Our first glimpse of the restaurant was during check in. It is simple but beautiful. Set in a grassy area overlooking the Usumacinta River, it is open on three sides and topped by a soaring palapa. The pillars are pink and yellow, and woven lamps hang from the ceiling. The tables, covered with blue-and-white tablecloths, are set up for large groups, indicating that tour buses do invade this peaceful setting regularly. If no single tables are setup and you don’t want a table for 24, the staff will rearrange things.
Our first meal here was the night we arrived. It didn’t matter that no small table, with a view, was available; the night was pitch-black so the river wasn’t visible. We sat near the kitchen, with a view of the TV, where a group of locals were watching soap operas.
The waitress brought the menu. It was short but complete and the prices weren’t bad. Four chicken dishes were offered: breaded, grilled, in mole and in a tomato sauce; as were three beef dishes: grilled or a la Mexicana. All were priced around 55 pesos. Whole fried fish fresh from a nearby lake was listed for 65 pesos. Quesadillas, tostadas, taquitos, and empanadas, 30 pesos an order, represented regional fare. Various soups and desserts rounded out the menu.
Libby and I both ordered the carne asada. It was a large serving of thin cut grilled steak served with a small salad, a pile of fries, and some guacamole. Everything tasted great!
Our first waitress had been attentive but shy. At some point during the meal, another waitress appeared. She was full of information. She told us how and where to get our tickets to the ruins. She explained how Escudo Jaguar was a community enterprise built to produce income for the locals without damaging the rain forest. She filled us in on local happenings. What was already an interesting trip, she made more so.
We ate every meal here during our two-day visit and each was special. The food was always great and so was the service. The view, during daylight hours, is pleasant and we luckily never had to share the place with busloads of people.
We tried many of the dishes served here during our stay. The bistec a la Mexicana was incredible with perfectly spiced beef chunks simmered with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. The cheese empanadas were wonderful; I ate an order with almost every meal. The only dessert we tried was the fried bananas served with cream and honey, which was so good that we also ordered it at every meal. Gee, no wonder I gained weight.
The restaurant opens daily at 6am and closes promptly at 8pm. Alcohol is not served, although we saw people bring their own beer. However, piña coladas are on the menu, though I have no idea why this exception is made. Credit cards are not accepted.
