Tulum, Merida, and a lunch in Valladolid

Just returned from 10 days in Tulum and Merida. Both have been on our to see list for many years.

Flew into Merida and rented a wonderful old colonial home in Centro. The inside was completely redone in a great modern style by noted Merida based architect Henry Ponce. Couldn’t have asked for a better base to explore Merida.

After making arrival cocktails and a quick dip in our house’s very cool pool, we walked the short block and a half to La Chaya Maya, trying to keep it simple just after arriving. Solid, very inexpensive, traditional dishes with house made tortillas. We became acquainted with the house made green habanero salsa which we enjoyed at every meal of the trip. Occasionally, we had to request it…

We loved the Oaxacan influenced Apoala and it’s location so much we went twice in four evenings. Every single dish was delicious, beautiful presentation, great atmosphere on the Santa Lucia square, and reasonably priced. The shrimp ceviche was the best ceviche of the trip, and I ate it at least once daily. I would go there frequently if it were in Chicago.

One night we went out for a dinner at a hacienda. We chose to taxi rather than driving from Centro. A wonderful evening at Casa de Piedra in the Hacienda Xcanatun. Delicious dinner in a magical setting. It is a shame there were not more people dining there.

Two of our lunches were small taqueria’s. You need a car or taxi to get to Wayan’e in Itzimna, but we loved it. Great, really inexpensive tacos, in a quiet neighborhood setting. Order a bunch, they’re really cheap, and nice to try several.

Another great taqueria is El Cangrejito, which closes when they sell out. Hole in the wall that is hard to find. The interior is nothing to look at, but the seafood is awesome. Our waiter just kept on bringing fabulously fresh fish, shrimp, and lobster tacos, which we washed down with a few cold Sol’s.

After a long morning of walking we were thrilled to find something on my list close to where we were when we happen to need a break. A really good lunch at Manjar Blanco, and surprising that we were the only diners for Sunday lunch. Beautiful, modern presentation and inexpensive.

On our drive to Tulum we stopped at the ruins in Chichen Itza and wandered around Valladolid. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the tranquil setting of El Jardin de los Frailes.

We enjoyed out stay at the chic and stylish, yet relaxed, Posada Margarita, on the beach in Tulum. Run by an Italian, with several Italian employees, it was a nice mix of Italy and Mexico. The jungle like grounds are lit by HUNDREDS of candles every evening.

Our favorite meal was at Hartwood, every dish was excellent, with beautiful presentations, in a chic, tropical setting. The ‘no reservation policy’ is a bit of a pain and strange. It really is a reservation policy that requires you to show up around opening time (6ish) and give your name and required dining time. Even though I attempted to make reservations in advance, I didn’t know the real scoop until it screwed us up the first attempt to dine here mid-week. After the first failure I was tempted to blow it off. I am glad we made the effort to drive down to put in our name after returning from the beach, and then return to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

We planned on one dinner at Posada Margarita, but due to the unexpected closing of El Tabano and shopping in the boutiques until past their closing times, we had a second dinner at our hotel. Great pasta and really fresh seafood (we saw the lobster and red snapper come in with a fisherman on the spear from the water in the later afternoon and ate it a couple hours later). My only quibble is the extremely limited menu (which hasn’t changed since they opened 14 years ago), make it difficult to eat here repeatedly during one visit. Also enjoyed the fabulous breakfasts every morning, sipping great coffee and gazing out at the sea.

Fun evening at Cetli, in an old home in the town of Tulum, which was a nice change from the beach area restaurants. Five of our six dishes were excellent and the sixth was good. I expected traditional food, but some of the dishes (especially the awesome salads) were a nice fusion of old and new. Great chili en nogada. Couldn’t ask for friendlier or more attentive service.

Good, not great, dinner at Casa Banana which was a last minute substitute when we couldn't get into Hartwood. The cocktails were excellent and beautiful. We felt it was overpriced and the automatic tip added to the bill promoted poor, inattentive service in this tourist location. I had planned for it to be just a spot for cocktails, but several locals (who appeared to have good taste) recommended it so it became a back up.

Good lunch at El Carmello, nice fish tacos, shrimp ceviche was just OK with those little micro-shrimp. For some reason, I expected more. No where close to El Cangrejito or Wayan’e in Merida.

OK lunch at Mateo's, after I couldn’t find a couple of preferred lunch options.

We also had a couple of decent beach lunches at the little hotel next to Posada Margarita, Hotel Playa Kin-Ha, sipping great mezcal and tequila with the sea in view. Friendly staff. Very convenient to walk next door for a change of pace for lunch from Posada Margarita.

The wives loved a vegan lunch at Restaurare (while the guys were drinking tequila and eating seafood at Kin-Ha).


La Chaya Maya
‪Calle 62 #481, 57, Centro‬, Merida‬
or
Calle 55 x 60 y 62, Centro, Mérida

Apoala Restaurant
‪Calle 60 471 x 55‬, Centro‬, Merida ‪‬‬

Casa de Piedra at Hacienda Xcanatun
‪Calle 20 S/N por 19 y 19A‬, Merida‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Manjar Blanco
‪Calle 47 # 496 por 58 y 60, ‪Centro, Merida‬‬

Wayan'e
Circuito Colonias por 4-A 57-C, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mérida

El Cangrejito
Calle 57, Entre 64 y 66, Centro, Merida

El Jardin de los Frailes
Calle 41-A Entre 48 y 50 #222, Valladolid

Posada Margarita
Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, Tulum

Hartwood
Carretera Tulum Boca Paila, Tulum

Cetli
Polar Norte St | one block north of Avenida Tulum

Casa Banana
Hotel Nueva Vida de Ramiro Road Tulum Boca Paila, Tulum

El Camello Jr.

Avenida Tulum & Luna Sur, Tulum

Hotel Playa Kin-Ha
Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, Tulum

Restaurare
Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, Tulum