VIPS is a chain of coffee shops in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta recently had one open in the Sam’s/Wal-Mart shopping area. I don’t particularly like VIPS in other towns so I did not intend to eat at this one but one day, shopping with Bruja, hunger and heat got the best of us. It was a choice between VIPS and the lunch counter in Wal-Mart, which this day was teaming with exuberant children. VIPS won.
We walked in and were immediately asked if we wanted smoking or non-smoking, which is an oddity in Vallarta. We were given menus and our drink orders were taken. The restaurant is bright, cheerful, and clean and the air conditioning works beautifully. The menu offers a wide selection of foods, most of which you would expect in a coffee shop. Many Mexican dishes are available. The prices are quite reasonable. Breakfast runs from 39 pesos (US$3.90) for waffles to 60 pesos (US$6.00) for the Norteño breakfast, which comes with fruit or juice, eggs scrambled with shredded beef covered with salsa, beans, tortillas, and coffee or tea. There is an impressive assortment of main course salads costing from 43 pesos to 70 pesos. Steaks cost about 90 pesos as do fish dishes; most chicken dishes cost about 80 pesos.
The waitress promptly took our orders. I asked for the Puntas de Res con Sopes, beef tips in a spicy tomato based salsa served with sopes, which are fat little tortillas with a ridge around the edge to hold in the filling -- beans, cheese, cream, and salsa in this case. Bruja ordered the chef salad. Our meals were quickly delivered. The food was ok and the portions were small. I decided I wanted some dessert so I looked around for the waitress. Up until this point, our service had been good. I could not get the attention of a single waitress. They were all at the back of the restaurant doing something; I finally went to give the waitress my order. About fifteen minutes later I got my ice-cream which was the tastiest part of the meal. When it was time to go, once again we couldn’t get the attention of any waitress. We finally got the bill and had to wait at the counter for the cashier to charge us.
Although the service was terrible for the last half of our meal, I might go back. I don’t think the service can always be this bad and I have to admit the ice-cream was good and the air-conditioning was great.
VIPS is in the Wal-Mart parking lot and is close to the cruise ship marina. To get here from downtown take any bus that has "aeropuerto", "central c." or "marina’ on the windshield. Get off at Sam’s; you can’t miss it.