Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Again

This is a new upscale and beautifully designed Mexican restaurant run by owners of The Blue Shrimp. Choice of indoor A/C or outside terraced garden seating with electric lantern-lit trees and an altar of Mayan-style ceramics. Aztec soup 55p, black bean soup 55p, quesadillas 70-145p, cheeses 95p, 4 moles 154p, jicama and guacamole tacos 58p, tostadas and chimichangas: chicken 110p, steak 140p or shrimp 150p, fajitas: chicken 130p, steak 165p, shrimp 195p or combo 180p, whole lobster 410p, pork Pibil 145p, pork carnitas 160p, 16 oz. steak 210p, grilled seafood combo for 2 690p, shrimp poblano 220p, red snapper 150p, swordfish 180p, mango mahimahi 150p, sea bass with agave juice 160p and tuna mixiote 175p. It's a top dining experience.

3to 11pm

Owner Andres Espinoza's upscale casual with an open kitchen restaurant has an ever-changing menu with an emphasis on oranges. It may include shrimp salad with spinach and orange 70p, cold orange soup, giant butterflied shrimp with spinach ravioli in thyme sauce 170p, chicken breast stuffed with squash blossoms and ricotta cheese 110p, pork chop with Portobello mushrooms, and chocolate almond puff pastry with strawberry sauce.

Open till 6pm but closed Sunday.

Since 1995, Hank Muffett and Conrad Kostelecky from Portland, OR, have found their pleasant niche 1 block up from Playa Los Muertos. Spit-barbecue rotisserie chicken 59p/half 30p (ready around 11:30am) over potato chunks is wonderful, as are the plump hamburgers 55p (best in Vallarta?) and potato salad. Other choices include a vegetarian burger 59p, roast beef sandwich 59p, and chef's salad 59p.

Noon to 10pm

Chef/owner Bruce's (El Pelón's) newly remodeled beautiful steak and chop house with interior and rear garden seating provides top-quality house-aged steaks, such as grilled rib eye carved table-side, 265p; New York strip with compound butter, 245p; tropical citrus chops or chicken stuffed with fruit, almonds, and pork; or chicken stuffed with spinach, rosemary, garlic, and mushrooms with a forestierre sauce 180p. There are also Mariposa prawns, butter-maple salmon with tropical spiced apple, and brie with warm strawberry puree, 145p.

Lunch: Vegetarian wrap with mixed baby greens, 65pp; Ragin' Cajun blackened chicken wrap with Cajun cream sauce 85p; and chicken Caesar salad 85p. There is an extensive wine list representing 17 countries and an inside A/C. This is a new jewel in the town's crown.

Go people-watching while applying suntan lotion, sip cold beverages, eat lunch, listen to music, take long walks in the surf with amigos or alone, and buy things off the beach.