By Sister #3

To say finding Marea restaurant is tricky is an understatement. It’s a bit like discovering a speak easy during prohibition. If you know, you know. And it’s time that everyone know about this fantastic restaurant. Located in Selina Poc Na, the hotel on the south east corner of Matamoros and Carlos Lazo. Marea is a separate entity from the Selina resort centre in which it is housed. A small sign provides a hint that you are in the right place. Don’t be thrown off the scent by Coffee Break, a great place where you can pick up a coffee and bagel to go.  For a sit down breakfast experience you want to keep trekking through the lobby area.

Then hang a left and continue till you come to a  large palapa, across from the pool,

juice bar, and yoga platform.  

The palapa itself is spacious and furnished with picnic tables, sofas with low tables, and regular dining tables like ours. Marea currently attracts a lot of guests of the hotel who are young and hip. So the people are as beautiful as the surroundings. 

We ventured in for breakfast the other day and were introduced to Romiro and Omar.

This dynamic duo who met on the Island in 2020 call themselves “brothers from another mother”.  Both bringing gifts of incredible creativity. Omar from Monterey in Northern Mexico is passionate about food.  It’s palpable as we discuss the dish he is currently developing for the restaurant’s new menu. It’s a croque Madame, but more on that later. The key to great food is great ingredients and he has sourced homemade prosciutto right here on the island, and is now in pursuit of some fine Emmental and Gruyère cheeses to make the dish perfection. 

Originally from Argentina, Ramiro has a talent for design. You only need to look at the brilliance of the duos other property Chile & Maiz to see his vision, full of colour and art. The decor at Marea is more understated, letting the beauty of nature speak for itself. One really doesn’t need to gild the lily when you’re located in a giant palapa on a fine white sandy beach on the Caribbean Sea. You can see Romiro’s artistry in all their promotional material and general aesthetic. 

We started our morning with freshly squeezed orange juice and mango juice and good American style coffee.

For breakfast we enjoyed fluffy hotcakes served with plenty of fresh fruit and the coolest syrup dispenser ever.

The Marea sandwich of egg, cheese, spinach, on toasted homemade bread, was served with chipotle mayo,

while the chicken quesadillas came with a green salad.

I had the huevos rancheros, as I’m partial to variations of Mexican style eggs. Described as crispy tortillas bathed in ranchero sauce, they were topped with fried egg, avocado, and crema. 

I also got a chance to taste the croque madame which is currently in development. You may have heard of a croque monsieur- it’s a French grilled ham and cheese smothered in béchamel sauce. And the feminine version is topped with a sunny side up egg. This signature dish is sure to be the talk of the town. Can’t wait to let you know once it’s available. 

Marea is open daily from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All the menus are currently being reinvented and will be unveiled later this month. I for one can’t wait. 

If you were under the impression, like I was, that Marea was just for millennials living the yoga retreat lifestyle, think again.  Its relaxed vibe will make you feel like you’re on a retreat and the delightful food and beachy atmosphere will not disappoint.  So “your mission, should you choose to except it” is to seek out Marea and enjoy all it has to offer. 

Kath’s quote: The people who give you their food give you their heart – Cesar Chavez

Love never fails.

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