Yucatan, land of Faisán y Venado

San Antonio de Padua

Attraction | "Temple of the Lady of Izamal"

Quote:

This church was build by Fray Diego de Landa using the stones from the nearby pyramid on the north. This was a strategy used by the Spanish conquerors to destroy the ancient cult sites of the locals while switching their beliefs to Catholic ideas. Take a look at what De Landa left behind in what remains of the huge basement and you will have an idea of the importance of the city before the Spanish arrived.This days the church is the main attraction of the town, lot of people come from very far to pray to the Lady of el Carmen, and the authorities had created a lights and sound show in the evenings (60 pesos, Feb2012), I didn't want to stay for the show as I'm not interested in religion, b...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 23, 2006

San Antonio de Padua
Main Square
Izamal, Yucatan Peninsula

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Plantacion Tikul-Ecomuseo Del Cacao

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Attraction | "Money DOES grow on trees"

Ecomuseo del cacao Photo - Plantacion Tikul-Ecomuseo Del Cacao, Ticul, Yucatan Peninsula

Quote:

Cacao beans (where chocolate comes from) were used for many centuries as trading coin by the Mayas, Aztecs and many other cultures of Mesoamerica, for example a turkey was traded for 20 cacao beans and a slave for 200, so Money grows on trees.In my visit to the Ruta Puuc I found interesting signs in the road, a turkey (ok), a deer (too bad I didn't see any) a feline (wow, wish I was that lucky) all sponsored by Ecomuseo del Cacao, so I took a break in my hot walking day and visited the museum, my plan was to do a quick visit and then continue to Labna to see the arch, well, quick transformed into almost 2 hours of a very interesting up close visit to not just the cacao, but to the Maya wor...Read More

Cacao beans (where chocolate comes from) were used for many centuries as trading coin by the Mayas, Aztecs and many other cultures of Mesoamerica, for example a turkey was traded for 20 cacao beans and a slave for 200, so Money grows on trees.

In my visit to the Ruta Puuc I found interesting signs in the road, a turkey (ok), a deer (too bad I didn't see any) a feline (wow, wish I was that lucky) all sponsored by Ecomuseo del Cacao, so I took a break in my hot walking day and visited the museum, my plan was to do a quick visit and then continue to Labna to see the arch, well, quick transformed into almost 2 hours of a very interesting up close visit to not just the cacao, but to the Maya world.

The museum is located in the grounds of a cacao plantation and there are different cabañas devoted each to: the environment where the Maya evolved, the daily life of the Mayas including funerary rites, flora and fauna of the region, a very nice demonstration where they make hot cacao (the real chocolate) and you can taste it and finally the process to elaborate chocolate.

I have to applaud the founder of the museum, very well done, they have excellent reproductions of famous carvings found at archaeological sites, displays with the items used at a real Maya house and between each cabaña there are different species of trees and a signs with an explanation of their uses and benefits.

The nice touch, is that even-though the museum is supposed to talk only about cacao, it gives a very ample explanation of the origin and relation with the Mayan culture and it's relations.

At the demonstration of cacao preparation, they show all the process from toasting to grinding and flavoring the beverage, it was very interesting to taste something I have only read in books and saw in movies, the cacao was drank with achiote (for coloring red, same as blood), cinnamon, allspice (pimienta gorda) and chile. I was a bit hesitant, but added just a tiny amount of achiote and chile, it was a very interesting flavor, not hot at all.

Towards the exit and before the gift shop / cafeteria, you pass through the plantation and I took a few pics of the cacao pods and flowers, too bad it wasn't harvesting time, because the pods contain a pulp around the pods, and it is very sweet, I have always wanted to taste it, so an excuse for another trip.

At the cafeteria you can sample some of the chocolates, I tried one with allspice but was not my election, a bit weird for me. The other with achiote and cinnamon was much better. Instead I ordered a cup of cold chocolate and it was very refreshing and gave me energy to return to Uxmal for the night show.

If you do the Ruta Puuc, don't miss the ecomuseum, very worth and will give you more cultural information that I would have expected.

Entrance fee 90 pesos, Feb2012. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 25, 2012

Plantacion Tikul-Ecomuseo Del Cacao
Km 20, Route Puuc, Between Xlapak And Labna
Ticul, Yucatan, Mexico
045 999 192 53 85

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Archaelogical ruins

Attraction

Loltun Caves Photo - Loltun Cave, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

All this area is surrounded by archaeological sites--mostly pyramids in different states of recovery/reconstruction. This area is not so heavily visited by the mobs like in Chichen Itza or Tulum, so it would be a nicer experience but there are not so many tour operators doing trips to this area, so if you can't get a tour, just rent a car, or if you are more adventurous, go to the bus station in Merida and get a trip for the Ruta Puuc. You have a more limited experience by trying to catch the bus on each stop, but it's a really cheap way to visit all the ruins in the zone. They range from Uxmal and Labna, from the Chichen Izta wannabe Mayapan (most of the pyramids are small versions of those in the bi...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 30, 2005

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Loltun Cave

Attraction | "Lol Tun Caves"

Quote:

This caves are amazing, there are some indications of very early human ocupation and some pottery from early Maya manufacture. The caves have artificial lighting, sometimes neutral color to emphasize the color of the different rocks, and in some places, they put filters to enhance the experience. The tour are on foot only because the cave has been left almost intact, with no pedestrian walkways and no wheelchair access. Some of the passageways are extremely narrow. It's a long walk, so be ready to carry your small children on your back when they get tired midway. Once you start the tour, there is no going back, as the lights had timers on them and only the guide knows the location...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 30, 2005

Loltun Cave
5 km south of Oxkutzcab
Yucatan Peninsula

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Cenote Ik Kil

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Attraction | "Plunging into a hole in the ground"

The long roots of the trees Photo - Cenote Ik Kil, Chichen Itza, Mexico

Quote:

... yes, but a huge hole, filled with refreshing water, yeaaaahhhhhIn the Yucatán peninsula there are no rivers, just underground rivers, and those are only visible when you find a "Cenote" (sink hole) which are huge holes (some are 100 feet in diameter) that caved in exposing the underground river in the bottom.A cenote is like an oasis in the desert, a place full of refreshing water and surrounded by lots of vegetation. Ik Kil is a cenote very near Chichen Itza, just 3 km to the East and very well marked in the highway. Entrance fee is 70 pesos for adults (Feb 2012), free parking. Inside the premises they have very clean and modern bathrooms, toilets and changi...Read More

... yes, but a huge hole, filled with refreshing water, yeaaaahhhhh

In the Yucatán peninsula there are no rivers, just underground rivers, and those are only visible when you find a "Cenote" (sink hole) which are huge holes (some are 100 feet in diameter) that caved in exposing the underground river in the bottom.

A cenote is like an oasis in the desert, a place full of refreshing water and surrounded by lots of vegetation.

Ik Kil is a cenote very near Chichen Itza, just 3 km to the East and very well marked in the highway. Entrance fee is 70 pesos for adults (Feb 2012), free parking. Inside the premises they have very clean and modern bathrooms, toilets and changing areas. There are lockers for rent (30 pesos), towels (20 pesos) and lifevests (30 pesos).

Once you change into your swimming suit and take a mandatory shower (really cold, beware) before descending the long stair to the cenote, you find what would be a large circular pond surrounded by high walls filled with vegetation and also hanging from the ceiling, the roots of the trees (don't touch them, please) which look impossibly long.

There are two wooden ladders to climb to/from the water on the left and a stone platform that takes you around 15meters above the water level, a great spot to jump dive into the refreshing water, I did it for almost an hour and a half or more, lost the time because I was having lots of fun. If you -like me- are not very confident on your swimming skills, just rent the life vest, totally worth it, as the deep of the cenote reaches up to 50 meters (150 feet), but there are lifeguards on watch making sure people behave and take the appropriate spacing between jumps.

The place is very popular, I saw 5 tour buses when I arrived, but most of the tours just spend 30-45 minutes as they have to keep an schedule, me as an independent traveler, took my time to enjoy the place. I would avoid it in the middle of a hot day in the extreme high season (Easter or Christmas). I would arrive early or very late. In early Feb it was not a problem. The lifeguards told me that at noon the color of the water is very pretty due to the Sun being right above the hole.

There is a nice looking restaurant on the surface and a souvenir shop, but didn't had time to visit them as I was one of the last persons to exit the cenote as it was time to close (way after 5pm)

At the entrance I was able to notice another road that leads maybe to a new hotel on the premises, will have to look for it next visit. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 18, 2012

Cenote Ik Kil
3 Km East Of Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, Mexico

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Uxmal Mayan Ruins

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Attraction | "Uxmal, not just old stones"

Entrance to the complex Photo - Uxmal Mayan Ruins, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

For some people Mayan ruins means just looking at a pile of old stones.... well, in Uxmal you can see the real architecture marvels of the Maya, the constructions and their decorating elements are just amazing. I won't get in detail to describe the city, just a few facts: - The entrance fee in Feb 2012: 177 pesos, it includes the re-entrance at night to watch the lights and sound show. - Such night show is held every day and is a bit long for my taste, but it looks very impressive as they use colored lights while telling a tale of the city and how it fought draught over a narrative and some music. The show is in Spanish over the loudspeakers, but you can get an audio version in Engl...Read More

For some people Mayan ruins means just looking at a pile of old stones.... well, in Uxmal you can see the real architecture marvels of the Maya, the constructions and their decorating elements are just amazing.
I won't get in detail to describe the city, just a few facts:
- The entrance fee in Feb 2012: 177 pesos, it includes the re-entrance at night to watch the lights and sound show.
- Such night show is held every day and is a bit long for my taste, but it looks very impressive as they use colored lights while telling a tale of the city and how it fought draught over a narrative and some music. The show is in Spanish over the loudspeakers, but you can get an audio version in English, French, Italian and German.
- The main deity you will see in most of the temples is Chaac, the Rain God (easy to id with his large nose, elephant like), as in this area there are no rivers or large lakes, rain was implored and a vital part of life.
- Uxmal is not far from Mérida or Campeche, but you may want to sleep nearby not just to do Uxmal but to try to cover the Puuc route. There are 3 hotels just at walking distance from the Uxmal ruins and a few more in nearby Santa Elena town.
- I stayed at Villas Arqueologicas (used to be part of Club Med) and is a very clean hotel catered to quiet visitors, there are a few reproductions, a good 3D map of the ruins and a library with interesting reading material to help you learn more about the area and the Mayas. More on that in a separate review.
- There is a very good library at the entrance complex to the ruins (along with a restaurant, coffee stand and a small expositions area). If you like to buy books be prepared to have extra space in your luggage, as the selection on Mayans is veeeery good.
- The main pyramid is off-limits, what a shame, but vandalism has taken another toll on the amazing places to visit. But even then, Uxmal is a very worthy place to visit because some of the main characteristics of the architecture has been preserved and you can enjoy watching the intricate patterns of the facades of buildings, and marvel at the genius of the builders at solving some very difficult chalenges of making such heavy structures without today's knowleadge and specially with no metal tools (imagine the tremendous work to carve all those blocks of stone), no cargo animals and no wheel -all the stones had to be transported by the workers manually- and in a very rain starved area.

As always, bring a backpack with a large bottle of water, sunblock, a wide brimmed hat, some snacks, comfy shoes, and be prepared to enjoy the long walks and formidable climbs.

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on February 20, 2012

Uxmal Mayan Ruins
62 km south of Mérida
Uxmal, Mexico

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Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal

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Hotel | "The base to explore the Puuc route and Uxmal"

Club Med stye bed Photo - Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Quote:

Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal is a good hotel to base your exploration of the area.It's located within walking distance to the ruins of Uxmal, there are two other hotels nearby but cost almost double, yeah they look more attractive from the outside and have large palapa-restaurants but you won't spend much time there if you are really exploring the area.Normally I don't eat at the hotel restaurant as they tend to have outrageous prices and mediocre food, but here was the exception, the menu although not 4 pages long, was varied and had good offerings both of (real) Mexican food and comfort food for foreigners, and at decent prices. The next best option would be in Santa Elena town, 15-...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 20, 2012

Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal
Carretera Mérida Campeche Kilómetro 76
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
01 997 974 6020

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Museo Regional de Arqueología de Yucatán

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Attraction | "Museo Regional de Arqueología de Yucatán - Palacio Canton"

Chaac Mol Photo - Museo Regional de Arqueología de Yucatán,

Quote:

This is one of the majestic colonial houses that adorns Paseo Montejo, and was the residence of the conqueror of this area (he slaughtered the Mayans in a brutal way, following his father´s steps but with more cruelty), as a "revenge" the modern government decided to turn his mansion into the Anthropology Museum of Merida. The contrast can't be more exaggerated, you have a French style mansion with all the ornaments and great woodworks in stairs, doors, windows, also some chandeliers hanging from the ceiling but in the displays you get the old ancient fruits of Mayan culture and such an amazing craft it is. From masks to idols, to great slabs of limestone you can just barely imagine what the r...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 25, 2006

Museo Regional de Arqueología de Yucatán
Palacio Cantón
Merida, Mexico

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InterContinental Presidente Merida

Hotel | "Presidente Intercontinental Villa Mercedes"

Quote:

The Intercontinental bought the Villa Mercedes and for a good reason, the hotel is very nice. It looks like a colonial building, although is much more recent and well maintained.There is a very nice pool in the midle of the small garden between both wings of the hotel, the view is really nice.The rooms are very comfortable and ample, beds are soft, and there are five pillows with different sizes and softness for you to choose from in each bed.Service is attentive and professional from the receptionist to the bellboys, specially the maids.Location of this hotel is very convenient, near the Haytt and it´s bus station, a small mall with a Sanborns store (a Mexican cha...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on April 25, 2006

InterContinental Presidente Merida
Avenida Colon N. 500 Centro
Merida, Mexico 97000
+52 (999) 9429000

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Dulceria y Sorbeteria Colon

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Restaurant | "A Sweet and Fresh Reward "

Sorbeteria Colón Photo - Dulceria y Sorbeteria Colon, Merida, Mexico

Quote:

Mérida is a very nice city, the main problem I find is the heat, in summer it can reach 120F, in several visits in Winter, I had to wear long sleeves and a baseball cap because the Sun was way too strong. So, what to do on a hot day or extremely warm evening???There are some oasis in the city, mainly in the form of a traditional ice cream parlor, Dulceria y Sorbetería Colón (translated literally into Columbus, sherbets and candy store).There is one at the main square and the one nearest my hotel is on Paseo Montejo and 41 street, I can even walk there in the evening, during the day it may be too hot to walk, so take a cab.What is so special about this place? why no...Read More

Mérida is a very nice city, the main problem I find is the heat, in summer it can reach 120F, in several visits in Winter, I had to wear long sleeves and a baseball cap because the Sun was way too strong. So, what to do on a hot day or extremely warm evening???

There are some oasis in the city, mainly in the form of a traditional ice cream parlor, Dulceria y Sorbetería Colón (translated literally into Columbus, sherbets and candy store).

There is one at the main square and the one nearest my hotel is on Paseo Montejo and 41 street, I can even walk there in the evening, during the day it may be too hot to walk, so take a cab.

What is so special about this place? why not go to the nearest convenience store and by a prepackaged cup of ice cream?
First, the flavors: all ice cream is made using REAL fruit, and only fruit available locally, and specially seasonal fruit, if they remove the name of the flavor from their board is because they can't get their hands on some ripe fruit.
Then the quality, all the ice cream is made according to the old recipes, having top notch, ripe fruit, you also need to know the proper recipes and procedures, they don't just bring a big machine and blend it with lots of air to create soft ice cream, the sherbets you get are real with no artificial flavor or texture. So real, that they have the Champolas, they serve the sherbet with a dose of fresh milk in a tall glass (milkshake style) in order for you to make your own "milk shake" with a long spoon, you blend the sherbet and the milk at your own pace and this is important because the ambient temperature may melt if fast or slow, and it will determine the way (and speed) you want to eat or drink your ice cream.

I really have to apologize in this review, I had been a good reporter at the rest of the restaurants, taking time to snap some pictures before or during the food eating time, but in this specific case, I wasn't able to keep in line with procedures, as soon as the waiter brought the tall cups, I attacked and totally forgot to take a singe (even a blurry) picture, but I took of the restaurant and candy.

Well, the candy is a variety of baked goods, mainly filled or decorated with real fruit jam or pastry cream, that go very well along the ice cream. Of this I was able to take some pics.

You will notice there are not many people in the pics, that's because it was late, we arrive after 22:00 on a Tuesday and people in Merida don't stay out too late in the middle of the week, but be aware on a weekend or holiday, the place is so packed that you need to wait in line, and specially on hot days. But the suffering will be totally worth when you eat the ice cream.

Huuuu, huuu, back to the ice cream, I forgot to mention the flavors: vanilla, strawberry, coconut, guayaba (guava for you Americans), crema morisca, limón, guanabana, melon, durazno (peach), chocolate, elote (corn or maize), piña (pineapple), zapote, tamarindo and platano (banana). As you can notice, most of them are Tropical fruits, and they remove the names from the list when they are off season.

Last line: don't miss them when you are in the city, the other "industrialized" ice cream can't compare at all.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 20, 2010

Dulceria y Sorbeteria Colon
Paseo Montejo Entre 41 Y 43
Merida 97000
999)928 14 97

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Taqueria Nuevo San Fernando

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Restaurant | "This Is THE Place to Have Cochinita"

Busy taco place Photo - Taqueria Nuevo San Fernando, Merida, Mexico

Quote:

In this taquería they only have 2 options: cochinita pibil or lechon (tender pig), but that is the only reason to come and eat here.For me, being from Mexico city, eating pork tacos is something to have at lunch or dinner, but in Merida and the Mayan region in general, is specifically a breakfast fare (in the afternoon is a bit heavy due to the heat). When asking my local friends on a spot to eat, this is the place they all pointed (the only two other options were the Mercado Santa Ana and a taqueria one block from this one).Cochinita pibil is a version of "pulled pork" or pork cooked in a pit or similar, but with a special Yucatecan touch, they marinate de pork in a sauce ma...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 20, 2010

Taqueria Nuevo San Fernando
Av Cupules entre 60 y 31
Merida, Mexico 9700
+52 999 925-7298

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El Negro Gil

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Restaurant | "Cochinita at Wee Hours"

Sopa de lima Photo - El Negro Gil, Merida, Mexico

Quote:

As I mentioned, the Cochinita Pibil is mainly a breakfast dish, I learned very well when staying at a friends house. One night the grandma asked what we were craving for dinner, being my first night in Merida, I quickly asked for Cochinita Pibil, I got a stare from most of the family members -like I was from another planet- but was sweetly corrected, the cochinita is only for early morning and in certain places. Well, that was many years ago, and recently I visited Merida again, this time as part of a concert touring staff. After the first day of setup we were hungry and asked the drivers for a place to eat, we asked for something very typical of Merida, not a fast food chain restaurant or some...Read More

As I mentioned, the Cochinita Pibil is mainly a breakfast dish, I learned very well when staying at a friends house. One night the grandma asked what we were craving for dinner, being my first night in Merida, I quickly asked for Cochinita Pibil, I got a stare from most of the family members -like I was from another planet- but was sweetly corrected, the cochinita is only for early morning and in certain places.
Well, that was many years ago, and recently I visited Merida again, this time as part of a concert touring staff. After the first day of setup we were hungry and asked the drivers for a place to eat, we asked for something very typical of Merida, not a fast food chain restaurant or something we could have in Mexico city (like Sanborns or a burger or torta), the driver quickly pointed to Plaza Santa Ana because it was one of the very few options, and it was not far from our hotel (the Hyatt) and suggested we hit it as soon as possible because they don't stay open all night long.

At the mercado there are several food stands but all the drivers suggested "El Negro Gil" as the best, so we didn't even look at the other stands, we went straight for "el negro" and were rewarded by the great news that they still had cochinita, but had ran out of the special baguette they are famous for (available only early morning because it's so popular). We didn't care, the food was very good, we had sopa de lima, tacos de lechon, salbutes, torta de chochinita and the drinks Mexico is now famous for: horchata and jamaica.

Horchata is a soft drink made by blending raw rice, water, cinnamon and in some recipes limón. It is truly refreshing and very healthy, you don't worry about gas or caffeine, the only thing would be too much sugar, but you can always ask to have it diluted a bit.
Jamaica- is made with a dried flower of the same name, it's prepared like tea: boiling water and you let the dried petals simmer in it until cool, then you add sugar and ice. Voila!!!
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 21, 2010

El Negro Gil
Plaza Santa Ana, Calle 60 X Calle 47
Merida 97000

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Merida Events

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Attraction | "Marquesitas - a Regional Snack"

Marquesitas Photo - Merida Events, Merida, Mexico

Quote:

Whenever you attend a public event in the evening (and if you are lucky during the day) in the streets of Mérida, be it a concert, a puppet show, a poetry recital, or even just strolling around the Zocalo (main square) you will find some carts selling snacks, the most common being the "Marquesita" (little marquis), something that is a blend of an ice cream cone with a crepe. They are crunchy as the cone, but are rolled up and filled with gouda or edam cheese, or maybe cajeta (caramel) or nutella. The marquesitas are only available at the Yucatán peninsula as far as I know, they were invented in 1945 by a the owner of an Ice Cream parlour, it was a very cold winter and the sales of the ref...Read More

Whenever you attend a public event in the evening (and if you are lucky during the day) in the streets of Mérida, be it a concert, a puppet show, a poetry recital, or even just strolling around the Zocalo (main square) you will find some carts selling snacks, the most common being the "Marquesita" (little marquis), something that is a blend of an ice cream cone with a crepe. They are crunchy as the cone, but are rolled up and filled with gouda or edam cheese, or maybe cajeta (caramel) or nutella.

The marquesitas are only available at the Yucatán peninsula as far as I know, they were invented in 1945 by a the owner of an Ice Cream parlour, it was a very cold winter and the sales of the refreshing item dropped as low as the temperature, so nobody was buying, in desperation he tried to give use to the dough of the cones, instead of the triangular shape and cold filling he began to do some tests with salty items like ground meat and other stuff, but people didn't like them, of the several ingredients the cheese was the most accepted. In this part of Mexico the most popular cheese were from the Netherlands, mainly Gouda and Edam, and those were the people's favorites.

The ice cream parlor was located not far from the temple of Santiago. People were making big crowds to eat this sort of crunchy crepe after mass. The name was chosen because the nice ring and because it had cheese (I think that it was so good that a Marquis would eat it).

(this account is based on a newspaper article that appeared on Diario de Yucatán)

So whenever you are in Merida (and in general in the Yucatan peninsula, for example in Campeche or Playa del Carmen) and see some food carts, get near and look at their signs, you may find the tasty Marquesitas. Enjoy!

Here is a video I took, you can see that they shred the cheese on demand and sprinkle it on the "marquesita" while it is still soft, the heat will melt the cheese creating an interesting combination of flavors (sweet for the wafer - salty from the cheese) and textures (crunchy of the wafer - chewy from the cheese), a very interesting crepe.

http://youtu.be/rau7pnpwhcw

Yummmmy!!!! and great for a cool evening (yes, sometimes you get a cool evening in this part of the World).
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 21, 2010

Merida Events
City center and parks
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

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Restaurante Bar Eladio's

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Restaurant | "Snacks? More Properly a Full Meal at Eladio's"

Beach club Photo - Restaurante Bar Eladio's, Mexico City, Mexico

Quote:

I have tried Eladio's in the city of Merida, but on our visit to the beach at Progreso (merey 40 min from the city) we were looking for a nice place to hang with sand between our feet and good food. We saw several beach clubs but returned to the start of the Malecon (the huge dock that extends into the ocean is impressive) as was our first recommendation.Eladio's is a very nice beach restaurant and has an ample seafood menu besides the regular menu offered at the city, here you find the whole fried fish, octopus cocktails, ceviche several main meats, and in general a more tropical ambiance as the building is composed of palapas (thatched roof) and you can get a table on the sand with a p...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 7, 2010

Restaurante Bar Eladio's
Av. Malecon X Calle 80, Centro. Progreso
Progreso, Yucatán, México
52 (969) 9355670

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Restaurant Bar Eladios

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Restaurant | "A Bar to Taste the Local Food in Merida"

Eladio's Photo - Restaurant Bar Eladios, Merida, Mexico

Quote:

When we asked for a place to sample as much Yucatecan food as possible in Merida, we were directed to Eladio's which has more a name as a bar than a restaurant in the city, but the delicious surprise is that if you order son drinks be it some beers or some cocktails or straight ones, you are offered the traditional "Botana" for free.Botana (snack) is a tradition in cantinas all over Mexico, they serve you not just peanuts and chips but high end dishes, normally the variety is fixed (in other parts like Mexico city the botana varies from day to day to lure the clientele to an specific day or time). The Botana at Eladio's is mostly Yucatecan specialties, in their webpage there is section wit...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 7, 2010

Restaurant Bar Eladios
Calle 92 #593
Merida, Mexico
(999) 984-0057

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Smoking club No. 1

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Restaurant | "Second Best Place for Cochinita Pibil"

The second places goes to Photo - Merida, Mexico

Quote:

Years ago on my first visit to Merida, I stayed at the house of some friend's Grandmother, a truly Yucatecan family.The first evening the grandma asked us what we wanted for dinner, I immediately asked for tacos de cochinita, I got a very surprised look and got a little speech about Cochinita Pibil only being a breakfast staple, and that if I wanted to have some I should wait until next EARLY morning to go to Smoking Club. For me it was a bit weird, as pork meat is more a lunch or dinner fare, but wherever you go, you have to adapt to local traditions. Next day I woke up late, but my friends had gone to get some tortas de cochinita to my benefit, it was very good.That was like 8 y...Read More

Years ago on my first visit to Merida, I stayed at the house of some friend's Grandmother, a truly Yucatecan family.
The first evening the grandma asked us what we wanted for dinner, I immediately asked for tacos de cochinita, I got a very surprised look and got a little speech about Cochinita Pibil only being a breakfast staple, and that if I wanted to have some I should wait until next EARLY morning to go to Smoking Club. For me it was a bit weird, as pork meat is more a lunch or dinner fare, but wherever you go, you have to adapt to local traditions. Next day I woke up late, but my friends had gone to get some tortas de cochinita to my benefit, it was very good.

That was like 8 years ago, this March I was in the city traveling with a show, my hotel (Hyatt) was just a block away so I happily went with a friend in the morning but was warned that they were not so good anymore, if I wanted cochinita I had to go to the other taqueria, half a block away. The original cook had left and established his own place and had taken with him the touch.
I visited the city again in May and this time stayed at Hotel Villa Mercedes- Presidente Intercontinental, just on the other side of the street from the Hyatt. I had some errands to do and arrived at Taqueria Nuevo San Fernando after 11:00am to my horror they were cleaning and getting ready to close, so I went to the Smoking club where I had a watermelon drink and panuchos de cochinita (fried tortilla smeared with beans on top and a portion of meat), it was good, but not as good as the one at the now ruling place.

The good part of my visit is that Smoking Club has a more ample menu, they have fruit drinks, huevos motuleños (eggs Motul style), quesadillas, burritos, regular tortas (ham, cheese, turkey, pork loin, etc) and even hamburgers and hot dogs. So it can satisfy more people.

The place still gets lot of people, many regular ones who are very loyal, but if you want the best tacos, this is just the number 2 option now. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 7, 2010

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