Romantic Mexican Dining

Walking down the street the other day we ran into what we presume to be an acquaintance. He knew our names and spoke enthusiastically of his new restaurant, La Adelita. Whether it was curiosity or obligation, I don't know, but we ended up there exactly two days later. Not having heard of the restaurant from any other source we had no idea what to expect. The name implied Mexican. The location, across from an adult movie theater, implied take out. As we neared, our uncertainty grew. Right there on the street, squeezed between parked cars, were two beautifully set tables. Emigdio, our mystery friend, saw us coming and quickly invited us in.

We were surprised, what was originally a hole in the wall had become a lovely and comfortable place. On the walls, painted an earthy orange and yellow, hung a few large pictures of old Mexico. Terracotta wall sconces with subdued lighting and overhead fans made it very comfortable. Simple wood and straw chairs, traditional multicolored tablecloths and grinding stone centerpieces completed the look. We were in a Mexican restaurant.

We were seated by the door, menus were brought and drink orders were taken. The dishes offered were not what we had expected, there were no chile rellenos, enchiladas or tacos, but it was definitely Mexican with plates such as tomato and panela salad, marlin empanadas (turnovers) and shrimp ajillo (in a dried chile sauce). We were relieved to see that the prices were very reasonable.

Our waiter, the only waiter, was friendly and very attentive. He suggested we try the Queso Borracho (drunken cheese). Hearing our conversation, Emigdio immediately offered his advice. "Try the meat of the day." The name didn’t sound very appetizing so he explained; "Every day I buy the best cut of meat I can find and prepare it in a way that suits it." That night it was rib eye and it was cooked fajita style. We ordered both.

In the kitchen, which isn’t hidden from the rest of the restaurant, we could see our host chopping, flinging and flipping. Soon he came out with a plate and a flaming ladle in his hands and a goofy smile on his face. The plate was placed on the table. The fire, moved by the fan, leapt between our heads before finally being poured. We had our own cheesy inferno created by our own pyromaniac acquaintance. It was great. The cheese had been lightly floured, grilled and, as stated above, set on fire. A slightly sweet salsa and some incredibly good bread were brought on the side.

As we were finishing our flaming appetizer the meat of the day was delivered. Cut in strips and cooked with onions and peppers, it was tender, flavorful and juicy. There were charro style beans served on the side. Our only complaint is that there wasn't enough.

Too full for dessert, we said our good-byes and promised to come back soon. It is a promise we intend to keep.

Sails said, "Wow, great cheese and bread. Good steak. Friendly service. Where do we know that guy from? They did a great job decorating the place but it's still too expensive for a hole in the wall. I know, I promised, no meat of the day jokes."

sample menu
Guacamole............35 pesos/US$3.30
Gazpacho............35 pesos/US$3.30
Coconut Balls............75 pesos/US$7.10
Beef Brochette............90 pesos/US$8.60
Shaved Scallops............70 pesos/US$6.70

La Adelita is open Monday through Saturday from 1:00 pm until 1:00 am. Credit cards are not accepted. Delivery is available in a limited area.

Directions
La Adelita is on 5 de Febrero between Ignacio Vallarta and Constitucion. From the northeast corner of parking/plaza Lazaro Cardenas (the ocean is to the west) head east on Lazaro Cardenas for one blocks. Turn left on Ignacio Vallarta. Go three blocks. Turn right on 5 de Febrero. The restaurant is on the right.

Café Catedral has served up breakfast, lunch and dinner in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone for years. It used to be one of our favorites places for breakfast and somehow we just forgot about. We decided to try it again. We arrived somewhere between breakfast and lunch and were offered both menus and given the choice of tables as we were the only patrons at the time. It is a long narrow restaurant with brick arches, a few paintings on the wall and tables dressed in gold and blue. There is a tiny bar on one end.

The waitress, who was friendly and attentive, pointed out they were working a new lunch and dinner menu. She said everything was good. Shortly after placing our orders a nice fruit plate was delivered and as soon as we had finished it our main courses came. Linda ordered the extranjero (foreigner) which was a plain waffle and bacon, she thought, but was in fact a waffle with bananas, whipped cream and chocolate with an order of bacon. Surprising, but very good. Sails had the shrimp enchiladas, which were enchiladas filled with a shrimp and vegetable concoction covered with sauce and melted cheese. We aren’t sure exactly what the sauce was made of. The shrimp, vegetables and cheese were good but we gave the sauce mixed reviews. I had the huevos Motulenos, which are tortillas topped with eggs, covered in a tomato sauce and sprinkled with peas. They came with a cute little tortilla bowl full of beans, hash browns and a few slices of watermelon. It was very good but I could have lived without the canned peas. Thankfully it wasn’t difficult to flick the offensive pellets off. The sauce was flavorful, the eggs were fried to my liking and the beans were great. The hash browns looked funky but were surprisingly good.

None of us had ordered off the lunch menu. It was short and to the point with a few soups, salad, burritos, enchiladas, sandwiches and burgers. We asked to see the dinner menu. It was quite a surprise. We always remembered this place as serving fairly typical Mexican food. It was now much fancier with offerings such as a camembert cheese salad, eastern spicy chicken breast, champagne prawns, peanut sauce salmon and crème brulee.

I’m glad we returned to Café Catedral. For the most part the food was good, the service friendly and the prices reasonable.


Javier said, "Muy rico, good enchiladas but a little sweet with pineapple and beets, strange for enchiladas, not spicy, why call it an enchilada"
Sails said, "Good food, friendly service. I have no complaints."

sample menu
breakfast
Bionic Breakfast............48 pesos/US$
fruit with yogurt and granola
served with coffee and juice
Express Breakfast. ...........48 pesos/US$
quesadillas with salsa Mexicana
served with coffee and fruit
dinner
Tamarind Scallops. ...........65 pesos/US$
scallops on an arugula salad with
a tamarind vinaigrette
Corn Chowder............40 pesos/US$
garnished with poblano
chile strips and cheese
Huitlacoche Chicken Breast............135 pesos/US$
chicken breast stuffed with huitlacoche,
grilled and served on a corn sauce.
served with mashed potatoes
and poblano chile strips
Jalapeño Glazed Prawns............135 pesos/US$
prawns glazed with jalapeño jelly
served with rosemary couscous and sautéed legumes



Cafe Catedral is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am until 10:00 pm. Credit cards are not accepted.

Directions
Cafe Catedral is on Basilio Badillo between Constitucion and Insurgentes. From the southwest corner of parking/plaza Lazaro Cardenas (the ocean is to the west) head south along Olas Altas for one block, go left on Basilio Badillo three and a half blocks. The restaurant is on the left.

Mamma Mia is in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone half a block in from the beach, across the street from the Hotel San Marino. The restaurant was well established in town but had just moved to this location so we thought we would check it out. There wasn’t a customer in the place; we didn’t even see a waiter. We looked around at the freshly painted white walls. There were a few adornments but most of the restaurant’s color came from the blue and white checkered floors and red and white checkered tablecloths. Sails sneezed. The waiter came flying out of what I assume to be the kitchen and apologized profusely for making us wait. He said he hadn’t heard us enter and wasn’t expecting anyone to show up. Boy, business must be bad.

We chose a table under one of the many fans and looked at menu after menu after menu. We were in time for breakfast but we could also order lunch. According to the waiter, this place had been an Italian restaurant which then merged with a steakhouse but the owners decided to sell Mexican food instead, starting today. He thought they were going to phase out the Italian food but keep the pizza. He didn’t know about the steak. Anyhow, the day we visited there was an awful lot to choose from. If I understood the waiter correctly it will eventually be a Mexican restaurant serving a few pizzas and breakfast. The prices were very reasonable considering the area.

It was a hot day and we had asked for ice water. The waiter kept our glasses full and ashtray empty during our lengthy perusal of the menus. We finally decided and a short while later our food was served. I had the steak sandwich. The serving was large, the steak, which was tender, flavorful, and cooked to my liking, stuck out a good two inches over each side of the roll. It was accompanied by some pretty tasty fries. Sails had the Vallarta pizza topped with cheese, pepperoni, jalapeño, onion and tomato. It was ok, with a crispy crust and tangy cheese, but no match for the excellent pizza half a block away at the Piazzetta. When asked, the waiter quickly brought us the bill. We thanked him and left.

I don’t know what to think of Mamma Mia. My food was quite good and the service was wonderful but I didn’t like the feeling of the place. I don’t know if it was the place being new and sterile or the total lack of other customers but I have absolutely no urge to come back.


Sails said, "Hmmm, an Italian-Mexican steakhouse. Your steak sandwich sure is big. I'm more than willing to take some of it off your hands. Not bad. The pizza is OK too."

sample menu
Nachos............55 pesos/US$5.25
Chicken Enchiladas............65 pesos/US$6.20
Giant Shrimp Burrito............80 pesos/US$7.60
Beef Fajitas............100 pesos/US$9.50
Flan............45 pesos/US$4.30

Mamma Mia is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:00 am until 10:00 pm. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

Directions - Mamma Mia is on Rodolfo Gomez between Olas Altas and Amapas. From the southwest corner of parking/plaza Lazaro Cardenas (the ocean is to the west) head south along Olas Altas for four blocks, go right a half block. The restaurant is on the left.

La Tia is on Lazaro Cardenas Plaza in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone. It is a half block inland from the Burros Bar and Canto del Mar so we walk past often but had never felt any overwhelming desire to enter. This day, the guy outside trying to lure people in, was so determined and so friendly that we caved.

On the sidewalk, under the green awning, are four or five tables with bright multicolored cloths and simple wood and rush chairs. Inside is a surprisingly large area with a beautiful stone and tile bar, ample seating, and what I would call traditional border town décor. The tables are covered with colorful serapes, there is a large cascading pitcher fountain along one wall, and there are ceramic donkeys, tin butterflies, papier marche parrots and such. It is charmingly tacky or obnoxiously harsh, depending on one’s mood (and taste).

The waiter was friendly but a little distracted. We were eventually brought menus. The menu is extremely long and varied. The usual breakfast items were offered plus some less common ones like liver and onions or milanesa (schnitzel). In total there were 16 breakfasts to choose from, not counting variations. Something I hadn’t seen in a long time was a plateful of refried beans and a chunk of farmer’s cheese offered as a meal. Yummy. The lunch/dinner menu was even longer offering seafood, chicken, beef, pork, soups, salads, sandwiches, traditional Mexican food and so much more. The prices seemed about average for the neighborhood.

We managed to call over the smiling waiter. This wasn’t too hard, we were the only customers. We asked for suggestions. He told us everything was good. He wrote down our order, but wandered off down the sidewalk. We weren’t sure if we were going to be fed. After a short wait breakfast arrived. We gasped. Javier had ordered liver. For years we professed our hatred of liver. Javier had never said a word. He was a closet liver eater. Teasing him was the amusement for the day. Life is good when you are easily entertained. Javier munched on his liver and onions. He said it was pretty good, he offered to share. Linda had the #14 which was listed as just eggs and coffee but in reality was a huge serving of food – scrambled eggs, hash browns, chilaquiles and toast. She is a tiny person. She managed to eat most of the eggs and potatoes which she said were ok. I ate her chilaquiles which were fairly spicy and about average. Sails had the hotcakes and said they were just ok. I had the house omelet. It was stuffed full of ham, bacon, chorizo, cheese, onions and I don’t remember what else then covered in a ranchero sauce. The sauce was very good but the omelet was way too greasy. It came with really good refried beans. I should have just had beans and cheese for breakfast. I could feel the heartburn starting before I had finished eating.

We found our friendly waiter and paid. We were still the only people in the place.

Sails said, "OK food, OK service, OK location. Yawn."

sample menu
breakfast
Liver and Onions............60 pesos/US$5.70
Chilaquiles with Chicken............55 pesos/US$5.25
Fruit Plate, Yogurt and Granola............40 pesos/US$3.80
lunch & dinner
Smoked Marlin Salad............60 pesos/US$5.70
Whole Fried Fish............120 pesos/US$11.40
Smoked Pork Chops............75 pesos/US$7.10
Chicken in Green Mole Sauce............75 pesos/US$7.10


La Tia is open daily from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Credit cards are not accepted.

Directions - La Tia is on Lazaro Cardenas between Pino Suarez and the beach. It is across from the north side of the parking/plaza Lazaro Cardenas.

You will immediately recognize Cafe de Olla by the long line winding down the sidewalk. It specializes in Mexican food, mostly the kind foreigners would recognize. Steak, seafood and barbequed meats are also offered. It has been many years since I have eaten dinner here. The food has always been quite good, the service decent and the surroundings, sort of old hacienda style, pleasant, but nothing is worth standing in that line for. The restaurant now opens for breakfast with the same cooks and staff but no lines. We had to go.

Just off Olas Altas, Cafe de Olla is in a convenient location. It was a pleasant morning. We sat at one of the two tiny tables out on the sidewalk. The waiter eventually noticed us and came over with the menu. It was typical – eggs offered a variety of styles, including traditional Mexican ways, pancakes, fruit plates and a handful of Mexican specialties like molletes and chilaquiles.

We ordered and were promptly served. I had the eggs with machaca – eggs scrambled with machaca (dried shredded beef), onions, tomatoes and poblano peppers. It was served with beans, panela cheese, fried bananas and tortillas. It was good, no more and no less. Salsas, as usual, were served with the meal. The salsa Mexicana – chopped onion, tomato, chile and cilantro – was average, but the red sauce was really good. Linda had toast and tea; what more can I say.

Our waiter, after the delay noticing we were there, was attentive and polite. The establishment is clean and comfortable. The food was as good as most restaurants in the neighborhood, although, a few doors away is Boca Bento, where the breakfasts are superb. I would be happy to eat breakfast at Cafe de Olla again but probably won't.

Sails said , "Yeah, the food is good but nothing is worth waiting in that line for."

sample menu
breakfast
Nopales con Huevo ............37 pesos/US$3.50
eggs scrambled with cactus
Omelet Cafe de Olla ............55 pesos/US$5.25
shrimp, bell pepper and mushrooms
lunch and dinner
Queso Fundido con Chorizo. ...........70 pesos/US$6.70
melted cheese with chorizo
Empanadas de Champiñon ............68 pesos/US$6.50
mushroom turnovers
Chiles Rellenos ............68 pesos/US$6.50
Chicken Fajitas ............110 pesos/US$10.50

Cafe de Olla is open Wednesday thru Monday from 9:00 am until 11:00 pm. Credit cards are not accepted.

Directions - Cafe de Olla is on Basilio Badillo between Olas Altas and Pino Suarez. From the southwest corner of parking/plaza Lazaro Cardenas (the ocean is to the west) head south along Olas Altas for one block, go left on Basilio Badillo a half block. The restaurant is on the right.