The wife and I are in PV now, so this will be a quick post. Our first night here we went to a place called Tony's "La Choza" in Mismaloya, just south of town and up the mountian a bit. The floors are sand, the staff (Tony and extended family) are welcoming, and the seafood is perfect. When you ask for a menu before the meal, the waiter (Tony's grandson) brings out a plate of raw seafood, much like the meat show at Gibson's (only sans saran wrap).

The specialty at Tony's is the whole red snapper (done in two styles, Veracruz or with garlic) and shrimp (done three ways). We chose the snapper with garlic, and the shrimp stuffed with chiuahua cheese and wrapped in bacon. I don't remember the other two ways the shrimp was preparred because I stopped the waiter at the word "bacon". The shrimp were large and fresh and the salty bacon and melted cheese were an obvious gilding of the lily, but on vaction sometimes you need your lily gilded.

As good as those shrimp were, the snapper was better. The abundant, finely-chopped garlic was somehow fused onto the skin and carmelized. The fish was cooked perfectly, moist, and obviously had been swimming while we were sleeping earlier that morning. The wife had previously agreed to a mid meal plate swap (with me starting on the shrimp, and she starting on the fish) but was reconsidering at the moment of truth. I finally did get the plate and enjoyed every mouthfull as I dug in the head for every bit of garlicky flesh.

Also worthy of a mention are the tasty Margaritas - well prepared with fresh lime juice and Don Julio Tequila (upon request). Very sour, very strong, all in a good "bievenidos a Jalisco" way.

On a side note, if in town looking for good entertainment, try the Hard Rock Cafe. I would never be caught in a Hard Rock ordering food, and I haven't been to the one in Chicago since I was 13, but the one here has a local band every Wed - Sun starting at 10:30pm. The are very talented and play American classic rock songs as well as some spanish language rock music. A real good time.

Ok, tonight to Tino's. Thanks for the rec's all. I can't wait.

I wish I had found this thread before going last November. My parents recently got a timeshare down there and finally invited my brother and down after their trip last year. Another branch also has a timeshare so its a grand old family get together every year.

Unfortunately most of the food experiences were dissapointing, starting with their resort, the Playa del Sol Grande. I decided going hungry is a better option.

Luckily the resort is just south of Bucerias, which makes for a nice walk on the beach. Everyone's favorite restaurant down there is Adauto's Beach Club in Bucerias, which was mentioned earlier. We had a hard time finding it the first time because he had moved to a new larger and better building on the beach on the north end of the restaurant row in Bucerias. He is a very friendly and nice guy, and the food was pretty good but definitely 'tourist' oriented. Everybody loved their meals there, we went twice in a week. He would be excited to know that he was mentioned in a food board in Chicago and that the Chicagoans missed him and his crew at the old place. He would also invite everyone to come visit his new restaurant. I will try to find the address to that place and post if when I find it, even if it takes another trip to Bucerias

In Bucerias, I would not recommend Mar y Sol. I have nothing positive to say about that restaurant. We also went to another restaurant that has a gift shop in the front and a nice garden/patio dining area in back. It was Greek/Mexican and I didn't care for it, but then I didn't care for most of the places we ate at. Everybody else liked it, but they are all from small towns where having Greek food is probably a treat.

We also ate many times in Puerto Vallarta, some of them good, some forgettable, none of which I can remember the name of.

My favorite meal was when we took a tour to San Sebastian del Oeste, a 17th century Spanish silver mining town that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. We ate at a place called Lupita's, I think, and they served hyacinth tea, fresh pineapple juice, homemade tortilla's, machaca and eggs, chicken en mole and refried beans. That was the kind of food I was looking for on the trip. And the beer was cheap

We kept driving by a car along the highway selling dried shrimp from their trunk but never had the nerve to actually buy a bag and try them. Maybe I was worrying about my stomach too much!

Unfortunately, I did not get any street food and I had a hankering for Menudo that did not get filled since nobody in my extended family were the type to seek that stuff out. Next time, I will make sure I get plenty of both, even if it means skipping meals with the family!

I'm jealous of those of you who are down there, or are going down there soon. I fell in love with that area in my first visit.

Wait.....Aduato changed locations?? Does he still have an area where you can go down to the beach and eat?

Well, my favorite PV restaurant is no more. Las Cazuelas has shut its doors. It was without question my favorite PV restaurant based upon past visits.

My second favorite however was still spot on . . . Red Cabbage Cafe (Cafe El Repollo Rojo). I liked it so much on a past visit that I invested the approximate $15 for the small cookbook and I've enjoyed making many of the dishes at home. On this most recent visit, I was able to enjoy Red Cabbage's Chiles en Nogada (yes, served cold) and Chiles de Picadillo, which are both excellent, about as good as I've had anywhere. Although I thought the cream of peanut soup was just ok, I really loved the Queso Rebeccah, which is panela cheese served with an ancho-chipotle mixture and corn tortillas. They were nice enough to bring us a sampling of their mole poblano and mole negro with corn tortillas for dipping -- very good, although not the best of either that I've tasted. I should also mention that Red Cabbage Cafe's service is outstanding, but make sure you have good directions to get there because I understand it can be difficult to find (of course, cabs are the way to go in PV since they're so cheap).

I have to thank Steve Z. for the Tino's recommendation because I had never heard of this place. The salsas to begin the meal are fantastic -- loved the arbol-garlic one, but the salsa verde packed a great kick which is all too often left out for us gringos. The shrimp tacos, however, should be ignored . . . tasteless. But oh that Pescado Zarandeado (the snapper) -- fantastic flavors that I look forward to trying to recreate on my WSM. The bacon wrapped, cheese stuffed shrimp with the pineapple-mustard cream sauce was also delicious, but of course much heavier.

El Arrayan - My starter of escabeche duck tostaditas was merely average, but the duck carnitas was outstanding. The duck was perfectly crispy and amazingly moist. And the sauce might have even been better than the duck itself. It was an orange-chile sauce (pasilla?) -- I assume different from the one Steve Z. tried -- that I wanted to drink with a straw. This was easily my favorite dish of the trip.

Casa Naranjo - Well, they tried. Great service and beautiful presentation of food (except for a separated sauce which they tried to hide), but it missed the mark. An orange cream soup with coriander sounded interesting (if not baffling), but I immediately realized why other restaurants typically don't serve soups where orange is the predominate flavor -- it just bored me. Red snapper with ratatouille and caper butter was a lesson in sauces which separate . . . not a good thing to present to a customer.

Si Senor - I actually liked the decor quite a bit, but I sat outside in the beautiful courtyard. If you go, make sure to ask to sit outside. Service was terrible, but oh well . . . it's warm and it's Mexico so we were patient. We were able to try all of the moles except the pink which we were told was unavailable. I generally thought all of the moles were ok, but found that all lacked a little of the earthiness and smoky flavor that moles typically deliver and I thought that all of them were a little too sweet. The table salsas to start the meal were nice though, and I really enjoyed the perfectly grilled and delicious Carne Asada Tampiquena. On the other hand, I was not so impressed by the crab chile rellenos which I thought were bland.

Cafe de Olla - I had dined there before, but couldn't remember whether I liked it or hated it (although I had suspected that I didn't like it). Well, now I can tell you I hate it. Yes, there's a crowd waiting to get in every single night. But I'm sure you'll find plenty of ChiChis that people are lining up for. Bored by the Tex-Mex menu, I ordered the fajita sampler (I know what you're thinking -- you deserve what you ask for) -- shrimp, steak, chicken. I had to specify corn tortillas since flour is their norm. Bad choice since the corn tortillas were terrible -- stale and crumbly. And if I had dropped one of the severely overcooked shrimp on the floor, it would have bounced up in the air and hit the moon if not for the roof on the place. And the flavor? As good as if you mixed in McCormick seasonings. Alright, I'll stop. You get the idea. Let others line up.

On my next return to PV, I'll definitely return to Red Cabbage and Tino's, and I'll check to make sure Las Cazuelas (479 Basillo Badillo), a simple family run restaurant with maybe the best Mexican food I have ever tasted, has not reopened.

MelT wrote:The wife and I are in PV now, so this will be a quick post. Our first night here we went to a place called Tony's "La Choza" in Mismaloya, just south of town and up the mountian a bit. The floors are sand, the staff (Tony and extended family) are welcoming, and the seafood is perfect. When you ask for a menu before the meal, the waiter (Tony's grandson) brings out a plate of raw seafood, much like the meat show at Gibson's (only sans saran wrap).

The specialty at Tony's is the whole red snapper (done in two styles, Veracruz or with garlic) and shrimp (done three ways). We chose the snapper with garlic, and the shrimp stuffed with chiuahua cheese and wrapped in bacon. I don't remember the other two ways the shrimp was preparred because I stopped the waiter at the word "bacon". The shrimp were large and fresh and the salty bacon and melted cheese were an obvious gilding of the lily, but on vaction sometimes you need your lily gilded.

As good as those shrimp were, the snapper was better. The abundant, finely-chopped garlic was somehow fused onto the skin and carmelized. The fish was cooked perfectly, moist, and obviously had been swimming while we were sleeping earlier that morning. The wife had previously agreed to a mid meal plate swap (with me starting on the shrimp, and she starting on the fish) but was reconsidering at the moment of truth. I finally did get the plate and enjoyed every mouthfull as I dug in the head for every bit of garlicky flesh.

Also worthy of a mention are the tasty Margaritas - well prepared with fresh lime juice and Don Julio Tequila (upon request). Very sour, very strong, all in a good "bievenidos a Jalisco" way.

We've been back from PV for over a week now, and in retrospect I would have to say that Tony's was definitely my favorite meal. The snapper was so good that I've been catching myself daydreaming about at least daily, and Mel is right about those shrimp, they were really fantastic.

We also checked out Red Cabbage while we were in town, but unfortunately I was under the weather that night and stuck to the tortilla soup (which was really good, fresh chicken flavor, homemade tortillas, and a dab of creamy crema on top.) MIL really loves their Chiles en Nogada and she and FIL frequent the Red Cabbage at least a few times when they are in PV so she can get her fix.

We finally checked out Tino's on our last night, and while I enjoyed their iteration of Red Snapper, I have to say that Tony's was still better. Mel will probably be able to entice me back on that 4 hour plane ride to PV simply so that I can enjoy a few more meals at Tony's.

Can't tell you about Puerto Vallarta yet, but let me say that the Dallas Airport Marriott North is a real charmer. Who wouldn't take room service hamburgers over El Arrayan, the original plan for tonight.

Seriously, my best holiday wishes to everyone, especially those who had to deal with the snow today at the airport or at home. We're happy to have gotten anywhere and will be sipping tequila on the waterfront tomorrow and thinking of the good company, tips, and wishes LTH has brought this past exciting year. Salud.

Thanks to Steve, Jean, David, and many others here, we had as gastronomically-rewarding of a trip to Jalisco as it was a relaxing, sunny, and friendly one. Mil gracias, colegas. I'll post on the three main meals out here, and then make a second post on our day in San Sebastian del Oeste, which is a tailor-made excursion for LTHers, in my opinion.

Cafe des Artistes

http://www.cafedesartistes.com/cda/fact-sheet.htm

After a blizzard in Chicago, an overnight detour in Dallas, and two extra flights, we were ready for some caring attention, so after checking into the Fiesta Americana, we went immediately to the concierge to see about a table at Cafe des Artistes. This was the Saturday before Easter - corresponding with American Spring Break this year - so we weren't expecting a great table at our choice of times. Concierge-power landed us a 7:30 slot at one of the mesas romanticas set into the hillside at the Bistro Gourmet, the original and principal of the three restaurants in the Thirery Blouet complex. Our table was covered in rose petals and candles and we were instantly charmed. This was our view down to the other tables in the beautiful garden:



We opted for the three-course tasting from the chef's favorites, which is a ridiculous bargain at $35 per person without wine (and less than $45 with a 375 ml carafe of the chef's pick). After a succulent amuse of cabrales souffle with chives and allspice, I started with a veritable basin of paper-thin beef carpaccio, dressed with puckerlingly delightful capers, lemon, crushed nutmeg and black pepper, balsamic whole-seed mustard, and a salad of micro-greens (which are grown hydroponically on the presmises). In what turned out to be a recurring ritual, a two-man team arrived at the table with a gigantic half-wheel of parmigiano reggiano wrapped in cloth on a big plank: one held, while the other shaved a generous ribbon onto my plate. The contrasting sweetness of the mustard and parmesan with the extreme sour of the capers and richness of the cold red beef, coated liberally in coarsely crushed spices, made for the finest carpaccio in memory.

The parmesan treatment was also afforded a main course of huachinango zarandeado, that remarkable local red snapper preparation liberally smeared with garlic-chile paste and charred in a hinged steel press. Brought to the table still smoking in the grill basket, the fish was plated on top of local vegetable ratatouille, and served with a head of wood-oven roasted garlic and a shot glass of spot-on gazpacho, before another sheet of parmesan graced the fish. The charred exterior of the fillet gave way to a buttery, moist interior, and the chunky, crisp vegetable stew was a perfect counterpoint. My wife enjoyed beef tenderloin medallions for her main, nestled in a pool of chipotle puree with little coins of camembert and a tower of crispy potato slices with goat cheese mortar. This followed her opener of a prodigiously large scallop served with a wild leek ravioli steeped in a saffron tea, worthy of Schwa.

While we were eating, a number of birthdays were celebrated at other tables, populated with a diverse clientele. Las mananitas alternated with "Hoppy Birse-dayyy," and at the end of each verse in either language, the group of waiters made a pretty awesome firework noise by taxi-whistling up and down and then using staggered clapping to suggest the pops. This was remarkably well rehearsed, and managed to be delightful rather than annoying. When our turn for dessert arrived, two waiters carried a three foot long mirror with sparking candles at either end, topped with our choice of desserts from the set menu, and two additional surprises from the chef. "Happy 5th Anniversary" was written in English in delicious raspberry coulis. Amazingly, we had not communicated this celebration to the restaurant (nor intended to); the resort concierge must have picked it up from a note in our original wholesaler hotel reservation from months ago. Pretty sleek, especially considering that we already been spoiled at Moto late last year.



Pictured above is one end of the arrangement, showing a mound of perfectly ripe fruit behind a molten chocolate cake featuring chile, canela, gold leaf, and very intense homemade nutmeg ice cream. Spectacular. Off the plate to the right was a crumbly warm candied-pecan brownie topped with a scoop of diabolical Chinese five-spice powder sorbet, reminiscent of Shui Wah barbecue pork more than anything else. This did not quite work. On the other end of the mirror were two almond-sugar hearts and a high candy lattice drizzled with more raspberry sauce. All of this plus two fancy coffees was about $90 USD including a 20% tip. "Can't beat that," I thought, until the rest of the meals on our trip.


Trio

http://www.triopv.com/

Our most rewarding meal turned out to be the next night, at Trio. This was Easter Sunday, and after attending an evening service in the sunset-drenched cathedral -



- we walked, hunger-propelled, one block south in the bell-tower's shade and arrived sans reservation at a place we weren't even sure would be open. We were warmly welcomed and shown to a tiny table for two on a precariously lovely French balcony, a story above the cobblestone street amid the flower boxes.



We were then served the best squid on earth.



This was slap-your-mama good, fresh from the bay, barely cooked, lime and cilantro drenched, chive and warm fresh smoky tomato-kissed, avocado-jewelled, sop every last bit up with salt-crusted rosemary focaccia, close your eyes and smile stuff. One of the plates of my lifetime.

With the two breads - pillowy ciabatta and the aforementioned rosemary tryst - and trilogy of gorgonzola, garlic, and honey butters, this was a meal of itself, and the entrees were almost an afterthought. I got by with veal medallions in a stew of pearl onions, red and poblano pepper rajas, and coarse house-made gnocchi. She enjoyed hand-cut egg-rich papardelle with butter, basil, and gigantic shrimp which had been lightly seared with garlic and lemon. More fantastic Jalisco coffee and a heavenly chocolate souffle with crushed pecan ice cream followed. This was actually better than any of the mirror desserts at Cafe des Artistes, several of which were already in the stratosphere. We would have dined at Trio multiple times if our schedule had allowed.


Tapas Barcelona

http://www.barcelonatapas.net

Arriving at prime dining hours (around 8-11 in PV) and again with no advance planning, the staff at Tapas Barcelona was visibly and quite sincerely disappointed to have to give a pair of Chicagoans a 4th-floor view instead of the open-air roof. We were admonished for not calling ahead and were stuck with this meager vista:



Que lastima. The owner, William Carballo, is a Chicago native, and after studying in Spain, helped Emilio Gervilla to set the menu for his local spots. He worked for Cafe Iberico and then as a crack marketing associate at Sysco, then resigned to move to Puerto Vallarta (his wife's ancestral home) and start his dream restaurant. The menu is very similar to Emilio's in Hillside, which is weighted towards inland Ronda and Seville, more riparian than coastal, with lots of vegetables, cheeses, grilled meats, root vegetables, dates, and hunter-style paellas, but (in American style) forsaking offal, rarer game, and lacking migas, the omnipresent garlic breadcrumbs made variably with blood, giblets, or bits of pork or fowl. So the menu is to me a traditional North American selection of Southern Spanish dishes, with very little representation of Catalan, Basque, or Cantabrian small plates.

That said, every dish, from the datiles con tocino in pimiento butter to the gambas al ajillo in their pottery cazuela to the mushrooms (ay, the mushrooms!) benefit from proximity to immediately fresh ingredients. Highlights were the perfect shrimp, the flavorful slivers of hard chorizo in the wild mushroom and garlic casserole, the chile aioli served under the pork brochettes, the asparagus soup, and the saffron rice (a big mound, under $4), which serves as a vegetable paella without the wait, richly perfumed with good threads of saffron, roasted red pepper, and fresh peas.

Like Cafe des Artistes and Trio, Tapas Barcelona serves two property-baked breads and three compound butters, which here were olive, garlic, and pimiento. Also complimentary (and complementary) were a platter of garlic potato salad and house-cured olives with citrus peel. This was an immensely filling meal at about half the cost of Meson Sabika, People, Azucar, or Iberico. There is also a chef's choice menu including dessert for about $25 per person, which was very tempting.


Other bites

Tamale Cafe, a chain with several locations up and down Morelos, including one immediately opposite the Fiesta Americana, has a selection of twenty tamales, about half in corn husk and half in banana leaf. The rajas con queso was as good as I've ever had, the pernil / pork leg unrepetantly porky and tasting very much like good peasant food. I also had a chocolate malt (!) there that knocked my socks off, made with care and presented very artistically with drizzles of dark chocolate syrup and cookies.

The Fiesta Americana, like the Marriott Steve described above, has a dynamite breakfast buffet that is almost worth the touristy $25 per person. Waffles, sausage, American bacon, and Yoplait yogurt for the [cough] delightful American teenagers. For those who care, though, there was pozole daily and menudo on Sunday. Huevos motulenos and chilaquiles were replenished constantly on the buffet, and to-order eggs could include dried beef, hard or soft chorizo, and tortilla strips. Perhaps best of all, there was a tortilla cart where a kind abuelita pressed spheres of masa into flat cakes and then made quesadillas on the ultimately fresh tortillas with everything from pork rinds to cactus to yerba buena (conventional spearmint in these parts, other types of herbs further up the coast).

I saw both David's Doña Clemen (sadly closed for Easter vacation) and Jean's Artisan Bakery, which perfumes the street up and down for blocks, and from which I snagged a delicious bolillo.

Most of our other snacking was beachside, and I lived quite happily on cacahuetes japoneses, those wonderful chile and lime-coated peanuts, and micheladas of both the green and red varieties.



When we got back to Chicago, it was dark, cold, and snowy. I had to drag myself to Tae Fu and then Goose Island to cheer up. Life is rough.

Many thanks to all of the Puerto Vallarta-savvy LTHers for making our trip restorative in the best way. I'll post about adventures in the Sierra Madre (mountain tequila and 17th century coffee plantations) tomorrow.

So glad you made it to Trio. I can't even remember if I mentioned that as one of my favorite places but I go there every year (twice this year) and order the beet salad. The little balcony is great when there's just the two of you. I have fond memories of Fiesta Americana from years ago when we first found PV.

You got to enjoy some of our favorite places down there! Trio was so good in fact, when we went in December, we actually did go back again. Your dinner was exactly what I ordered on the first trip. I'm kicking myself that we hadn't gone in about five or six years... so may great restaurants that even 2 weeks isn't enough time to get back to all the ones we want to.

On our fourth and final day in Puerto Vallarta, we joined a group excursion to San Sebastian del Oeste (thanks especially to jsco for the tip). Most of the tour companies are interconnected; we happened to book through the Miller Travel in Puerto Vallarta, which recommended the bus excursion by Johann and Sandra's Puerto Vallarta Tours ( http://www.puertovallartatours.net/san- ... n-tour.htm), and a specific guide, Mario, who was available on Tuesday. The trip worked out to about $70 per person for an ambitious 9-5 day. With Mario and the current outfit, I'd say this is a very nice fit for LTHers. There is a flight option as well which is reported to be spectacular in rainy season (jungle waterfalls, nice under-wing views of the colonial city), but you miss the culinary extras that made this trip so interesting.

San Sebastian del Oeste

San Sebastian used to be the cultural and financial hub of this part of Jalisco, starting in the 1600s with a silver boom in the Sierra Madre foothills. At its height after the second wave of successful mining in the late 1800s, there were 20,000-30,000 inhabitants between the downtown and surrounding hills. The current year-round population is about 500 (!), so as you imagine, only the very center of the old downtown and a few well-restored outlying haciendas are inhabited. In contrast, Puerto Vallarta itself has grown from 800 to nearly 200,000 since 1900.

In 2005, road renovations and a new bridge cut the drive time from Vallarta to San Sebastian from about 3 hours to about 95 minutes, during which the elevation changes from sea level to 5300 feet, not unlike going from Chicago to Denver. Most of the trip winds up the Sierra Madre, which goes from jungly to dry and agave-filled and then eventually to fragrant pine-forested.



Our first stop was the Parador San Sebastian, a traditional family tequila distillery which has a commendably polished and shiny facility and spiel, doubtless from the lucrative arrangement with the tour company. However, the traditional tequilas were surprisingly good by any standards, and the ability to see mature agave plants 100 feet from the still, the "pineapple" (heart of the plant) roasting oven, and the oak barrels for aging the reposado gave invaluable perspective on the whole process of tequilacraft.

The blue agave plants used for true Jalisco Tequila take 7-10 years to mature, and have to be caught just before they fully bloom. We were very lucky to see an uncut wild agave later, just above San Sebastian, which is a towering and magnificent plant - but a total shame, in the eyes of the tequilador, who could have made it into some damn good raicilla, and yes, such a thing exists.



On a farm, before they get quite to this stage, the plants are cut down, with the leaves removed, to obtain what looks superficially like a pineapple but is more similar in function and flavor to an artichoke heart. To concentrate and lightly caramelize the sugar, the hearts are roasted in an adobe and wood oven, and come out sweating, smoky, and golden.



Roast agave heart tastes like a cross between sugar cane and artichoke and at least to me was quite delicious. It is pounded down to a pulp, fermented, and distilled. This particular apparatus uses a coal fire and water from a spring, but tequila can be made in the presence of everything from filtered river water to raw rain water (see an article in last month's Outside magazine for that story).



The resulting blanco, fresh new tequila from this still, is very nice, with more herbal and smoky notes than the mass-market brands, very drinkable without lime or water to cut. Parador San Sebastian's reposado, "reposed" in oak barrels for six months was delicious, with a rich golden hue and surprisingly focused agave flavor, balanced with the wood and herbs. Very smooth. I did not sample the añejo, aged for a year or more, but on my way out I asked if they made raicilla, which met with a respectful and excited nod and a generous pour from a behind-the-counter bottle. As many LTHers have recently come to know and love, raicilla is typically made with whatever the best-looking wild agave plants (usually but not always the agave lechugilla ur-species) in the area are, sometimes with roadside herbs thrown in.

This raicilla, which they also do sell openly, should anyone find their way there, had a strong balsamic vinegar nose at first, but it quickly dissipated into freshly baked bread, and then on the palate turned into smoked lemony artichoke delight, finishing with brown sugar and banana, almost in courses. I dug it. There were no in-your-face rubbing alcohol or motor oil notes as elsewhere described, but I hear that raicilla doesn't travel well and can be totally different when sampled out of the still versus later.

As we drew close to San Sebastian, the bus (a very nice air-conditioned, modern motorcoach) couldn't traverse the narrowing streets, so we parked just outside one of the haciendas on the modern town outskirsts and were able to visit the coffee fields behind the house on our way down to town. This plantation has been producing coffee for 150 years, the estate having been converted when the second silver boom started to dry up.



The coffee berries are harvested by hand (the selective-pick method, gathering only ripe berries), sorted into large handmade baskets, stripped and shaken, and then spread out in the plantation courtyard to dry. The below pictures show freshly collected beans drying in the sun, a mix of dried and roasted beans (still roasted in a tin barrel turned over a wood fire), and finally a basketfull of the best roasted beans.





Anyone who has traveled in coffee-producing regions can tell you that selectively picked, sun-dried, fire-roasted coffee brewed right on the premises is one of the ideal earthly drinks. This was awe-inspiring. This hacienda distributes locally as "Cafe de Altura - Quinta Mary" and can be picked up at the estate, at shops in town, and in one or two places in PV. The wife of the current owner, who is the youngest of 21 children in one of the three noble Spanish families still represented in San Sebastian, also makes citrus, peanut, and guava candy from local produce, and sweet lemon jam. They grow lemons there that are entirely edible, rind, pith, and all, like kumquats, and are sweet all the way through.



San Sebastian del Oeste itself is a little mountain joy, with 16th and 17th century architecture, cobblestone streets that now dead-end into ruins and overgrown fields, a quiet church with historical gravitas and artistic care sorely missing from Puerto Vallarta (whose church was hideously restored after a 20th century earthquake), bougainvilleas at every turn, and pleasant and proud inhabitants, quietly content in their atavism. (Though willing, as we learned, to travel to Guadalajara to make extra money or for healthcare, so they can return to San Sebastian in good shape).





Our day in San Sebastian concluded with a homegrown meal at Comedor Lupita, mentioned by others upthread. Homemade tortillas, quesadillas, beans with lard and bacon (excellent), rice with peas, beef and red pepper tacos, chicken in red mole, and fresh squeezed pineapple and strawberry juices drawn from huge ceramic jars. "Purified, I promise you," opined Mario. "Everything on this tour has been purified. Including the guide. And the bus. We all wash for you at 6 in the morning."

Santander,

That trip to San Sebastian del Oeste looks great. It is something I have added to my "Must Do in PV" list.

How wonderful! I will definitely tear myself away from the beach next year and do this tour! Thanks for the lovely pictures.

Jean

We're in the planning stages of a trip to Mexico over New Years'. Puerto Vallarta was one of our choices however many hotels are already booked. Valle de Bravo, the "Switzerland of Mexico" has been recommended to us. Has anyone been there and if so would this be a viable alternative for 5 nights?

Valle de Bravo will probably be very cool to cold at the New Year. The New Year holiday is a family-centered time in much/most of Mexico, from what I've experienced - and if a family isn't headed for Acapulco, Vallarta or one of the popular beach resorts they're likely staying close to home. Though, some wealthy people from Mexico City have vacation homes near Valle de Bravo and will be in town for the year-end. Expect the atmosphere to be quiet and not all businesses are likely to be open.

Five days in Valle de Bravo? I don't know what type of traveler you are or what you're looking to see/do while visiting, but unless I wanted to withdraw from just about everyone /everything else I'd be bored after a couple of days. I also don't think VdB offers much in the way of interesting food, or, maybe I should say many interesting food/eating opportunities in restaurants.

I've been to Valle de Bravo several times and have some photos uploaded to an online album, and if you've not seen much of the place before they should give you an idea of what to expect. Follow this link to the photos: http://travel.webshots.com/album/505193107pUFzPh

Puerto Vallarta has been a home away from home for me and my family for decades. Here's a quick rundown. Nice job on Tino's by the way. It's pretty good. Feel free to email any questions. My wife knows this town better than I do...

Cuetos is the bomb... huachinango
Los Arbolitos was closed recently as the owner died but his son should have re-opened by now. Awesome, romantic and authentic.
La Palapa is best for breakfast and then move to their covered chairs on the beach and order buckets of coronitas and eat mahi mahi sold on the stick from the locak kids... think that you can do this until W's out of office... it's my happy place.
Aduato's is a newer place in Bucerias. You can easily hop on a bus north to Bucerias and wander through that small town (getting huger by the hour) Adauto's is on the beach and on the north side of town. He's a guy who I remember playing with my cousin at the Los Tules condos. Nice guy. Tell him Neil Cline's cousin says hello...
Daquiri Dicks is fancy and touristy but it's a pretty place to watch the sunset.
Cafe des artists is pretty and the food is good but it's a bit much for me.
I'll edit this one when I think of the other places- there's a Filipino chef who does a great job and the place we went for new years last year. I'm blanking.

Another nice bus trip is to go north of Bucerias through the jungle on highway 200 to Sayulita. It's a different hippyish vibe and you can learn to surf on tiny waves. It's a nice day-trip. No real restaurant recos though.

Just remember P.V. is great because the people are great. It's nothing like Cancun.

chicagofoodies wrote:Puerto Vallarta has been a home away from home for me and my family for decades. Here's a quick rundown . . . .

The best meal I ever had in PV was at Las Cazuelas, which I mention upthread. I had heard that the owner was ill and had shut the doors, but then reopened for at least a short while. But while there this spring I went there only to find it closed again.

Any word? If I recall, I had a casserole there with lamb and a masa crust served in a clay dish served straight from the oven. It was amazing in its taste and simplicity and I've never had anything quite like it.

So my annual vacation to Puerto Vallarta is approaching in a few weeks... I know a number of others here go down there sometimes or have been recently. Any new restaurants that are worth visiting, that are new since last January?

I was just going to post the same question! We will be down there Dec 3-10. Of course we will hot all our favorites; Aduato's, Pipi's, Cafe de Olla, Los Arbolitos.......any more suggestions would be great!

I don't have any new restaurants to recommend since I don't go down until February but there is a new newspaper on line that has some restaurant reviews that might be of interest. pvmirror.com

Check out http://www.puertovallarta.net/ Great website, check out the forums section. Lots of linformation by people who go down there regularly. If "Boca Bento" is still open, make sure to check it out. It was the Best meal we had when we were down there. Asian/Latin Fusion. Great decor, great food and excellent service.
Joey B

Boca Bento is still open but it has moved. It's up towards Mismaloya in what looks to be a beautiful setting. I can't remember if it's been mentioned already but I really love Barcelona Tapas.

Wish we could all be up there on the roof with you, Jean! Please enjoy an extra cazuelita de setas for me, and Happy New Year.

I will! Can't wait to get out of here!!! Happy New Year to you also.

Another trip to Puerto Vallarta, another week of eating well.

A return to Red Cabbage Cafe was most pleasing. Chiles en Nogada, Chiles de Picadillo . . . all excellent. I think Red Cabbage is a must for any trip.

El Arrayan was also excellent, particularly the duck. Cochinita Pibil was almost excellent, but for the fact that it was a little too watery . . . not sure how this happened. Was it sitting around and kept warm? At least it was tender and flavorful and the habanero tainted onions were threatening to say the least. The freshly made corn tortillas were quite good.

New Years Eve at Mestizo. This is a cute little restaurant with some of the best service I have experienced in Puerto Vallarta (and the best margarita in PVR). And the food was very good too, particularly the beautiful plating. There were a number of clever twists on well known dishes, such as shrimp "al pastor" style and Pibil-style lamb chops. There were skilled hands in the kitchen as all seafood was cooked perfectly and meat cooked to the temperature ordered.

El Brujo, in the southeastern portion of the Romantic Zone, proved to be a pretty good meal. My sizzling molcajete was a tad salty but beat the hell out of a version I tried at Zapatista a couple of years ago (I know, not surprising). But my dining companions were universally pleased with the inexpensive and large portions of food (mostly rich), particularly the stuffed shrimp, and some enjoyed this meal as much or more than Red Cabbage or El Arrayan.

But far better than El Brujo was the little taco stand across the street (intersection of Venustiano Carranza and Naranjo). The wait at El Brujo was 45 minutes and I was hungry. I stared at the gentleman tending the wood burning fire. He was making sure to maintain a precise temperature, working the flames carefully and constantly while the beautiful pastor spit topped with a huge chunk of pineapple turned, exposing some beautifully charred, crispy bits of pork goodness. I've never seen anyone tend a fire so carefully. He must have been burning up. Well, my visit paid off . . . of the ten or so tastes of al pastor on this trip, this was by far my favorite . . . crispy, charred, juicy and great flavor. A couple of locals who spoke English started chatting with me and told me that this was their favorite al pastor in Puerto Vallarta. I see why.

My next favorite al pastor was a small stand located near Cardenas and Ignacio Vallarta where the al pastor was almost as good, and the freshly made tortillas excellent.

And then a tiny hole in the wall, unnamed, about the size of a deep broom closet, and next door to a place called Mariachi Burger?, located I believe on Ignacio Vallarta near Dieguez. There's no way I could have prepared a meal in this place . . . there was barely room to turn around. I peered in to say one lady, several pots, a small grill, a griddle, salsas, cilantro, and a small chalkboard menu listing chicarrons, tongue, carne asada, pork, chicken etc. . . and a bowl of masa overflowing. I ordered a few tacos and the woman went to work, using her tortilla press and griddle to freshly prepare the tortillas. All of the tacos were excellent, but the tongue was the best . . . great flavor and amazingly tender. If you're in the area, this would be a great spot to pop in for a late night bite. I wish I could better direct you, but you'll find it if you really want to.

Please note however that most of the taco stands open later in the evening, so don't show up at 7:30 expecting to find these places operating.

As for breakfast, La Palapa and Daiquiri Dick's proved to be my favorites, and both are very, very good and right on the water. With the beautiful plating at La Palapa, you would not expect such cheap prices and great food, but that's what you get. Daiquiri Dick's does a small non-buffet Sunday brunch which includes juice, an entree and a scone . . . the breakfast was very good, but the scone (apricot) was one of the best I've ever had and almost worth breakfast here all by itself. The scones were served with what they claimed was a Mexican whipped creme fraiche . . . not sure if that's exactly what it was, but it was excellent.

Thanks so much for the report. I've been to all of the places you mention and I really like them all. I'll definitely look for the taco stands you mention. I leave in two weeks so I'll be sure to report any finds.

The GF and I were in Bucerias/Vallarta last week and had a great time. First time visiting the Riviera Nayarit or Puerto Vallarta for both of us, and this thread had some great pointers and we found some great new ones to add as well!

We stayed in our own casita in Bucerias, just off Lazero Cardenas Av, about 4 blocks south of the town square/flea market area and a block off the beach. We both highly recommend the house and you can reserve it here. We did a few breakfasts and dinners there but mostly went out and explored Bucerias, as well as PV, Sayulita, Guayabitos and San Pancho. Since we rented a car, this was pretty convenient, but the buses can take you to most of these towns as well.

When we got in Sunday afternoon, we hit the market for supplies (basics like eggs, tequila, coffee, tequila, beer, and tequila). We didn't care for the Mega (which I believe is owned by Wal-Mart/Sam's). There is a CostCo there in PV so you can get better pricing on booze, meats, etc and then hit the little shops for produce etc. We did hit the Ley Supermercado the next day for much better results in meats, cheeses, produce and the like. GF found a tasty Chihuahua cheese made by the Mennonites, since we couldn't find traditional Oaxaca cheese. Also some tasty cochinita de pibil, roasted chicken, chorizo etc to use for late-night taco snacks at the casita.


Ley supermercado, great source for prepared foods, baked goods, produce, cheeses, etc.

We settled in and then walked up to the main square in Bucerias. Taco stands beckoned us on a warm Sunday evening. We sampled from a few, with a big cerveza from the corner store.


Tacos de Cabeza, street vendor on the main square in Bucerias


Cenaduria Dona Lupe, in a food court alley off Av Alfredo Bonfil just up from the square. Tasty sopes and tostadas.

The next day we went into PV and checked out the Malecon and downtown area.


We had tasty coctel de camarones and tostadas de ceviche at this little spot at the top of the Malecon, on the beach side. Can't remember the name, sorry!


The pelicans are not shy!

The starter got us going and we then headed over to the straw market to check out the food options upstairs. There were a variety of cafes, all fairly open-aired and we chose one that just seemed good (more diners than others, maybe). We got some enchiladas en mole, a few beers (which the guy had to go buy and serve in cups since they didn't have them at the cafe, ha!).


House salsa at the Fonda cafe above the straw market - spicy and tasty!


Tortillas made fresh of course

Dinner was at Claudio's Meson Bay on the beach in Bucerias. Typical open palapa dining, decent drinks and food, nothing worth crowing about. We got salads with our entrees and when we chose our dressings, they brought these to the table:


Meson Bay's version of "bottle service"

Tuesday we drove up the coast to Guayabitos, which has its share of tourists at the beachfront, but not built-up like PV. Many beach palapa restaurants, and when we walked to the end of the beach, we spotted this place and saw many Mexicans so we had to check it out, but not before a snack from a lady's bike-stand grill


Grilled camarones, about 25 pesos for a skewer. Tasty!!!


Restaurante Pineda, at the south end of the Guayabitos beach (the center fronded-roof place)

This Pineda place specialized in Pescado Sarandeado, fish grilled over real wood. They had Dorado, and man was it tasty. Just a simple sauce, salt and chile. But first...


Taquitos de pescado, we got 2 each included with the order of Sarandeado


Coctel de camarones


Dorado Sarandeado


The Sarandeado "maestro" at work

I believe there may have been 1-2 other "gringos" like us, but mostly Mexican clientele...just the way we like it

We stayed in this night and made tacos de cochonita pibil and a great salad of ripe tomatoes, avocado and cucumber.


Cena en casa

Wednesday we tried the fish tacos spot a block over from our place, everyone calls it just "Fish Tacos" but the name is El Rincon de Ensenada, and it's on Juarez (I think) about 1/2 block off Cardeno Lazerus. Best fish tacos we had on the trip!


El Rincon de Ensenada



Very traditional, with salsa cruda and the spicy mayo sauce.

After that we did a bit of shopping, then stopped at a street cart on Av. Bonfil when we recognized the name:



As I just posted here, this is the original source for the Chicago/Atlanta restuarants of the same name.

We had great tostadas de ceviche y pulpo, and GF ordered a delicious Caldo de Camaron with a savory, spicy broth. They offered many hot sauces in bottle as well as a bowl of the habanero-laced house salsa...awesome!


Lola runs the cart with her husband Tony


Tostadas de ceviche (left) and pulpo (right) and big cerveza from store across the road


Caldo de Camaron

We decided to try Karen's Place for dinner that night, which is on the beach connected to Costa Dorada suites. The menu was geared toward non-locals, but the food was very fresh and tasty.


Caesar salad and Tortilla soup, both good but the soup was our favorite


Coconut Shrimp and Seared Ahi Tuna (over fettucini with herbs).

The shrimp was amazing, with freshly-grated coconut in the batter, a tamarind dipping sauce, and tropical fruit couscous. The tuna was very tasty, but a touch heavy on the sea salt.


We got some coconut flan for dessert

Our advice is to sit at one of 4-5 tables below the dining room adjacent to the sand. More private and better view.

Thursday afternoon we spent at the beach palapa at Adauto's, which is one of the restaurants at the top end of the Bucerias beachfront. Restaurant and bar with open dining as well as chairs/tables/umbrellas in the sand. Quite a great spot, and our waiter was very good, bringing us buckets of beers (5 for 90 pesos) and grilled tacos de pescado.


Tacos de pescado - Adauto's

Do you notice the recurrent shots of Salsa Huichol in many of these photos? It's the local sauce and quite delicious, made from Cascabel chiles.

Dinner was on recommendation from our neighbor. A spot up on Hwy 200 (the main route through town) at Av Buganvilla (I think).


Famar Restaurant

Mostly gringos here too, and everyone seemed to be ordering fajitas...we went for steak plain and simple.


Arrachera

Food was tasty, great beans (with lard naturally) and we took leftover back to the casita for breakfast fixin's. This is a family-friendly spot for those who need one, complete with a trampoline off the dining room!

Friday we went into PV and explored a bit, did some shopping and hit a few taco stands.



Tacos de Birria a few blocks off Cardenas and Bodillo, in Romantic Zone.

The woman who owns the shop where I bought guayabera shirts recommended a place inland (through the tunnel) and said the chef used to work on the beach area, but found a place of his own and makes awesomely-fresh seafood dishes. We decided to seek it out...it was about 5 miles inland, through the tunnel and fairly close to where the CostCo is located actually.


Las Islas

We were warmly greeted, and only customers at 2pm on a Friday. Lovely garden/atrium area for the tables with a small kitchen.

We were brought tostadas de marlin (seco) as our amuse bouche, but we scarfed them pretty quick so no pic, sorry.


Pescado Mixto al Ajillo - awesome dorado and shrimp, with a savory, Lee & Perrin's-based sauce, along with rice, veggies (very fresh) and a simple salad.


Camarones Aguachile

This was THE BEST THING WE ATE ALL WEEK. Aguachile is similar to ceviche, but they steep the broth/juice with chile peppers to spike it. So friggin' good and spicy!!! The lady told us the broth was lime juice, garlic, onion, cucumber, jalapeno and pequin chiles.


He butterflied the shrimp raw and tossed the dish fresh, can you dig it?

With 4 beers and these dishes, it was 247 pesos, about $20 - AWESOME!

Saturday breakfast was at La Cocina de Jorge, a locals spot about a block from us on Av. Abasolo. Jorge was very friendly, great dishes and when the local cops hang there you know it's good!


closed Mondays...


That's Jorge at the counter


The cop truck where the boys leave their automatic rifles when they dine


Huevos Apporeados (eggs cooked in spicy broth, with dried beef)


Chilequiles con Huevo


Enfrijoladas (GF wanted many dishes and Jorge agreed to bring us a side of this one)

We drove up the coast again to explore both Sayulita and San Pancho. Both are great towns and not too built-up, San Pancho being the smaller town by far.

We stopped and had a late lunch at a palapa bar in San Pancho called La Perla del Mar.


Outdoor grill at La Perla


Beachside dining at La Perla


Michelada


Pescado Aguachile (not nearly as good as Las Islas)


Best Shrimp Tacos we've had in a long time!


common sight amongst the tables...


La Perla del Mar menu

For a crazy Sat. night we decided to walk the Malecon in PV and hit some street vendors. We started at the spot we had ceviche earlier in the week, since they had a pastor spit going in the front window...which led us on our "tour de pastor" for the evening!




We didn't find any other street food vendors along the Malecon, so walked inland a few blocks toward the church. Many people out and about and many choices for food...


Our Lady of Guadalupe

We stuck with al pastor.


Mr. Taco on Abasolo and Morelos - a great find, and open until 4am on weekends!



Tacos al Pastor at Mr. Taco, with all the trimmings


Taqueria "Los Chones" (the underwear) at Morelos and 31 de Octubre

This spot didn't have a spit, so they did the pastor al planchado, and offered Suadero (beef) and also "longaniza" sausages.




After 5 tacos each, we decided that was enough for the night.

Sunday was a follow-up trip to Sayulita, since a friend told us to try Burrito Revolucion...thank you friend!!!


Menu, complete with spice levels on the 3 sauces and an Obama "cambio" painting





Green was mild jalapeno/tomatillo, red is chipotle, and white is habanero mayo. All great and different.


my smoked marlin burrito - frickin' awesome!


By the time we left, the wait between order and getting food was 40-60 minutes!!!

Oh, and it's cash-only fyi.

Dinner back in Bucerias along Av. Bonfil, Cenaduria Dona Lupe once again, since El Veneno stand was closed down


Pozole


Tacos Dorados con papas y queso

Monday was our last day there, but enough time to hit one more taco stand! We wanted to go to Tacon de Marlin across the main road from the airport, but it was closed. Tacos Robert was the most popular spot, so that is where we ate.


Tortillas made fresh constantly, and carne asada on the grill (his apron says "mi papa es el mejor cocinero del mundo"


Another six choices for tacos, like carnitas, chicarones, birria, etc.


Tacos de birria y carnitas


Taco de carne asada (loved the beans!)


Traveling entertainer, singing along to his beatbox.

We hated to leave, but had a great time. We wanted to try so many other spots, but there is only so much time and space in our stomachs.

Thanks to those who posted about the PV area, particularly up north in Nayarit. I spent a week around Bucerias, Punta de Mita and Sayulita. Though I cooked a lot for my crew and I spent more time falling off of surfboards and ATVs than tracking down birria (this time), I was able to have several meals out. In fact, I conducted a small one-man survey of huachinangos sarandeados and camarones aguachiles. For what it's worth, I thought the aguachiles at El Anclote restaurant in Punta de Mita were tops while the sarandeado at Tinos (Punta de Mita branch) was outstanding -- so good, no one else came close. (Regarding Tino's, I was mildly, secretly disappointed that the "famous" place was also easily the best.) Adauto's in Bucerias is also worth mentioning. Not tops in any category, but a very pleasant place with good food. Though Sayulita was my favorite town, I didn't eat anything great there.

I was interested to learn through trial and error and subsequent research that some versions of the classic slow-gilled (one might argue BBQ'd) fish dish are "drowned" in a sauce of chile oil (and perhaps Maggi, soy, and/or Worcestershire) before serving. The inky sauce at Anclote made navigating bones and scales tough. To avoid that, ask for sauce on the side, as you would at any good BBQ place. Also, the chile oil seems very Chinese, because it is. The influence of Chinese and Japanese cuisine along the Pacific coast of Mexico (and of course south into Central and South America) is well documented. The drowned version of the sarandeado looks and tastes distinctly like something you might get in one of the better restaurants in Chinatown, except the fish is infinitely better.

And you know I stopped by Mariscos el Veneno's cart in the tiny Bucerias town square. Fantastic mixed ceviche loaded with all manner of crustaceans, gastropods, bivalves and cephalopods. Nice, nice folks.

Last, I feel I should mention how damn lucky we are in Chicago to have several Nayarit-style places (Veneno and Islas Marias among them) that absolutely nail this quirky regional seafood experience as best as could be expected thousands of miles away and far from the ocean.

So, thanks again.

Jeff, happy to hear your visit was a flavorful one, I am looking forward to returning to Bucerias and Sayulita, and exploring Punta de Mita more.

Mark,

It's a great part of a great country. I've travelled quite a bit in Mexico over the years, including PV, but I'd never made it up to Nayarit until this trip. I didn't spend one minute in the "big city" of PV or near the large hotels, which I really didn't miss (though PV is a very nice town). Sort of like going to Chicago without visiting the Loop or Michigan Ave. Having enjoyed immensely the Nayarit-style places I've tried around Chicago and LA for many years, I had a mental image of what eating in Nayarit would be like. The food and overall vibe exceeded my expectations. Since the first time I had snapper sarandeado-style at the original ramshackle Chicago branch of Islas Marias, it's been my favorite way of cooking fish (well, I still have a soft spot for deep-fired grouper on a hamburger bun, but that's because I'm from Florida).

By the way, I've found the shrimp agauchiles at the Islas Marias restaurants to be quite good. (Though I must add the restaurants are not consistent and it's been a while since I dined at any of them.) For a very similar dish that's always high quality,TAC's raw shrimp appetizer is terrific.

Leaving in a few weeks for our annual PVR trip. Staying at Los Tules. Does anyone know if Aduato's has a van they will send for a large group? Thanks. Also, any new restaurant recos?