The food here is excellent, and it offers some of the best shrimp and seafood in Cancun, which is saying a lot! The Mexican dishes are also very good. Try a Caesar salad prepared from scratch tableside. Dining is outside in a garden, with a few additional tables inside. The service is nothing short of absolutely superb. A Mexican beer called Superior is available here, and it is probably the best beer I have ever had, bar none! If you like beer, be nice to yourself and try it.

Two things to remember: If you want beef, try somewhere else, since it is not really what they are known for (beef tends to be tough here). Also, unless you REALLY like curry, don't order their signature dish of shrimp and curry in a coconut sauce. By the time I finished it, I was babbling in Punjabi.

We ALWAYS reserve an evening for La Habichuela. Don't miss it!

We took a taxi here, but the local buses did run out this way, too. El Centro itself has a much more "Mexican" feel with a bullring, evening market stalls, and fast-food stands. Most people walking around tend to be locals or at least holidaying Mexicans, and the atmosphere is loud and festive, with children and families everywhere.

La Habichuela is like a little oasis in the middle of all the action. On entering, there’s a big fountain and fish tank. The walls are covered with Mayan artwork. I have been here twice now and prefer to sit in the outside garden, which has white ironwork tables and chairs, as well as fairy lights strung from the trees. VERY Romantic.

The staff is so friendly and will help you plan your whole vacation, as well as answer questions about the food. Prices are not as cheap as other restaurants in Cancun, but for the style of restaurant and service you get, I would say it’s worth every peso.

My favorite dish there is their signature cocobichuela. At 318 pesos ($31), it’s one of the more expensive items on the menu. It’s a fish and lobster curry served in a green coconut shell. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Regular fish and chicken entrées are between $12 and $16. Some of the fish dishes come complete with fins and eyeballs, so ask if you care about that.

This is a family-owned restaurant, so don’t be surprised if free drinks just show up on your table from time to time. They love tourists and do everything to give you a great experience

We always request to eat out on the back patio. This place is walled in and covered by a canopy of foliage. White lights keep the place illuminated but not too bright. We sit at iron tables.

My favorite part of the dinner is to watch the skilled and friendly waiters with their presentation of the coffee drinks. Ask for one of the many after dinner/coffee drinks (with alcohol) and they create a fire-fountain while they pour the alcohol in to the cups. It's truly something you have to see performed.