In the town of Apan, in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico there is a restaurant called Don Bigotes. Established in 2023, it is owned by the family of Yuliana. She, along with friend Angelica of Merida, have lived on Isla Mujeres for many years, working in other people’s restaurants. All the while dreaming of one day opening their own version of the family restaurant.

August 2, 2025 the dream came to fruition.

If you were to visit the two restaurants, located 20 hours away from each other by ferry and car, you would find a very similar menu, with the addition of Caribbean seafood dishes on the Isla Mujeres version. Even the trademark walls, filled with patrons chalk messages, are a nod to the original. Making Don Bigotes Isla Mujeres the continuation of a family legacy.

The restaurant is colourful and casual, making the diner instantly feel at home. A bonus, there is air conditioning the further in you venture in, so you can select where you sit according to your temperature desire.

On to the tried and true dishes. We started with the Caribbean Guacamole. Such an interesting combination of avocado, with pico de gallo and grilled pineapple. A sweet and salty twist on a classic it was the perfect way to wake up our taste buds.

For an appetizer we had the crispy tuna carnitas tostada. Generous chunks of lightly coated tuna, atop a crunchy tostada. slathered with guacamole and topped with pico de gallo and pickled red onion. This dish was busting with flavour.

Our friend had the Grandpa Toño’s taco. Named in honour of Yuli’s grandfather. Tempura coated fish with coleslaw and xcatic sauce, a creamy sauce featuring pale green chili peppers.

While our shrimp tacos were similar in all ways but the sauce, ours being a chipotle mayonnaise. All the tacos were super satisfying.

A few of us tried their popular salads. Our friend opting for the grilled chicken and mango salad. Served with cranberries, croutons and a honey mustard dressing. She thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had a sampling of the grilled pineapple salad with little balls of creamy goat’s cheese and praline nuts in a honey mustard dressing. A good salad is not easy on the island and these were phenomenal.

For our main we shared the filete de pescado. The fish that day is known in Mexico as “pescado dorado” but you may know it as “Mahi Mahi”.  It’s a beautiful meaty white fish that was served with xcatic risotto and perfectly cooked fresh vegetables. You get to choose the preparation; grilled, garlic butter, or in a white wine sauce. We choose the later on our waiter Nahuel’s recommendation.

At this point we were stuffed and our “to go” box had a large piece of fish, two large shrimp and plenty of tempura tuna to be eaten for lunch the following day. But the team wanted us the complete our evening with a sweet treat. The restaurant brings in  a selection of desserts as well as offering Chef Diego’s creme brulee. Our waiter was partial to the chocolate cake, so we went at it with multiple forks and we were certainly glad we did. The deep dark chocolate icing on a rich chocolate cake with creamy filling was the ending we didn’t know we needed.

It was lovely to see the open kitchen and meet Chef Diego and his helpers Emma and Marcos. The staff are friendly and attentive.  Don Bigotes is sure to be another Isla “go to” restaurants providing consistent excellence with more than a few surprises.

Daily happy hour specials 3:00 – 6:00 are posted on blackboard inside wall of restaurant, featuring great prices on margaritas, beers with wings and fries, or beers with nachos.  A great place for a snack and a cold one on the stroll back from the beach.

PS Kath piping in: Their mojitos are epic with the twist of a lovely dark rum.

Kath’s quote: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.” — Robert Wyland

Love never fails.

Four years ago, when a good friend who managed a house in the Punta Sur area of Isla Mujeres Mexico asked Glay and Gaby if they wanted to prepare breakfast for her guests, they jumped at the chance. “Back then we sold breakfasts in a small place in the Colonias, because it was a new and different challenge, we accepted. That was the beginning of many more breakfast, lunch and dinner services”. And thus Glay and Gaby Food and Drink Private Service was born. 

Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, these two have lived on Isla for seven and a half years. Glay worked in the food business for more than twenty years. Gaby has worked in the industry for five years, discovered her passion for cooking one day when the chef didn’t show up for work and she had to take over. Since then she has dedicated herself to learning and developing her culinary skills. 

Kathryne and I really wanted to meet these ladies and they wanted us to sample their food. Typically they would be preparing and serving food on site in someone’s home or accommodations on the island, but it was just two of us and our tiny apartment kitchen is far from suitable for a caterer. So instead they prepared food on their premises and delivered it to us.

They brought us their favourite: chicken fajitas. Stir fried with green, red, yellow peppers and purple onion, the chicken is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, a little of the popular Mexican Maggy juice, and homemade garlic oil. It was tender and savoury. The rice that was cooked in tomato broth was flavourful and fluffy. Besides the chicken I thought the refried beans were the highlight of the dish. Cooked in butter I could eat them by the spoonful. Their freshly made  guacamole was simply salt and pepper, fresh lime juice, and a touch of garlic oil, allowing the flavour of the avocado to shine through. Every component was delicious on its own and complemented each other perfectly when brought together in a tender flour tortilla. 

They cook for everyone like they would for their own family and friends. The freshest local ingredients, striving to provide quality as well as quantity in every dish. One look at their Facebook page and you’ll see their beautifully presented abundant taco bars, delectable breakfast buffets, and snack delivery. They customize menus for all types of celebrations, providing catering and excellent mixology for birthdays, weddings, or just a group of travellers who want a nice meal without going to a restaurant. You can even learn a few things along side them in the kitchen or take part in one of their Tequila Mescal tastings. 

Being that I recently retired from running my own similar business in Winnipeg, Canada, I can appreciate the attention to detail and love that they pour into providing an excellent experience to their clients. 

The ladies are very thankful to everyone who has supported their business. In appreciation, they now find ways of giving back to the people of the island through their philanthropy. 

Kath’s quote: “The people who give you their food give you their heart.” -Cesario (Cesar) Estrada Chavez

Love never fails.

By guest blogger Kathy. I visited El Patio on Hidalgo Street with friends Kathryne and Karen from Winnipeg.  What a fun vibe.  Indoor but outdoor, it had a terrace feel with a large tree in the middle.   We know it is real tree as we had leaves drop onto our table.  The space has a large bar on the main floor and a lovely second floor.  We sat on the second floor.  El Patio has music upstairs and bands with dancing downstairs.  The night that we were there, the upstairs music was fabulous.

We started with the Mediterranean Platter – it was presented on a lovely sectional plate and included falafel, labneh and hummus. The hummus was nothing like I had ever tasted before and I have had Hummus in many different countries.  We asked Lynne the owner……..what it was made of – it the answer was that it was made with fresh green chickpeas. It was a different texture and flavour, but very good. 

We accompanied our appetizer with a pina colada, a glass of wine and frozen mojito.  Our friend Kathryne said one that it is one of the best mojitos on the island.  She like it so much, it was gone in minutes!

For entrees, we had the coconut shrimp with baked potato and a Greek salad. The meal was substantial and satisfying.

We also tasted Arrachero steak with black beans and a baked potato. The steak was marinated and tender and was prepared medium rare.

El Patio is very popular for Happy Hours which run 1- 3 Monday to Saturday and 4 – 6pm daily and if you want to listen to live music and dance, El Patio is the place to be.

Kath’s quote: “Love is a lot like dancing. You surrender to the music”. –Pierce Bronson

Love never fails.

We arrived to the island tired, hungry, thirsty and with sore backs and feet. A half hour later we were strolling Hidalgo enroute to a dinner date. When Fredy (of Fredy’s Restaurant) spotted me, he greeted me with delighted surprise and my tiredness and soreness melted away! When moments later, we arrived at Jax, Jackie made us also forget our hunger and thirst, seemingly with the snap of her fingers!

We are the three “Ks”-Kathy, Karen & Kath and we happened to order three “M”s: a Margarita, a Mojito and a Mai Tai. You could taste the quality of the liquors in the tropical cocktails. Jackie was introduced to my guests. Karen having been on the island 8 years prior and well travelled Kathy, a Newbie.

When Jackie found out that Kathy was the Marketing Director for a number of high end restaurants back home, the conversation was flowing in no time.

I have enjoyed Jax’s fare so often over the years that it was tempting to go to my previous favourites but we had pledged to order something unusual and so we did. We started by sharing Shrimp Quesadillas. Since they were chocked so full with spinach, onions, cheese and enormous shrimp, the tortilla had to be rolled instead of matched with a second tortilla and presented flat. The veggie combination with the shrimp, elevated the fresh taste of the morsels. The melted cheese made them gooey and sublime.

Kathy selected fresh grouper Veracruz style. She once lived on a boat travelling the Caribbean for 5 years so she knows here fish! Veracruz style is influenced by flavours of the Mediterranean. I am partial to umami flavours like olives, capers & peppers. This dish had all these complex ingredients and the freshest tomatoes! A trick that I have learned about fish dishes in robust sauces is to sear the fish first. I was confident that this had occurred as the fresh grouper held its own. It was served with buttery rice to soak up all the juices as well as seasonal vegetables.

Both Karen & Kathy are partial to Coconut Shrimp. Jax version starts with ginormous shrimp rolled in ribbons of coconut. These were so fresh, they kinda snapped in your mouth when you took a bite. We tried to guess the “secret sauce” that accompanied the dish for dipping. We were way off-we didn’t even identify the right fruit! Coconut Shrimp are on most Isla Mujeres’ dinners menus-Jax’s version would be in the top three versions that I have tasted.

I was born and raised on exception beef. My Dad was the General Manager of a Canadian packing plant. With his position, beef was always plentiful in our home. Sometimes on a Saturday for brunch, he would heat up his seasoned cast iron frying pan, and toss in a little tenderloin. He would quickly sear it on either side in butter and the leave it in the pan for a few moments so that the juices were retained in the cut. Then he would carve paper thin slices for my siblings and I to enjoy. He would use his own fork to deliver our portions. We must have looked like little robins waiting for their parent’s treats.

I share this story to illustrate that I know my steak. And last evenings’s filet was perfection. Kathy and I are both Marketing Directors for steakhouses in Canada and we both agreed that the seasoning and delightful char on the steak was expert. I cut the filet into 3 portions for us to share. My steaknife was hiding under the edge of my plate but no worries, it was so tender, I could use a butter knife! Veggies accompanied my entrée as well, but the baked potato was my favourite veggie on my plate. It was piping hot and the white flesh oozed with butter and a dab of grated cheese to compliment the robust flavours of the steak.

Jackie loves to get our impressions of some of Jax’s menu selections. Even though we were full to overflowing, we sampled her Crispy Beef Tacos. The crunchy tortilla held no indication that it had been deep fried. The ground beef was well seasoned and the sour cream and grated cheese was better than any dessert we could choose from a menu.

Everything was so delicious that we assembled at my villa the next day to enjoy the leftovers. Mmm, mmm good!

Kath’s quote: “A perfectly cooked steak is a work of art“.-Julia Child

Love never fails.

What is “soul food”? The dictionary describes it as the humble food of the people of West Africa brought to the deep south of the United States. But I know a woman born in North Africa who brought her food to the Southern most part of North America. In my opinion her food is “soul food” because her food is directly linked to her soul.

Lory Manzo, of Soul Sisters 2.0, and I have been chatting over text for a couple of months now. During this time I have learned a lot about this incredible woman. She is open, warm and encouraging. Our bond was immediate. Here’s a bit of what she shared with me about her life.

“I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I lived until I was 14 years old. I then moved to Rome with my mother, where I studied tourism.”

“Cooking has always been a fundamental part of my life. I learned the basics of Ethiopian cuisine from the women in my family — my mother, my grandmothers, my sister, and the woman who helped raise me — and they shaped my culinary foundation and identity.

At the same time, after moving to Italy, I was also learning Italian cuisine from my mother, my sister, and my grandmother. My mother is a chef in an Italian restaurant in Torvaianica, and in many ways, cooking runs through my entire family.

My grandfather, my father — who is especially skilled with grilling, barbecuing, and even mixology — and my uncles, who are known for their antipasti, all influenced my passion and understanding of food.

Over the years, I have traveled and lived in several countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Brazil, and Malaysia. Through these experiences, I discovered new cultures, flavors, and techniques, which I now incorporate into my fusion cuisine, while always staying deeply connected to my roots.”

Soul Sisters 2.0 doesn’t have a static menu, instead offering different dishes at different times. All reflecting Lory’s culinary experience. Sometimes it’s Italian, sometimes ribs or a slow cooked stew. You can see her offerings by following her on social media and placing your order in advance for delivery.

I was most excited to try her Ethiopian food. A favourite cuisine of mine. I love the experience of sharing one large communal platter with my table mates in the traditional Ethiopian way.

Lory’s Ethiopian food is totally authentic, the only exception being the injera, it’s the spongy crepe like bread that is traditionally used to scoop bite fulls of food from the platter. She has had to create a reasonable facsimile because the grain used to make it isn’t available in Mexico.

We enjoyed a lunch combination of three stews. Zighini, a rich and spicy ground beef stew, full of flavour and punch. Key Wot B Siga is a dish of stewed potatoes and beef slices with berbere spices was absolutely delicious.

My favourite dish was the Alicha Wot B Siga, a stew of tender beef, potato, and carrot in a chickpea based yellow curry. Each dish had a distinct flavour but married beautifully together. All soaked up in that tasty spongy flatbread. Wow, I’ll be thinking of this meal for a long time.

Lory’s Ethiopian menu also features a wide variety of vegan options including sautéed spinach with garlic and ginger, a potato, carrot and cabbage combination, a beet dish, and one of red lentils.

So that explains the “soul” part Soul Sisters, but what about the “sisters” part? Lory’s philosophy is that women should support and uplift each other. “That has always been at the heart of everything I create under the Soul Sisters name.” What started as a t-shirt logo, which she sells to this day, Soul Sisters morphed into a bar in Centro in 2018 which sadly closed due to covid.  Lory adds, “I am someone who believes deeply in rebirth and reinvention. Instead of seeing it as an ending, I chose to see it as an opportunity to evolve. That’s why I created Soul Sisters 2.0 — the next chapter.” And that explained the “2.0” part.

Today, Soul Sisters focuses on homemade, soulful food through delivery, as well as private bartending and private chef experiences in people’s homes. Recently Lory introduced her newest creation, Fiesta Chica Baskets, designed to bring beautiful, curated food experiences to special moments and celebrations. An offering of three tapas style baskets featuring the Mediterranean combo of meatballs, croquettes, caprese salad and dipping sauces. The Vegan basket of hummus, baba ganoush, cous cous salad, pita and falafel. Or the one I’m craving the Seafood basket of shrimp cocktail or tuna bites, ceviche, guacamole and pico with homemade tortilla chips.

I wish Lory nothing but success and I wish each of you the opportunity to try this delicious food and maybe even meet its creator.

Kath’s quote: “A recipe has no soul. You as the cook must bring soul to the recipe”.-Thomas Keller

Love never fails.