining out. It never occurred to me that we would find the meat and cheese boards on Isla but we most certainly did. The board highlighted two kinds of salami and four cheeses (I successfully negotiated with D so he would trade my blue cheese for one of the other three). There also was a lovely charred Argentinean chorizo which we both adored as well as a grainy mustard and fig preserves. When we asked for additional crostinis, they were cheerfully supplied. We might have concluded with the charcuterie as we often do back home but we just had to sample a couple of entrees.

I had not had coconut shrimp up until that time and eagerly chose it. The six shrimp were perfectly cooked and nice and crunchy with lots of coconut flavour. They were offset by a mango dipping sauce and complemented with vegetable rice and buttery veggies.

D hadn’t yet ordered fish tacos and made that his choice. He ordered two grilled and one fried. Red peppers and zucchini accompanied the grilled fish and cole slaw and chipotle crema topped the fried. He declared the fried one the winner as he was delighted with that spicy sauce. Guacamole and Pico de gallo also arrived on his dinner plate.

So too, we had not yet sampled the flan on this visit, so El Patio was the night to do so. It was excellently prepared and tremendously satisfying.

We missed the sunset that evening but caught a glimmer of it through a vine covered trestle on the roof, by our table.

We were enamored by the foliage and the exotic birds that the greenery attracted. The sweet singing of the birds, added to a very memorable evening.

But when all was said and done it was the staff that we most appreciated. We must have been asked half a dozen times if our libations and dinners were to our liking. We got special attention from  server named Jacob; he was born for the hospitality business-engaging, sincere and attentive. He was the real deal!

Overall with the exception of street vendors, we thought that El Patio was our best bang for our buck on the island.

Kath’s quote: “If music be the food of love, play on”-William Shakespeare, ‘Twelfth Night’

Love never fails.

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