Casual Restaurant Critic - Merida, Yucatan

A Find in Valladolid!

2010-10-28T12:07:00.000-05:00

If you are visiting Valladolid, do have lunch here:

http://www.lawsonsyucatan.com/2010/10/28/la-taberna-de-los-frailes-a-valladolid-find/

New Reviews now up at LawsonsYucatan!

2010-07-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

There was some eatin' going' on in June by the Casual Restaurant Critic! Not as much as one would like, but there is the cholesterol, waistline and wallet to consider.

Here are some of them:

There are others, so do have a look around, or click on the Casual Restaurant Critic ´tag´and you will get all the latest reviews.

Happy eating!

And Again, New Reviews Up!

2010-05-30T09:14:00.000-05:00

New Reviews Up!

2010-05-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

For those of you still subscribed to this blog, I would like to let you know that there are some new Casual Restaurant Critic reviews up at lawsonsyucatan.com!

A Vegas Breakfast - The Hash House A Go Go

Another Vegas Breakfast Option - The Coffee Cup Cafe

New Reviews now up at LawsonsYucatan

2010-04-30T08:20:00.000-05:00

New Reviews at lawsonsyucatan.com include:

Local 3
El Gran San Carlos (Monterrey)
Pacifica (Monterrey)

Enjoy!

New Reviews now up at LawsonsYucatan

2010-04-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

As you know, the Casual Restaurant Critic is now on the same page (literally) as the NotTheNews / ElMaloso neurotic foreigner blog.
Here are the latest restaurant reviews:

Happy eating!

New Blog for NotTheNews/ElMaloso and Casual Restaurant Critic

2010-02-22T09:12:00.003-06:00

Here's a link to the new home of NotTheNews AND the Casual Restaurant Critic, which will be under one roof:
http://www.lawsonsyucatan.com/

All you have to do is click on the Casual Restaurant Critic category or headline and all posts by the Casual Restaurant Critic will be displayed, including the ones in this blog, which have been moved there.

Enjoy!

Rosa y Xocolate - Breakfast after Valentines Day

2010-02-18T22:56:00.003-06:00

The Critic and his lovely Better Half enjoyed a very civilized breakfast at Rosa y Xocolate, on Paseo de Montejo (it's pink and you can not miss it).

In a beautifully restored building, right on Merida's finest avenue, unfortunately littered with the debris and haphazard beer huts and chain link fences that characterize the Carnaval, is a pretty little restaurant with pink and brown everywhere. Water and plants in an inner courtyard that opens up to the sky makes for a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle outside.

The Critic had huevos a la mexicana which were just fine and the Better Half had a toasted bagel with smoked salmon along with great coffee, excellent pastries and homemade bread and berry jam.

Service was very good, almost excellent except for quibbling details like not taking away a dirty ashtray, leaving the menus on the table once orders were taken, that sort of thing. Nothing serious and the waiter more than made up for it by being so polite and attentive.

The place is beautiful and there will be a return visit to sample the very interesting-looking lunch and/or dinner menus!

San Marino Seafood Restaurant - Progreso, Yucatan

2010-02-11T08:16:00.005-06:00

February, 2010 - The Casual Restaurant Critic doesn't get much opportunity to visit the restaurants out in Progreso, so when the folks from Arkansas wanted some fresh fish and cold beer, the Critic went along for the ride. Parking the car in front of the San Marino restaurant on Progreso's malecon or boardless boardwalk, the idea was to walk to Buddy's since that place has numerous decent reviews on other boards, particularly the Cruise Critic board, but the Arkansas folks were happy with the palapas on the beach at San Marino and so it was decided to have lunch there.

Yucatecan beach seafood is pretty well all the same, the same botanas served with your beer or drink, the same fried and grilled fish options; the Arkansasians (?) decided on a grilled 2 pound grouper that the waiter Eric, brought to the table uncooked to have a look at. Well seasoned and delicious it was a perfect meal for almost 3 people and the Critic managed to get in a few bites.

Tortillas were corn and of the machine-made not-very-good variety, but the service by friendly Eric who spoke English and was working on his French, made the meal that much better.

Afterwards, leftovers and bits of tortilla were fed to the seagulls which was a fun activity and probably the best thing that could be done with those tortillas other than use them as coasters.

Real, Delicious, Scones in Merida - El Postrecito

2010-01-15T07:30:00.001-06:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic is not a huge fan of scones. Usually, they are these dough-y mounds of white flour biscuit that require several glasses of liquid to swallow; however, the Critic had some scones made by Alejandra at the El Postrecito café, just off Montejo on Calle 21 (the one that goes to Plaza Fiesta).

These are light and fluffy inside, full of buttery flavor and the outside has a sprinkling of sugar which makes them lightly crunchy. The Critic doesn't even know if they are on the menu but if they are, you should try them in their regular (with what seems like a touch of lemon or lime) or chocolate chip versions. If they are not, order a dozen for your next breakfast meeting or social event.

Eat them hot and you will not be able to stop.

Ca d'Oro - Italian in Merida, Yucatan

2010-01-11T09:17:00.001-06:00

The Critic and Co. had lunch yesterday at the new Ca d'Oro Italian restaurant, located in that plaza on Prolongación Montejo where Carls Jr hamburgers (formerly Checkers) is located, across from the giant Interceramic tile store.

The Critic had read a good review on gorbman.com and so was excited to have the opportunity to give this relatively new restaurant a try.

The two appetizers ordered, suppli al telefono and melanzana were good; the melanzana or eggplant was rich hearty and very satisfying while the best part of the suppli was the great presentation in a paper cone. Others in the party thought the suppli a little bland, but the accompanying cooked tomato sauce perked the little rice/cheese balls nicely.

For main courses:

an abundant fusilli in a tomato sauce which, according to it's owner, was good;
a roast duck with a lemon sauce;
a Pecorino cheese pizza;
and the Critic had the tagliatelle with panna and prosciutto.

Overall, reviews were generally good on the food. The pizza and the duck were outstanding, while the tagliatelle was quite bland. If it hadn't been for the prosciutto, it would have tasted like not much of anything.

Bread seemed homemade and was warm, crispy and light; while the three accompanying butters (habanero, chile de arbol and garlic) were very good although it could be that the butter was actually margarine, if such a thing were possible in the Ca d'Oro.

As usual, the Critic is critical of the service. If you are tired of reading this same old criticism of Merida's restaurants, stop reading here and go outside and play.

But it seems that the owners of Ca d'Oro have spent a lot of thought, time and money on the decoration, the menu and some wonderful food. The waiter was slow, charmless and not particularly knowledgeable. When asked when the restaurant opened, he seemed unsure and said 'it's my understanding that they opened about year ago'. When asked is they had mineral water his answer was 'yes'. When asked further what kind of mineral water, he replied 'Perrier'. When asked if they had Pelegrino he replied 'yes'. Upon returning to the table to remove finished plates, he went on just a little too much about how it was evident that the group enjoyed the food (the empty plates).

If this is nitpicking, so be it. But one only has to have dinner at La Recova, or for really outstanding service, La Dolce Vita in Cancun, to see what a difference well-trained, knowledgeable and professional waiters make.

Final verdict? Try it yourself. There are a lot of items on their menu and the Critic is sure that there are some real gems in there.

Doña Tere - Merida Cancun Toll Highway

2010-01-04T09:35:00.000-06:00

Being as the Casual Restaurant Critic accompanies Lawson wherever he goes, he has had his fill of Yucatecan food lately at Doña Tere, on that service island 1.5 hours out of Merida on the Merida-Cancun toll highway.

There have been at least 7 drives back and forth, picking up people from Cancun and bringing them to Merida and ALL of them have been forced to stop and eat at Doña Teres' fabulous place.

Yesterday was no exception and the Critic has never seen that many people waiting for tables as the waiters and cooks scrambled to keep up with the demand. It's the end of the holiday season and there were at least 60 people in and around the restaurant trying to get their teeth on Relleno Negro, Cochinita, Lomitos, Tamales and cheese empanadas.

Yum!

Happy Eating in 2010!

2010-01-01T17:06:00.000-06:00

The Critic wishes his readers a happy 2010, full of exciting, new restaurants to try and plenty of good health in order to be able to properly enjoy them. The Critic will continue to praise and trash restaurants in Mérida and beyond, in that socialist schoolboy way, which so many have come to love and hopefully will come in handy when making a 'let's go out for dinner' decision.

All the best,

The Casual Restaurant Critic

Dang Ren Chinese Food - Merida, Yucatan

2009-12-31T15:09:00.000-06:00

The Critic thinks he has found possibly the worst Chinese food in Merida. It's a little place called Dang Ren, located across from Costco on Calle 60 and the Critic was hungry while waiting for his vehicle to be serviced at nearby Radial Llantas and decided to get a little MSG fix.

There are plastic chairs and tables, of the Coca Cola variety in what used to be this house' garage. The sign says something about 'art in Chinese cuisine' or something equally ambitious and slanderously incorrect. The food, in steam table recipients on a couple of plastic tables where one notes a complete lack of any steam, looks Chinese enough.

A Chinese man pops out of the house and asks if you want one guiso or two and if it's to go or to eat here. The Critic says to eat here. The difference is that one gets a plastic fork. The styro container is the same. One guiso and rice today.

The Critic sits, sticks the fork in the rice and puts in his mouth. The undercooked ie hard rice is between lukewarm and cold. Ugh! The chicken? Same thing. If there is one thing the Critic hates it's buffets and their lukewarm food. That's where all the tourists in Cancun get sick.

A moment later, the entire 27 peso package was in the garbage at Costco, where the Critic picked up a turkey and cheese sandwich at their deli, which was much better.

This place is just gross.

Italian Coffee - Merida-Cancun Toll Highway

2009-12-10T16:57:00.001-06:00

A new Italian Coffee kick the 'isla de servicio's offerings up a notch!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Doña Tere, Merida-Cancun Toll Highway

2009-12-10T10:55:00.001-06:00

Last night, on the way back from Cancun, the Critic and guests stopped at Doña Teres' eatery at the Isla de Servicios on the Cancun-Merida toll highway. If you haven't had a chance to try their Yucatecan food, you should definitely put this place on your to-do list.

The Critic and guests enjoyed tacos de cochinita, lechón, relleno negro and lomitos de Valladolid on hand-made corn tortillas. Everything was lip-smacking delicious.

The bill, including a café con leche and two cheese empanadas to go, came to a whopping 197 pesos.

This will be the high point of your trip on the toll highway which is otherwise mind-numbingly boring.

Thank you!

2009-12-10T10:48:00.000-06:00

Thanks to those who took the time to write a note in response to my previous posts' request for feedback. It is much appreciated!

Feedback Please

2009-12-08T20:27:00.001-06:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic needs some feedback here folks; it's evident that someone is reading the charming reviews posted - note the live feed on the right hand side of the page - here but the Critic is getting no feedback and since there is no monetary reward for spewing forth unsolicited criticisms of Meridas' culinary scene, such as it is, your feedback is what keeps the cantankerous Critic motivated.

Thank you.

Acitrón - Gourmet Mexican Cuisine, Merida, Yucatan

2009-12-06T17:25:00.002-06:00

Last night, the Casual Restaurant Critic, Better Half and friends had dinner at one of Meridas' newer 'upscale' restaurants, Acitrón.

The Critic had heard of the place and the wonderful food that the two chefs were preparing, and was expecting to be amazed. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming.

No doubt, the much commented-on Chaya Frita appetizer was terrific, a giant serving of chaya (a local plant always describe as a kind of spinach for lack of a better comparison) leaves, crispy, lemony and served with toasted bread and a tasty dip. Rolls are not warm, but the butter is seasoned and quite tasty.

The main dishes included Tequila Shrimp on a bed of coconut rice; the rice was fantastic with real live chunks of coconut but the shrimp, while large, had an aftertaste of frozen-ness if that is a word. They just didn't seem that fresh. There was also the fusilli in squid ink with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, which was very good. The Critic had the salmon which was slightly undercooked but not overly so. The sauce, possibly tamarind - but then the Critics' memory is failing him - was sweet enough and complemented the fish nicely, as did the green rice which was delicious. In the Critics' opinion, the food could have been hotter, as it seemed only luke warm.

The room itself is warm, minimalist and lit up in plenty of red, making it cozy and modern at the same time. There was a problem with the electricity perhaps, because the overhead halogen lighting was flickering on and off. Music was off when the party entered, but some tunes came on about 30 minutes into the dinner.

The big problem here, like the Critic mentions in the previous Sensei Sushi post, is the service. If you have creative chefs in the kitchen working wonders with exotic ingredients and creating delicious food, why in the hell can you not have someone out front handling the service so it is up to par with the food? The waiters are in the "just alright" category; however, they lack confidence when presenting themselves and describing the food, and in the case of the Critics' table, the waiter could have benefited from a course in diction. His mumbling combined with the hesitant manner in which he described the food made it hard to understand what he was saying.

And while on the subject of Front of House, to serve a glass of Merlot ice cold was not to the Critic's liking at all. This is to be expected in some Yucatecan homes where wine is still a novelty but in a restaurant like this? Almost a sin. As well, maybe it's old fashioned but the Critic thinks it is a good idea to serve the ladies first. The mens' drinks arrived at the table several minutes before the ladies' drinks appeared. And when done, and the ladies are still eating, leave the men their plates so the women don't feel pressured. Just a few humble suggestions from the cantankerous Critic.

The chefs are doing their thing in the kitchen and doing it well. With a few tweaks here and there, they could eventually give Nectar a run for their money. But whoever is looking after their front of house needs to find work elsewhere to make room for a professional who knows what service is about and can bring that part of the experience up to the level the chefs are trying to reach with their imaginative culinary creations.

-------------------------------

Check out photos of the restaurant on FaceBook

Sensei Sushi, Merida

2009-12-06T01:00:00.002-06:00

The CRC, on a neverending quest for decent sushi in the formerly white Merida, had a go at Sensei Sushi, yet another Japanese restaurant to recently open its' doors to Meridas' undemanding sushi fans. If it's got cream cheese in it, it must be good, seems to be the motto.

The cantankerous Critic, along with the Better Half, had a quick lunch there two days ago.

The room is much nicer than what the Critic had come to expect after putting up with the faltering Campay, tolerating Shaolin and surviving the ghastly Konsushi. Quality furnishings in an airy, bright, well put together design that evokes a sense of purpose; as opposed to the amateurish and the frankly chaotic of the other restaurants mentioned above.

The Better Half had ordered 3 rolls off the table card and so the Critic is not sure what their names were, but all three were better than expected. A salmon nigiri ordered for dessert (a Casual Restaurant Critic sushi tradition) was perfect; the salmon cut thick and ice cold, served on a perfect portion of rice with a light brush of wasabi.

Sensei made a good first impression, with of course the usual exception typical of all Merida restaurants:* the service sucked. Slow, inattentive and sloppy, it was embarassing.

It is decent enough as a sushi option in Merida if you aren't particular about the service end of eating out.

-----------------------

*Two Merida restaurants come to mind if good service is important to you: La Recova and La Susana. The rest, and I'm sorry my dear Yucas, all suck to some degree.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Crunchy, Crappy, Crisps

2009-12-01T06:59:00.001-06:00

As we all know, crisps are potato chips in the land of Ali G. In Merida, they are 'papitas'.

This brand, 'Caseras by industry giant Sabritas, are crunchy but unfortunately devoid of any flavor and salt and only have a hint of 'picante' and vinegar-y aftertaste. Horrid. Do not buy.

---------

There was a photo of the bag of chips in its' clear polyprop plasticicity, but somewhere during the upload, it desintegrated. Sorry 'bout that.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mision Fray Diego - Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

2009-11-09T18:39:00.003-06:00

Two nights ago the Critic found himself with his Better Half, waiting for some out of town people who were staying at the Fray Diego hotel on 61 street in Meridas' occasionally charming downtown. While waiting, the Critic thought: here's a chance to review a new restaurant for his avid readership!

Yucatecan food was on the menu and that what was ordered.

A crunchy longaniza sausage appetizer, crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, served on some lettuce leaves with pickled red onions and some roasted tomato sauce. Quite tasty. Then two orders of the Critics' favorite: Queso Relleno. The presentation was plain, but the dish itself was good, although not as good as at La Tradición which is in a class apart and has been reviewed to death by the Critic on this site.

A pity about the tortillas, which, although warm, were not hand made. But the Critic supposes the clientele here is not that demanding in the tortilla department.

The service was quite adequate and the bill, with two Cokes, came to 350 pesos. Reasonable. The garden setting on this cool Merida night was beautiful, with a fountain bubbling happy among a quartet of chacá trees. A nice place to relax with a good drink and a smoke.

Pappadeaux Revisited - Houston Airport, TX, USA

2009-11-07T12:32:00.002-06:00

The Critics' favorite airport restaurant is still in Houston but their buffet is not a gastronomical experience the Critic would recommend or repeat.

Upon being seated, the Critic and his Better Half were informed that ordering was possible off the menu or that the buffet was available until 3 pm for only $10.95. A deal! The Critic and the BH ordered the buffet, which, upon closer inspection, consisted of the following:

Mixed Green Salad (pretty plain, but alright)
Penne Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese (bland, not much going on here flavor-wise)
Breaded, Deep-Fried Chicken (just OK)
Breaded, Deep-Fried Fish (ditto)
Catfish Filet (this actually looks good, but is pretty bland)
Cooked unpeeled Shrimp (yummy, too bad there were only 5 of them)
Gumbo-like Soup with Rice and Shrimp (hot, peppery and delicious)

There is the hilarious moment when you unwrap your napkin to find your fork and spoon, in authentic silverware. Then the waiter appears with a plastic knife, since having a real metal knife would pose a deadly temptation for those would-be seafood-loving terrorists. The Critic imagines that stabbing someone with one of those metal forks would be more effective than any damage one could cause with dull silverware knife.

In general the buffet food is bland, but this seems to be a constant in the U.S. With so many concerns about salt content, and appealing to the masses, kitchens in many restaurants eschew flavor. The Critic recommends skipping the buffet and ordering from the menu, which has many a delicious, plentiful and well-presented dish.

Miyako Tokio Sushi - Vancouver, BC Canada

2009-11-01T11:40:00.004-06:00

The Critic is going to get mercury poisoning from eating all this sushi!

The typical Vancouver cold October rain outside made the place probably seem cozier than it was. Huge portions, good service, very neighborhood-y feel. Try the Crunch and Munch, their version of the BC Roll with crunchy salmon skin inside.

Nothing too fancy, just good sushi at good prices!

Real Food - Houston airport, TX, USA

2009-10-27T22:34:00.000-06:00

Real Food is a new restaurant featuring different kinds of food prepared or served at stations; like sandwiches, bakery, salads, barbeque, burrito and more.

Located near Gate 42, the place looks great. Unfortunately, the food is lackluster in the taste department.

The Critics' recommendation? Skip it and go eat "real food" at Pappadeaux.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bubba Gump, Cancun airport

2009-10-27T22:27:00.002-06:00

Bubba Gump. In a sentence? Don't bother; the food is fattening, bland and expensive. Service from Sofia was very good. But the eats? Naah. Bring a sandwich from elsewhere. Forrest would have hated it.

La(s) Mestiza(s) Restaurant, Piste (Chichen Itzá) Yucatan, Mexico

2009-10-24T14:09:00.005-05:00

The other day the Casual Restaurant Critic found himself in the charming hamlet of Pisté, adjacent to the majestic Mayan ruins of Chichen Itzá, where Sarah Brightman will sing at the end of this month.

Having heard of this restaurant, the Critic stopped for a quick breakfast of huevos con longaniza which seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to arrive. This was, as the Critic later discovered, because the kitchen was taking the trouble to accompany the plate with fresh, thick, hand-made tortillas! A real treat in this age where Maseca cardboard tortillas are the accepted (by some) norm.

Food was good, the tortillas excellent, service fine and the coffee awful.

Campay Sushi - Merida Japanese

2009-10-19T21:04:00.004-05:00

The Critic is not sure what is happening at Campay but things are not as happy in this sushi place as they once were.

The room feels smaller than usual, perhaps because it has been given a new coat of paint. The Critic feels that there used to be something on the walls that made it feel a little more spacious, but that could be an optical illusion.

The sushi is still quite acceptable but there is no effort made anymore to decorate the plates in any fashion. Rolls are put on a plate and that's it. Edamame is a tiny portion worthy of derision; a few soy bean pods dumped on a side plate. The waiter, who has 'served' the Critic on the last few occasions he has been there, always has something negative to say or there is some problem with something that has been ordered. The customer is asked if he or she wants ginger and wasabi. The ginger tastes nothing like the pickled ginger once offered - it seems like they have decided that buying real pickled ginger is too expensive and have decided to make it themselves with decidedly unfortunate results.

While it is not as bad as the sushi place by the gas station, Campay is definitely off the list of places you should try, at least until they get their act together.

Not good.

Mosaic Restaurant and Wine Lounge, Forestville, CA, USA

2009-10-18T18:34:00.008-05:00

If you want the Critic's recommendation for a truly great little restaurant in a non-descript little town on the way to the California coast, the Mosaic Restaurant and Wine Lounge in Forestville is that place. Located on the main drag of this tiny little pueblito on the way to Highway One, it looks like nothing special from the outside. Once inside however, one is struck by the attention to detail in the decor of the room and the beautiful back yard terrace, which is where the Critic, the Better Half and guests sat on a late sunny California morning for brunch.

There was a fresh mimosa, strong freshly made coffee and an attractively simple menu for breakfast and brunch that belied the deliciously imaginative food offered.

The Critic and Co ordered a few items off this menu: sauteed mushrooms with a softened chunk of fresh brie; crispy shoestring french fries with 7 herbs and spices; home-made lamb sausage and eggs and an order of eggs and potatoes.

All of these items were away and beyond normal breakfast food - highly recommended. A look at the pictures below gives you an idea of the care taken in the preparation.

Service was excellent.

It may seem unlikely that you find yourself in Forestville California, but you never know! And if you do, you must have breakfast here, in the Critics' humble opinion!

Fishy Finger Food on Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA, USA

2009-10-16T15:39:00.003-05:00

There is nothing the Critic can critique about the great seafood delights you can eat at Fishermans' Wharf in sunny (and chilly now) San Francisco!

From the whole crab to the cocktails to the fried offerings, it's all fantastic! Highly recommended!

Cheesecake Factory, Galleria, Houston, TX, USA

2009-10-14T18:41:00.003-05:00

Not much one can write about the enormously popular Cheesecake Factory is there? Most of my readers are probably familiar with the concept, very close if not identical to the Chili's /Fridays idea.

The Cheesecake Factory is consistently decent. And always crowded. And they do have a great selection of totally over-the-top decadent cheesecakes. Which the Critic did not sample on this occasion.

As our Houstonian CookieMan puts it: "huge portions of overpriced mediocre food".

The Critic wouldn't be that harsh on the poor Cheesecake Factory. Maybe it's not the "gourmet" experience, but it is a reliable place to have lunch or dinner. Many so-called upscale dining spots in Merida strive - with little or no success - to attain this level of consistency. Maybe that's what makes them interesting...

In the photos: fried cheese balls (if memory serves the Critic right); some adventurous (for this kind of restaurant) dates wrapped in bacon - very good; a taco salad; a greek salad; and a nacho close-up.

What Merida Restaurant Would You Like To See Here?

2009-10-08T19:52:00.003-05:00

In between all these Houston restaurants, what Merida restaurant would you like to see reviewed here, to keep things local and focused?

The Critic would love to hear your suggestions!

From Luby's to Pappas Steakhouse, Houston, TX, USA

2009-10-08T13:19:00.004-05:00

The Critic went from popular Texas favorite Luby's to Pappas Steakhouse in one day, driving around in Houston.

First, lunch at Luby's. The Critic had always heard of Luby's but never actually been. Thinking it was one giant all-you-can-eat buffet featuring deep fried southern food, the Critic was surprised to find all kinds of real food, healthy and attractive and definitely not all-you-can-eat! The grilled salmon was excellent as were the accompanying veggies and the Better Halfs' salad was fine. The Critic will re-visit Luby's, definitely!

Later that day, in a fit of steak craving, the Critic and the always acquiescent Better Half visited Pappas' Steakhouse on Westheimer near the Galleria area. Having been there before, they knew what to expect and boy, was it good!

The Critic had a daily special for an appetizer; a delectable partially de-boned quail while the Better Half had the soup of the day, leek and potato. As a main course, a perfectly grilled Rib Eye and a special Texan Venison steak with a Huckleberry sauce and sauteed chanterelle mushrooms. Perfect! There was barely room for a dessert but the Gooey Pecan Pie had to be tried. As a friend in Vancouver would say: to die for.

Tampico - Mexican Seafood Restaurant, Houston, Texas, USA

2009-10-04T14:10:00.008-05:00

Since Houston is really in Mexico, it should come to no ones surprise that there are a gazillion Mexican restaurants in Bush-ville, catering to every possible permutation of Mexican food lover, from the sublime to the ridiculous.

The Critic, the BetterHalf and a local (let's call him CookieMan) had the opportunity to sample such a Mexican restaurant; the Tampico Seafood Restaurant down on Main Street in Houston. After passing by other Mexican places with names like Flores Mexicanas and Teotihuacan, the trio arrived at Tampico.

This restaurant, lit up by neon so bright that the half-blind Critic was unable to capture the actual name of the restaurant with a new camera, is huge! It seems like the original room was added to a number of times leading to a jumble of rooms all interconnected somehow. The Critic and Co sat on the deck outside, where smoking is still permitted in a civilized gesture that the authorities in Vancouver could learn from.

For appetizers, there was queso fundido (melted cheese) with chunks of shrimp and tostones (fried platano macho aka banana chips) with a guacamol-y mayo dip.

The main course is whatever you want it to be and so the Critic ordered Red Snapper, shrimp and scallops. Everything was dusted with what seemed like fine red pepper dust and was extremely tasty. Served with rice, the food was too much and some was left over at the end.

CookieMan ordered a flan, just to try it, and seemed very pleased with it.

Along with some real and truly refreshing Micheladas to start, this was a taste of Mexican seafood in Houston, served by very friendly latino personnel.

Recommended.

Last is First* - Uptown Sushi, Houston

2009-10-04T12:54:00.010-05:00

In the Galleria area, where so many Yucatecans love to come and shop, the Critic found this great sushi restaurant in an upscale outdoor shopping center just off the 610 which is much like what City Center strives to become in Merida. Alas, it's probably not to be, but that is the subject of another post, at another time.

Let's call this shopping center Uptown Center for lack of a better name - it might actually be it's name, actually. There's all kinds of upscale boutique and eatery action going on: from Crave, the extremely fashionable cupcake bakery to the Potbelly Sandwich Works restaurant. And Uptown Sushi, the subject of this review.

The place itself evokes a Jayne Mansfield vibe, as the Critics' Better Half pointed out. Discreet lighting, comfortable booths, draped lamps and wall treatments are everywhere in creamy white and salmon colors. The music is 70's and the wait staff is Japanese, while the sushi chef is, of course (this is Houston) a Latino. The Critic and his BH sat at the sushi bar, which is set up in such a way that one can't really see what the chef is doing, which is unfortunate in the Critic's sometimes humble opinion.

Two rolls were ordered, along with an absolutely amazing Key Lime Pie martini. You have to order this delicious and refreshing martini should you find yourself here! The rolls were house specialties: the Lickety Split roll and the Don's Roll. Exceptional and imaginative, the flavors appeared on the tongue like actors on stage, one after the other, perfectly choreographed. If that sounds pretentious, it probably is, but if you slowly savor each piece of these creations, you will understand where the Critic is coming from!

Then the Better Half ordered some specialty sushi, which is in the next photo - at the front is sushi with smoked salmon, strips of mango, topped with masago which has been prepared with wasabi. In the back, scallops with avocado and the wasabi masago.

Fantastic sushi!

Highly recommended should you be in the area and are looking for great sushi. And not as expensive as the Critic had feared: the bill, with the martini and a couple of hot teas, came to $60 USD.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

*last is first refers to the fact that this restaurant was one of the last restaurants on this trip, but since the Critic has camera issues at the moment, the photos available were these ones.

Test Post w/ New App

2009-10-04T09:47:00.002-05:00

While on this latest foray into the wilds of the United States gastronomical landscape, the Critics' biggest frustration was not being able to share his findings, ridiculous as they may be, with his loyal readers.

Fussy and inconsistent (or outrageously overcharged) hotel WiFi, a practically nonexistent public option (much like health care) and a finicky browser running Safari on a tiny iPhone screen with no photo upload capability made posting difficult if not impossible.

Until now, when the Critic finds himself back in Mérida with new 'app' to play with. If this works, there will be more updates from the road as the Critic travels here and there.

UPDATE: blog posted edited 'cuz it was ugly.

The Critic is Back! Reviews Pending - Stay Tuned!

2009-10-04T00:12:00.002-05:00

Nectar - Merida, Yucatan

2009-09-21T11:08:00.003-05:00

A quick note to my loyal readers... yesterday afternoon went for a late lunch/early dinner at Nectar, which has recently been 'reinaugurated' as they say in these parts.

The Casual Restaurant Critic is happy to report that the food is still excellent. Duck chimichangas, tzic de venado on a toston of fried bananas, tender sirloin steak with a roasted cranberry sauce, fettucine in a chipotle cream, and other goodies were had.

My only critique would be that they change their welcoming script. As the party was being seated and menus were presented, the head waiter informed the table that they were showing off their new, revamped menu. "Yes" he continued, "we took off the more expensive items and left the ones that are not so pricey." Well the Critic knows enough not to go to Nectar to save money and so this comment was just dumb. It would have been better (ITCHO) to mention the new items on the menu and emphasize that a lot of the old favorites are still there.

Oh, and always, serve the ladies first. And fix the coffee machine.

3 appetizers, 4 main courses, a glass of red wine and 3 Perrier waters - $1400.

Buda Wok

2009-09-17T18:05:00.005-05:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic had been yearning for the opportunity to visit this imposing new restaurant on the Prolongación de Paseo de Montejo for some time. With it's sleek, modern look, valet parking and a giant Buddha out front, it definitely looks promising!

So the Critic, Better Half and MiniCritic went for lunch last week. The restaurant is indeed beautiful: the decor, the finishes, the details are all absolutely fantastic. The personnel seemed a little casual and distracted but nevertheless, they were friendly enough upon arrival.

The Critic decided that a table in the regular section would be alright; opting not to sit in the Teppan Yaki show grill area.

From the menu, the appetizers:
Edamame - described as steamed Japanese peas. It should be noted that edamame is not a Japanese pea, but a soy bean. Oh well, no big deal.
Caesar Salad - a selection of different kinds of salad greens, with a Caesar dressing etc.
Scallops breaded with Parmesan Cheese

When the appetizers arrived, the Critic and Co. realized why they called the edamame 'peas'. These were indeed peas, of the Chinese 'snow pea' variety. Not only were they not soy beans, they were not steamed either! Rather, they were stir fried with pork that tasted a lot like bacon! A vegetarian would have had a heart attack. Thinking there was a mixup, the Better Half asked the waitress if these were the edamame. She assured the table that they indeed were. The Caesar salad did not really have a selection of different greens and the scallops, while crispy did not have a hint of Parmesan cheese. They were served on a white sauce with some cooked greens which looked interesting enough but was nothing to write home about (or even on this blog about) in terms of taste. The MiniCritic asked the Critic what the sauce tasted like and the Critic replied "white", which about sums it up.

For a main course, there was a Rib Eye for the Critic, a stuffed quail for the Better Half and a pasta for the MC. The pasta was fine, the stuffed quail featured a very tasty sour-y sauce but the Rib Eye was not a real Rib Eye, in the Critics' Humble Opinion. It's texture and taste was much more along the lines of a thick yet bland arrachera, in that rubbery, marinated, ham-tasting kind of way. Not good. And the accompanying Thai rice was... cold. Ugh.

Desserts were not had.

The Critic would not could not (in a box) recommend this restaurant in good faith, unless perhaps someone could put in a good word for their Teppan Yaki area or just to have drinks. The actual room, as mentioned above, is over-the-top beautiful, the service is just so-so and the food is really quite bad, considering the investment in the actual building. What are the investors thinking? Maybe it's a money laundering operation; that would make sense.

Happy eating!

Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda - Riviera Maya All Inclusive

2009-08-24T22:09:00.009-05:00

View from the lobby towards the rooms

The Critic got the chance to escape Merida's insufferable heat with a weekend at the so-called Riviera Maya; the hotel was the Blue Bay Grand Esmeralda, which is advertising heavily in Merida and offered a reasonably priced all-inclusive package.

The cantankerous Critic hates all-inclusive hotels because generally speaking, the food sucks. On one occasion, at a Best Day 'Resort', whose advertising slogan was 'exceeding your expectations', the food was all fried, boiled and tasteless.

Well, surprise, the Blue Bay DID exceed the Critic's meager expectations, after the initial shock of being in yet another huge resort with 1000 people.

The Critic had tried to make reservations beforehand via email for one of their specialty, reservation only restaurants, but was informed that this was not possible. So, as expected, upon arrival the Critic was told that there were no spaces available in any of the specialty restaurants except the Carnes (Meats) and only at 6:00 pm.

There was a very limited salad bar and so the Critic ordered his Rib Eye without much hope. But, the steak was very good, without of course delving into La Recova territory, and served with a small potato and a half corn on the cob. A promising start!

Breakfast the next day was buffet style and everything you would expect was there, in quantity and also of good quality. Fresh eggs to order, all manner of ingredients for your favorite omelet and even smoked salmon/lox and cream cheese.

Throughout the day, drinks are available everywhere and you are not limited to cheap 'well' brands; all the good stuff is there from Red Label JW scotch to Herradura Reposado Tequila.

That evening the Critic and Co had reservations for the Italian specialty restaurant and this really was excellent. The highlight, apart from the actual room itself, was the extensive selection of antipasto, olives, cheeses (Pecorino!) and quality cold cuts. The main dishes, pastas all, were excellent as well. The Tiramisu dessert was a let-down; basically a three layer sponge cake.

Service throughout the resort was friendly.

The Critic would recommend this place for a quick 2 day getaway.

Real Feta, green and black olives & other goodies to snack on...

Cafe Lucia - Downtown

2009-08-16T20:20:00.006-05:00

In the baroque Hotel Santa Lucia, located near (you guessed it) Santa Lucia park, there is a little cafe that the Critic found quite good in previous visits.

On this occasion, the Critic was dismayed to find the Cafe just a tad run down. The service, by a somewhat disheveled but still friendly waiter was good - no complaints there - as was the food which was not only tasty but also fresh and hot. Even the rolls were warm! The Greek salad ordered by the Better Half looked delicious, as did the fettucine with shrimp ordered by a Belgian Waffler.

The run down part was the actual place itself. There were stains on the walls, the air conditioners were visibly filthy, signage was haphazardly hanging behind the bar and all the desserts in the dessert fridge were from Costco. None of this would be particularly upsetting except for the fact that when the hotel and restaurant opened, they were both exquisitely presented with an eye to every last detail. There is no way that waiter would have been sporting that bed-head and definitely Dianne Krall singing jazz standards would not have been competing with the TV over the bar showing the archetypal Mexican western complete with gesturing priests, scurrying nuns, self-esteem challenged little boys, pistol waving facial haired cowboys and the crowning moment; the macho vaquero singing atop his horse in the wilderness.

The Critic wonders if there has been a change of ownership at this hotel? The original owners were/are much too finicky to accept this, one would think. Enjoy the photos!

Sopa de Lima
Greek Salad
Shrimp Pasta

El Postrecito - Desserts n Coffees

2009-08-13T09:07:00.003-05:00

In the Colonia Mexico, there is a relatively new dessert place called El Postrecito (the little dessert) run by a talented Yuca who lived in Quebec. Their coffee is great, their desserts are really delicious.

Short verdict: Go.

Have their melt in your mouth truffles or their signature Canadian dessert; a bread pudding baked with maple syrup or something to that effect.

A great option after eating fishy things at nearby Campay Sushi.

Wok To Walk Altabrisa Almost Open

2009-08-06T22:59:00.005-05:00

Tonight the Better Half and the Casual Restaurant Critic visited Wok to Walk, mentioned in the last post as coming into an already crowded placita called Fontana, across from the IMSS mega-hospital.

The restaurant is in the throes of opening, so there is still plenty of empty space behind the counter, there is no glass separating the flaming wok area from the public and the general feeling is that of a soft opening.

The cash register, however, is working!

The Critic and his BH had visited Wok to Walk before - the Montejo location - so knew the drill: you pick your rice or noodle, your toppings or goodies to be stir fried and your favorite sauce. They are then cooked up for you on the spot in giant woks with occasional bursts of flame flashing out to make it more showy.

Kind of like a teppan yaki restaurant except without the Japanese accent or the jokes or the knife acrobatics. OK, maybe not like a teppan yaki restaurant.

On this occasion the Critic ordered rice noodles with tofu, thai chicken, green pepper while the Better Half ordered arroz de trigo which prompted a reaction from the Critic who was surprised that there even was such an animal. Arroz de trigo means wheat rice, which is of course, not any rice that the Critic has seen in Superama lately. The Spanish menu says Arroz Integral which means brown rice, but apparently in the translation this became wheat rice. As in whole wheat perhaps? Also the green pepper mentioned above was off the English menu; the Spanish menu says pimiento, which is a red bell pepper and which is what was actually tucked in amongst the rice noodles. The noodles were ordered with the curry n coconut sauce; the rice with the Saigon sauce. Both dishes were excellent, piping hot, tasty and served in the little orange Chinese take-out boxes that have come to characterize Wok to Walk. Chopsticks were available too. And not the cheap kind either.

The decor and seating is of the minimalist style and there are similar seating options outside as well. Service was friendly enough from the young man who took the order; there were a lot of other people hanging around both outside and in: the Critic assumes these are trainees.

Would the Critic return? Probably.

Il Piattino Italian Restaurant - Altabrisa, Merida

2009-08-03T22:32:00.005-05:00

The Better Half and the Critic had lunch at Il Piattino today. Nothing new about that, it's been done before but the Critic noted that he hadn't written about previous visits.

Il Piattino is a place for a casual pasta, panini or salad. Prices are cheap and the location is right across from the white elephant Hospital de Especialidades, run by the IMSS (say no more) in that new, fashionable part of town called Altabrisa.

Upon entering the restaurant, the Critic and his Better Half bumped into the only waiter on duty, who was so absorbed with counting the change on a bill he was returning to a table, that he was unable to acknowledge in any way the presence of two more guests that he would be serving that day. Off to a good start!

Today, a salad and a panini were ordered. The salad, a Caesar that actually looks like a Caesar unlike the awfully original Trotters' version, came out almost immediately, while the panini took an eternity during which time the Critic was able to check multiple email accounts on his cell phone thanks to free wifi that the restaurant offers. The bathroom is an un-air conditioned cubbyhole, hot, not very clean and featuring an open hole for an air duct high up on the wall that a Komodo dragon sized lizard could crawl through at night. Needless to say the Better Half finished her salad eons before the Critics' food was brought, making for some interesting speculation as to what was causing the delay. Perhaps they had to go to Italy (or Costco) for more prosciutto? It was decided, once the plate arrived, that it was the fault of the french fries; which probably took a while to get well, fried.

When the time came for the bill, the Critic went directly to the cashier, which caused a little confusion, since the generally accepted procedure is to get the bill from the waiter, but time was a factor and the Critic wanted/needed to leave. The cashier hummed and hawed a bit, and of course her confusion was understandable, since the Critics' was the ONLY table left in the restaurant and it must have been challenging to locate la cuenta.

The bill came to 150 pesos with one bottle of water and the aforementioned food items. The salad was passable, the sandwich as well, but this is by no means a destination to be visited at any cost.

There will be however, a new Wok to Walk in this same plaza that already has El Viejo Molino pulling in crowds. Stay tuned!

The Trotters Burger Trio

2009-07-30T18:48:00.002-05:00

At this time of the year, Merida restaurants respond to the decline in attendance by offering promotions and specials, especially for those husbands or spouses that have to stay and work in Merida while the rest of the family vacations in and around Progreso. These husbands have no one at home to 'serve' them their lunch and so the restaurateurs of the formerly white city take it upon themselves to fill in for the duration.

One of these is Trotters, who have an excellently priced lunch special that runs around $150 pesos or so and includes a soup, refillable refresco, a main course and a dessert.

The Critic and his Better Half had the opportunity to sample this lunch the other day. The verdict? Take it or leave it.

The service was really rough at the beginning with an extended gap between the seating and the appearing of a menu and the offer of a drink. Drink refills were sporadic. Appetizer delivery was clueless; the busboy offered the appetizer to an adjacent table (where the diners were finishing their main courses), did not look around and headed back to the kitchen where the appetizer remained for quite some time.

Air conditioning was minimal, making it just a little uncomfortable with the humid heat Merida is suffering these days.

The soup, a cream of asparagus, was too obviously made with Carnation canned milk. The Mini Burger Trio however, was excellent. Juicy and tasty, each little burger had its own little theme going on.

The Critic can not really say that this is a Do Not Miss promotion. Take it or leave it.

Kukis By Maru

2009-07-30T18:45:00.004-05:00

The Casual Restaurant is not going to review this cookie bakery, since it is owned by someone near and dear. There would be a conflict of interest there, for sure.

you can't beat their carrot cake and the new lime pie is awesome and check out those cupcakes

The Critic just wanted to put this link up so everyone can see what Kukis By Maru is up to these days... :)

http://www.e-myth.com/pub/client_profile/kukis

The Critic is going to have a coffee now. Guess where.

Chili's Top Shelf Margaritas... Yum!

2009-07-18T10:14:00.002-05:00

The Critic is not what you would call your typical piña colada / margarita quaffing kinda gringo in the tropics but there is something about those "top shelf" margaritas - on the rocks, mind you - at Chili's, that is addictive.

Last night the Critic and a group of people went to Chili's Altabrisa for a bite; but for the Critic the main attraction was the margarita.

First of all it comes in a huge chilled beer mug, not a sissy glass with a wide rim that you have to 'negotiate' to your lips and then sip. Then it has lots of salt around the edges; chunks of it. Ice cubes clink happily inside. The margarita itself is the perfect blend of sweet and sour and does not taste horribly artificial (like the one at Boston's for example). The tequila is there but not overpowering.

And because of the size of the glass and the fact that it is not an adult Slurpy ie 'slush', you can get in there with a big thirst on, on a hot Merida day or night, order one of these and take a big pipe-cooling swallow.

Awesome.

La "Something" Norteña

2009-07-16T14:19:00.002-05:00

Not much of a review, but if anyone is in the Francisco de Montejo fraccionamiento, especially along Calle 50, you will see quite a few options for tacos and food in general; everything from Burger King etc. to El Panucho de Kanasin.

Last night the Critic and his Better Half were in the area, making time before the Harry Potter preview in the Siglo XXI (do NOT see this movie in Spanish, ugh) and it was decided that having a taco would be a good way to spend 45 minutes.

Past Los Taquitos de PM, where the Critic should have stopped, was this place; its' name escapes the pre-Alzheimer Critic. There was the word Norteña or Norteño prominently displayed on the large sign that probably had the entire menu on it as well, in that typical taqueria advertising strategy used in Mexican signage. In the interest of diversity, since the Taquitos PM has already been reviewed, the Critic decided to have that taco here.

Semi-outdoor white plastic tables in one area, along with other higher tables with stools in what looks like their original location, the Critic and BH sat under the head of a stuffed deer.

Really.

The waiter was so clueless that it was adorable and the food was fine. Chewy taco al pastor meat, melted cheese w/pastor meat that was not very melty in a dish they call the Fonduta.

Whatever that means.

The bill for 1 gringa and 2 tacos al pastor (2x1 promotion; you get two and four, respectively) as well as that Fonduta plus 1 jamaica, came to an astounding 102 pesos. Definitely a bargain!

Added bonus (or not, depending on your tastes) ; two girls played some acoustic music with a guitar and a djembe drum and then came around for donations, just like something you would see in Mexico City.

At a table nearby, the two couples at a table for four were asking the waiter for a menu so they could check their bill. One assumes that they thought their 211 pesos bill (the Critic looked as he was leaving) a little high. Gotta love stingy people.

Yet another quick visit to Kanasin!

2009-07-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Just to let you all know, that La Susana Internacional, this Critic's favorite restaurant for panuchos, salbutes and all things Yucatecan, is alive and well. A visit the other night with the Better Half and the recently returned from abroad MiniCritic confirmed that the panuchos and salbutes are as large and succulent as ever, the caldo loaded to the rim with shredded turkey (do not order the full bowl, the half bowl is all you will need), the tacos de chicharron are incredible and the Critic tried on this occasion a taco de puerco asado (roast pork) which was gigantic and finger-licking good.

Highly recommended, and make sure you sit where Regino is doing the waiter-ing. Ask him anything and he always has a quick comeback and a grin.

Shaolin Chinese Restaurant - Merida

2009-07-12T20:10:00.003-05:00

Hooray, the Critic is back in Merida. Actually, he has been here for a while since the outing to Vancouver, but financial concerns have kept him from anything beyond tacos here and there and a repeat visit to La Susana Internacional in Kanasin, which has been reviewed to death. That and a quick regrettable lunch at Las Gordas in La Gran Plaza mall; regrettable because as the Critic foresaw, this cheap and delicious lunch led to a serious bout of gastrointestinal distress the following day.

Shaolin is the subject of this review; this is another entry into the already crowded Chinese food array of offerings in Merida, which range from the dirty and nasty little places in people's garages to the mall versions to the stand-alone restaurants of which Nao, formerly known as Hong Kong, is the best known.

Located on 21 street between Montejo and Plaza Fiesta, this restaurant cannot be missed thanks to an enormous gold-colored dragon out front. Plenty of parking is available in front or on the street. Inside, the place is all hard surfaces and not particularly pretty, although it gives a good first impression with the ornamental metal bamboo structures and imaginative wall treatments. Once you look closely however, you can appreciate the shoddy workmanship that went into everything from the cement to the aluminum to the gyproc false ceiling. However, the effect is not unpleasant and does not distract one from enjoying the food.

The menu offers a combination of both cream-cheese-plagued Yucatecan sushi and standard Chinese fare seemingly lifted from the Nao menu. The Critic and his always up-to-a-challenge Better Half ordered the sticky sweet and delicious Chicken Chi Maa, the chock-full-of-goodies Chow Fan rice and an order of Tres Torolos sushi. Neither the Critic nor the Better Half understand the Torolos moniker, but there were three kinds of seafood on these rolls; salmon, shrimp and tuna if the Critic remembers correctly. The sushi was, unfortunately warm and so the Critic didn't even go there. Warm sushi is a no-no. The fish was draped rather sparingly around the rice stuffed with cream cheese and avocado. It seems that folks here think that anyone can whip up some sushi; nothing to it! Wrong.

Service was pleasant and the food arrived quickly at the table as it was prepared. First the Chow Fan, then the Chi Maa chicken and lastly the "sushi".

There are two televisions, one at either end of the restaurant, which somehow detract from the dining experience, since obvious attention was paid to the china (plates etc) and it seemed a little too nice for a restaurant that shows soccer games on TV. Air conditioning is good.

The bill came to 256 pesos for the above mentioned meal, along with a limonada and a Coca Cola, served from a bottle, thank you very much as opposed to a can or the pre-mix version.

Would the Critic return? Maybe. For the time being, Shaolin is nothing to write home about.

Banana Leaf Malaysian Restaurant (Vancouver)

2009-06-02T09:33:00.008-05:00

Yes, Paul, we're still in Vancouver. :)

The Banana Leaf is one of several restaurants mentioned in the Best Of Vancouver book Better Half had the good sense to buy on the second day in the city. The Critic and his BH visited the Denman street location, an easy stroll from the downtown West End area and right on English Bay, so a stroll onto the seawall (or a small portion thereof) at Stanley Park is not out of the question.

sampler menu

Instead of ordering off the menu, the Critic and BH decided to try the sampling menu, which featured about 4-5 dishes with a little of everything. The prices was great, the service was charming although there were some lulls between the different servings, but the food was, as the book had promised, outstanding; light, but not insipid; full of exotic flavors that appear briefly on your tongue like dancers on a stage, only to dart off again and make room for the next performer.

The dessert was a pair of delicately fried bananas, accompanied with coconut ice cream and drizzled with what tasted like molasses. The flavor combination of the slightly tart banana, the bittersweet molasses, the coconut ice cream and the texture combination of the mushy banana, the light, crispy coating, the smooth ice cream and the temperature combinations of icy cold and hot, made for one exquisite dessert!

Washed down with an ice cold Singha Thai beer, this meal was a highlight in Vancouver. Highly recommended!

top to bottom: appetizer sampler plate, salad first course, delectably fried bananas for dessert

The Critic is Back!

2009-05-31T21:39:00.019-05:00

Back from a much needed and barely affordable vacation that is.

Once again, the Critic was in Beautiful British Columbia (it must be so, it says so right on the license plate of every vehicle!) and had the opportunity to sample many restaurants great and not so great. Here are a few of the places tried on this visit.

Vancouver

The Keg - As on a previous visit, the well known Vancouver institution The Keg (Thurlow, near Robson, downtown Vancouver) was visited and since this was covered in a previous visit, there is not much new to report other than the fact that the place is still as great as ever. If the Critic may make a beer recommendation, it would be Alexander Keith, a full bodied and slightly sweet - and not too gassy - ale.

Milestones - Another tried and true BC favorite, Milestones is known for their good food, large portions and friendly atmosphere. On this visit, the Critic and the two MiniCritics as well as the Better Half had breakfast there (English Bay, downtown Vancouver) on two occasions. While the Critic's choice of prime beef hash with eggs on top was very satisfying, the better choice was made by the Critic's Better Half; she chose the Eggs Benedict, with the Milestones twist of adding several good sized succulent shrimp and guacamole.

Milestone's Prim Rib Hash (above) and Eggs Benny (below)

Water Street Cafe - also reviewed previously, this Gastown favorite (Gastown historical district, Vancouver) is as great as ever and the oyster appetizer, again, wipe-your-plate-with-the-bread good! The service seemed a little less attentive than on previous visits, leading the Critic to suggest that perhaps the restaurant had been sold, but the Critics observation was drowned out by the other members of the dining party, who thought the people doing the serving were in fact there on the last occasion.

Tsunami Sushi - Tsunami Sushi (Robson Street, downtown Vancouver) has been a Critic family favorite for about 20 years now. The big attraction is the fact that you can get a seat at the oval shaped bar, inside which the sushi chefs are hard at work and around which a small, water filled canal flows, at about eye level. As the sushi chefs prepare the different kinds of nigiri, rolls and other goodies, they place them on little colored plates on small wooden boats that go around in circles in front of you, so you can come in, sit down and begin eating immediately!

The service on this occasion left a lot to be desired, putting a severe strain on the Critics relationship with the restaurant. One piece of raw clam or conch tasted and smelled definitely past its prime and the waitress was informed, who stared blankly and not understanding what was being said. Another waitress and a possible host type person also came over, these two evidently with a better command of the English language but their reaction was of the 'oh well' variety. They were probably under the impression that this was another of those cases where the dumb western diner didn't like the taste of the sushi he/she had selected and was trying to not pay for it. They of course had no idea that the Critic and Co have been coming here for about 20 years now and this was a definite case of fish being 'off'. In any case there was not a gram (this is Canada and it's metric) of empathy to be had and this put a damper on the rest of the meal which was thankfully near its' end.

Powell River

The Alchemist - Everytime the Critic has the occasion to visit this small, former logging town on the optimistically named Sunshine Coast, there is a new 'good' restaurant. The reputation seems to last as long as it takes for the Critic to return to this charming hamlet. Last time it was the Laughing Oyster. This visit, it's The Alchemist (Marine Avenue, Westview, Powell River) where a real, live French chef works wonders in the kitchen.

Well the local gourmets are not exaggerating! The Critic is pleased to report that this is as good as anything in Vancouver or elsewhere, tucked away in an unassuming former house with a (somewhat limited and only on a clear day) view of the snow covered peaks of Vancouver Island across the water.

Service, atmosphere, food; it is amazing! There are some photos below (did someone request food porn?!) so as not to make this post more time consuming than it already is for you...

two main courses and a cheese plate for dessert!)

The Critic highly recommends this restaurant if you are in the unlikely position of both being a reader of this blog and in the Sunshine Coast area.

More Critic mini-reviews from this visit later! It's late and my eyes aren't what they used to be.

La Pigua - Seafood in Campeche

2009-05-01T08:10:00.003-05:00

As a result of Uxmal being closed due to the mass hysteria surrounding the latest flu epidemic, the Casual Restaurant Critic and the JF Crew visiting from Montreal, Canada found themselves in Campeche. Visiting museums and forts was, of course off limits since the INAH has closed historical sites countrywide, so after a stroll through the restored historical center and the impressive but very windy malecon (boardwalk) it was decided that a seafood dinner was in order. Where better to have seafood than at what is probably the best-known of the great seafood restaurants in Campeche, La Pigua.

Arriving at around 6:30-7:00 pm, the restaurant looked deserted; no lights and no cars out front. Mrs. JF jumped out of the car to see if they were open and oh surprise, they were! Everyone got out and went inside.

The Casual Restaurant Critic commented to the waiter going in, that perhaps they turn on a light or something to indicate that they were open since the place looked closed from the outside. The waiter replied that no, they were indeed open. Thinking maybe he didn't quite get it, the Critic again suggested a light; no, the waiter said, they were open.

O. K.

Things were very slow that day, remarked the waiter; only 3 tables so far, as the Critic and each member of the JF crew were given a squirt of hand sanitizer by the hostess as a welcoming treat. Gone are the days of the welcoming cocktail; in this age of swine flu hysteria, the hand sanitizer squirt is the new welcoming gesture!

Inside, La Pigua has completely changed. The Critic seems to recall that it was a palapa - kind of affair, but now it is completely modern, air conditioned and minimalist. Subdued lighting and dark colors make it very elegant indeed. Gone are the photos of celebrities who have dined here, which the Critic thinks was a nice touch and spoke volumes about the restaurants' appeal. Oh well. Such is progress.

The food, as usual, was superb. Coconut shrimp, seafoood antipasto, seafood soup, caviar Campechano, garlic shrimp and the Critics' favorite: Calamares Sir Francis Drake, fresh calamari (squid) cooked simply with olive oil, toasted almonds and chile de arbol.

What was really not so good, and bordered on terrible, was the service and the time it took for everything to get to the table. The Critic should add that there were a total of 3 tables occupied at this point. Drinks took a while (and it was beer, cheladas, refrescos, nothing complicated) and then the appetizers came; first the caviar Campechano, then about 5-8 minutes later, the seafood soup and the seafood antipasto.

What followed was an interminable wait for the main course, during which the waiters had to be called over to get a refill on drinks. Each time the waiter appeared with anything for the group (4 people) he asked who it was for. Somehow there was no method for the wait staff to remember who ordered what. When the dinner plates finally arrived, the waiter again asked who ordered what in the way they do, saying the name of the dish with a question mark at the end so you can raise your hand and say 'oh that's for me'. Ladies are not served first and glasses and plates take a while to be cleared away.

The icing on the cake was the end of the meal, when the two males in the party ordered espresso and everyone ordered some dessert (3 coconut cake, one flan). There are few dessert options and when the Critic asked which was the best, the waiter (not the same one that took the food order but he was in the area and got called over) shrugged and said they are all good. So the Critic asked which is YOUR favorite, hoping to elicit some enthusiastic response and to give him the opportunity to show off his salesmanship, he replied simply 'the coconut cake'.

Probably a good 8 minutes later, this same waiter, looking a lot like a cross between the bumbling Manuel in Fawlty Towers and Mr. Bean, walked by the table balancing two espressos in one hand, TO THE NEXT TABLE. I remind readers that there were only 2 other tables in the entire restaurant. The gringos at that table looked up at Manuel and shook their head as he stood there expectantly; then he turned around in bewilderment, caught the Critics' eye who was watching in disbelief, and came to the groups table. Of course, if he couldn't remember which of the 3 tables had ordered espresso, it was even less likely, now that he finally had the right table, to remember WHO at that table had ordered the espresso. So he asked "espresso???"

The coconut cake took at least 10 minutes or more to arrive. It was of course, excellent, but in the meantime the conversation around the table revolved around the possible reasons it was taking so long. Maybe they went to San Crisanto (in Yucatan) to harvest the coconuts. They were baking it. You get the idea.

All in all, it was a very good meal but the service was embarassingly bad. There are worse restaurants, the Critic knows. But for a restaurant of this calibre and fame, to have such shoddy service is imperdonable; especially considering that La Pigua in Merida has far superior service. It is like the waiters here, while friendly enough and dressed handsomely in white shirts and black vests, were all stoned or taking Valium, much like the one at Villas Arqueologicas Uxmal some time ago.

Next time, the Critic will try something new; there must be a hundred seafood options in Campeche.

Speaking of Botana...

2009-04-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

While the Critic is on the subject of botana, it might be interesting to readers to know that this tradition extends to the farther reaches of Yucatan's beaches. Just this afternoon the Critic had to pick up his mini-Critic aka daughter in the semi-charming hamlet of Chuburná, located 2 kilometers beyond Chelem. This name might be familiar to some as it is the home of expat internet guru and empresario Robert Harker, of YMB Realty, that wild-eyed, Rod Stewart look-a-like. But the Critic digresses.

While waiting for the teenage offspring to get ready, the Critic popped into one of those beach fish restaurants comprised of plastic tables and chairs provided by the beer company (it's either Corona or Superior, never both) and several youths probably related to the owner of the converted house who play the part of waiters. The ambience is true Yucatecan beach, which means its minimal and economic ie cheap and haphazardly thrown together to take advantage of the hordes visiting from Merida to escape the heat.

A beer was ordered, Modelo Especial, and it was so frosty that chunks of slushy ice were floating in the bottle. It went down very easily on another 42 degree day! While the Critic contemplated ordering some food, one of the aforementioned youths stopped by the table with a large tray full of little plates of food! Botana! There were two kinds of excellent fish ceviche, some dippy concoction with a fishy flavor, chivitas (a kind of weird little shellfish that is chewy) in the same lime, onion, tomato and cilantro dressing as the ceviche, warm (!) and crispy tostadas and the ubiquitous refried beans. As the Critic finished the last ceviche, another plate made its way to the table with 3 mini-kibis, topped with chopped cabbage. These were piping hot, crispy and tasty. All the food groups were represented in one fell swoop! So, no menu food was necessary at all and the bill came to a ridiculous 26 pesos for one beer with all the trimmings.

The Critic thought it was a great deal and left a $50 and the waiter/relative was a happy guy.

The name of the restaurant is probably irrelevant; all the places in Chelem and Chuburná serve botana, especially during weekends and holidays, so head out as soon as you can!

La Ruina - Downtown South

2009-04-18T12:53:00.001-05:00

Merida has many bars that are legend for their botanas, which are small servings of prepared nibbles to accompany your beer, much like the concept of tapas in Spain, where lids were placed on wine glasses to keep out the dust and then someone said "let's put something tasty on those lids" and a culinary tradition was born. Maybe they didn't say that - it was probably in Castilian Spanish for one thing.

The most famous in Merida of these bars or cantinas was for the longest time, La Prosperidad, which the Critic visited almost 20 years ago. Never been back. Now, the most well-known is probably Eladio's, who have branches all over the city and in Progreso too.

Yesterday, as part of the Blogger Summit held in Merida, a numerous contingent of palefaces descended on another Merida classic cantina, La Ruina. There was some initial confusion regarding the placement and joining together of several tables; it seems that the proposed arrangement by the Critic - under the fans - would have implied taking tables from TWO waiters areas and this was very confusing until it was suggested that perhaps two waiters could look after the table, since there were going to be 12 or more people. Once this critical detail was sorted out, the lunch began.

Beers were ordered and the botanas started arriving. Plate after plate after plate. There were cooked but now cold organ meat (love that term) dishes, fresh guacamole, zesty sikil-pak dip, pickled beets, coditos (macaroni with traces of tomato sauce), pickled carrots, chicharrones (pork rinds), ceviche, dzic de venado made with beef and a few others that currently escape the Critic's memory. Honestly, there was nothing particularly OMFG excellent in the selection of the botanas, but the beer was frosty.

Food is also available from a menu handwritten on a piece of paper that the waiter leaves with you. There are about 6 dishes to choose from, all extremely local and things you will not find on the menu at Taco Bell any time soon.

The bar was empty when the PaleFaces arrived, but full to the point of bursting an hour later. This is a very popular spot!

The beer is cold, the botana is abundant and the service is fine. You should probably visit one of these places at some point in your Merida visit to get a real sense of where the locals hang out when the sun bakes the city to a crisp.

A La Vibora de la Mar - Seafood

2009-03-13T12:11:00.000-06:00

It was about bloody time the Critic tried something new, so when the opportunity came along to sample this new seafood restaurant, the Critic jumped at the chance. Almost literally, since actual jumping would involve exercise and that is anathema to the Critic's existence.

The Vibora restaurant is located in that little, out of the way shopping plaza where the Carls Jr. burger restaurant was relocated after Burger King (same owners) requisitioned their Montejo location. To get to this place, you might have to ask a local for directions. If you are asking, mention Planet Bol (as in Bowling Planet) and you will be in the right area; the mini-plaza is just a few steps from that treeless monstrosity of a building.

The food at Vibora is surprisingly different, in a good way. There are tacos, tostadas, ceviches, cocktails, pastas, empanadas and all kinds of main dishes featuring octopus, calamar aka squid, fish, shrimp and even oysters. What makes this place different is the way all these fishy items are prepared. There is, for example a tostada covered in marlin/chipotle fishy concoction that is quite tasty, as is the order of shrimp a la diabla; fresh shrimp cooked in a lightly spiced sauce and served in tacos.

The Critic tried several dishes, and the prices are reasonable. Service is friendly. After you are seated, the waiter brings each member of the party a small sherry glass filled with something hot. This is on the house and turns out to be very good shrimp/seafood broth. A hot appetizer in a glass! Nice touch.

There are a couple of things the Critic noticed that, corrected, would elevate the restaurant to top-notch status. The tortillas are machine made or store bought or whatever and their lackluster quality and brittle consistency severely detract from the delicious creations tucked inside. The salsa, to this Critic, is not as good as it could be. It is a pickled tomato salsa, and the pickling gave the Critic the impression of being stale and on a second visit, slightly 'off'. A fresh salsa would be better ITCHO (In The Critic's Humble Opinion). If you order a Bloody Mary, or a tomato or clamato juice preparado (all the makings of the Bloody Mary without the liquor) you will notice that the celery stick has been past it's prime for weeks and is a wrinkled, brown-edged and completely unappetizing intrusion in the drink.

This place is worth a visit just because it is new and they are trying hard to create a good impression.

El Principe Tutul Xiu - Mani, Yucatan

2009-03-05T20:59:00.000-06:00

The other day the Critic had lunch at the Principe Tutul Xiu restaurant in Mani, previously reviewed favorably on several occasions and one of the Critics' favorites.

While the food on this occasion was very good, especially the Poc Chuc, there were a few details that hinted at a bit of complacency on the part of the Xius.

For example, when you arrive, no one greets you and should you ask, the girl behind the counter at the cash area will simply say 'sit wherever you want'. Not particularly welcoming. The tortillas, object of endless raves by this reviewer, are brought to your table in a basket uncovered and by the time you get to the last one, they are cold. If they want to keep their reputation, what with all the competition out there in the restaurant world, they are going to have to stay on their toes.

Other than that, the food is quite good. Service is just average. Prices? Cheap. There were four people in the Critic's party, four dishes were ordered and a pitcher of fresh squeezed OJ. The bill was $370 (pesos) before tip. At todays exchange rate, that's just over 20 USD for 4 people. Quite reasonable, no?

After stuffing yourself, you can then stroll over to the monastery and check out the renovations going on that will leave the building quite spectacular.

Acqua Revisted

2009-02-14T13:46:00.000-06:00

Last night the Critic and friends visited Acqua, that popular newish place on the stretch of commercial street that runs from Montejo, where Office Depot, Telas Parisina and SuperBodega (does anyone still shop there?) all stare at each other across the busy intersection; to Plaza Fiesta, one of Merida's older malls. Look for the blue neon sign at night, next to the Louvre sign. The Louvre, famous for it's tortas and the size of the large mutant rats in the space it once occupied, is a piece of Merida history, now out of its original location and plunked down in this part of town.

The Critic and Co. sat outside, practically on the street, which was better than being inside because Acqua is a very noisy restaurant as previously noted somewhere; all the hard surfaces inside make the place reverberate with noice bouncing off everything. Also, outside you can still enjoy a smoke with your drink or after dinner coffee.

The food on this occasion was quite good, lots of interesting combinations for the meats: salmon, shrimp, duck, Angus steak, boquinete; from panko breading to mashed potatoes w/ bacon, arugula lettuce, goat cheese, caramelized pecans and more. The portions are not particularly huge so don't be put off by the idea of ordering an appetizer beforehand. You might try their chipotle fondue, which has a bit of a bite and gives everyone something to do while you wait for the next course.

Remarkably, the service was better this time around, with the exception of the amount of time it took for the food to get to the table - it seemed to be an eternity but it was a cool night, the company was interesting and whenever the waiter did appear, he was very friendly. Drinks, ashtrays, that sort of thing. And he was also effective as a salesman, a waiter quality so rare in a Merida restaurant that it almost seemed out of place! He suggested ordering the apple pastry tart since it is baked fresh while you are enjoying your dinner and is served to you hot with vanilla ice cream on top (aka a la mode) . The party ordered 2 of these and, while not House of Pies quality, they did taste pretty good. Espresso macchiato after dinner was average. It's nice to be able to order espresso in Merida; when the Critic first moved here things like espresso, salmon, actual brewed coffee, peanut butter were non-existent!

The bill for 6 people came to 1900 pesos including tip, which at todays' exchange rate of aprox. 14 pesos per dollar, comes to $135 USD.

Tacos PM

2009-01-31T12:07:00.000-06:00

Tacos PM is another one of about a gazillion taco places in Merida that serves mostly Mexico City street food; the almighty taco is king.

What makes this place stand out from the rest is that as soon as you sit down at one of their locations (the latest one the Critic tried was in Pensiones, near the Plaza de las Americas) is that plate of watery refried beans and warm (yes warm!) tostadas or corn chips to the uninitiated. The fact that they warm them says they care enough to make sure the chips aren't soggy when they get to you. Merida is a very humid place which makes anything crisp turn soft once the package has been opened and far fancier places like the horrendous and pricey Fogoncito chain can't get this into their thick skulls. There is nothing worse than biting down on a corn chip, expecting a crunch and getting instead a soft chew. Ugh.

And those refried beans spread on that plate are seasoned (or maybe it's because the Critic is always hungry when he sits down for a snack at PM) in such a way that you cannot stop eating them! And you can ask for another plate if you finish yours too quickly.

From the menu there is a huge platter that the Critic and Co tried last night; way too much food for 8 people (two were ordered). Everything but the kitchen sink is on this platter, all chopped and ready to be stuffed into either corn (handmade!!) or flour tortillas.

Guaranteed good food, they make an effort with the service, and reasonable prices.

Colonos' Yucatecan Food

2009-01-26T08:32:00.001-06:00

The Critic has realized that there are pitifully few reviews these days; this is due in large part to the economic crisis affecting Mexico and the rest of the world. Absent are the reviews on Merida's fancier restaurants and in their place reviews on smaller, cheaper places. Perhaps this is appealing to a segment of the Critic's readership so he will not feel bad about it. If anyone would like a review of a particular restaurant and would like to donate funds in order to see that review come to pass, feel free to send an email and the Critic will happily send a PayPal request to you.

This review is about Colonos' restaurant, located on one side of the Parque Alemán, that large colonia established in the late 50's or early 60's (what does the Critic know of these things) and that provides a glimpse into what Merida could have been, had the folks charged with increasing the number of developments in Merida followed the fine example of the Colonia Aleman. Wide, treed streets with actual room for parking AND driving, a huge attractive community park and a vibrant market area make this one of Meridas' favorite traditionally middle class areas to live. Compare this area to the more recent and horrendously overpopulated Francisco de Montejo rabbit hutch development. As the chavos would say 'nada que ver'. By the way, the Colonia Alemán is not full of Germans, as it's name might imply at first glance. Instead, it's named after Miguel Alemán, a former president who ruled Mexico from 1946 to 1952.

President Miguel Aleman, just finishing lunch at Colonos in the colonia named after him - source: Wikipedia

But this is about Colonos' restaurant. Colonos' is a Yucatecan restaurant/bar that has been there since the dinosaurs were wiped out by the comet crashing in Chicxulub. In fact, the Colonia Alemán was built around Colonos.

The specialty at Colonos is the Yucatecan food, served individually, ie. per taco at $10 pesos a taco, or órden (order) for such items as Longaniza or Queso Relleno the Critic's gastronomic Achilles Heel (he knows it will kill him, but insists on ordering it every time he can since it is SO good).

The Critic and his Better Half had a late lunch there just yesterday and is happy to report that the food is as great as ever. Among the items tried on this occasion:

tacos de cochinita
tacos de pavo en escabeche
tacos de relleno negro
pan de cazón
papadzules
longaniza de valladolid

Washed down with a Sol michelada, this expansionist hearty lunch for two was filling to the point of rupture and came to a whopping 330 pesos including a $50 peso tip. Do the math; it's about 20 dollars US at today's rates. You can eat less or more of course, but what an excellent way to get a good variety of authentic Yucatecan dishes for so little in a traditional Yucatecan restaurant. you won't see many tourists here at all!

And for the observant, it is true that the Critic was unable to order the Queso Relleno this time since there was simply no room!

NOTE: If you make it there earlier, you will get 'botana' (tiny plates with different Yucatecan snacks ranging from the simple - pickled cucumber slices - to the wonderfully elaborate - sik'il pak: a dip made of roasted tomatoes, ground pumpkin seeds, cilantro and minced onion) with every round of drinks or beer you order.

Cheap Dutch Beer in Merida

2008-12-13T21:21:00.000-06:00

Check out the price of a six pack of beer in this furtively-taken cell phone photo. All the Mexican beer is prices at upwards of 45 pesos per six pack and this beer, which is not bad at all, will set you back less than 40 pesos a six pack, and it's brought over from Holland.

How is this possible?

Inquiring minds want to know.

La Chozita

2008-12-08T18:36:00.001-06:00

Another one of those great finds, La Chozita is located in front of the multi-million dollar investment white elephant known as the Hospital de Altas Especialidades or something equally pretentious (isn't it great how a country as poor as Mexico can spend this much money on a first-world hospital and then not open it?!) in that newly popularized part of town known as AltaBrisa. Yes, where the mall is.

This little gem is located across the street from all that shiny new commercialism.

There is a palapa roof to identify it with; right next door is a tiny cibercafe where one can presumably check email and surf the web. Parking is on the street in front and there are 4 tables.

La Chozita is home made Yucatecan food and had been previously recommended to the Critic. The wait seemed eternal; a full 20 minutes passed from the moment the very smily cook came out of the kitchen to take the orders, carefully writing down the very complicated order of salbutes, polcanes and empanadas to when the first food actually appeared in front of the ravenous Critic and the BH.

As a friend would say... "To Die For". This was so good it was ridiculous. The empanadas were crispy, the salbutes were as well and that carnitas were tasty. Everything was freshly made, and fried to order. Unreal. The habanero and separate tomato sauces were a refreshing, biting complement to all that fried masa.

5 salbutes, 1 polcan, 2 quesadillas, 2 cokes and a bottle of water came to the even more ridiculous amount of... ready for it? $80.00. PESOS!!! Even with a $20 peso tip, this bill for lunch for two came in at under $8 USD at today's exchange rate of $13.75 pesos/1 usd.

SPECIAL NOTE TO THOSE STAYING AT THE IN KA'AN GUEST HOUSE - this is just around the corner from you!

Tacos de Jiba

2008-12-03T11:14:00.000-06:00

Tacos de Jiba could be translated as 'hump' tacos, since they refer to the jiba on the backs of the local cattle, which are the hump-backed variety. If you can get over the image of eating meat carved from that bump, you can try the tacos at this taqueria located behind the Gran Plaza shopping mall.

The sign looks promising, and the location is perfect for an after-work bite.

Unfortunately, that is about all that is good about this place. There is one, hapless waiter and what seems like someone's grandmother in the kitchen (although this cannot be confirmed because you cannot see the kitchen) since the food preparation is extremely sloooooooooow.

Once you are seated, the little man comes over, leaves you a menu and takes your drink order and after some time returns with that and then will take your order. On this occasion, the Critic and his BH ordered a guacamole to start and 2 orders of tacos. After what seemed like an eternity, during which time the Critic enviously eyed the crepes coming out the kitchen next door (the tables are mixed together, some for the crepes place and others for the taqueria) and began to chew on the potted plants nearby, the first order of tacos arrived. Just one, mind you to make the meal more interesting. Half the party waited patiently while the other half said, go ahead, they're going to get cold. After some time, the waiter passed by and the guacamole was asked for. It's coming. Then it came out and after another short wait, the other order of tacos was brought to the table. There were cutlery issues as well but the over-all impression was of extreme slow-ness.

And how were the tacos? Nothing to write home about. For just over 100 pesos you can eat here, but don't come hungry or expect any kind of service. You are far better off at the million other tacos places in Merida.

Rating: 2. Don't bother unless you are totally desperate and have no car to get anywhere else.

El Fogon - Antojitos Revisited

2008-11-13T21:57:00.000-06:00

note the finger - the Critic was being discrete...

Just days after visiting this place for the first time, the Critic stopped by again to pick up an order of consommé and pozole to take home to a sick Better Half. When you have a cold, a hot consommé or spicy pozole should be just as good as a hot chicken broth - or that was the thinking.

In any case, in short order the Critic was heating up both soups at home and the portions were just enough to feed two people. They came with tostadas, oregano, lettuce and radishes, spicy ground chiles, salsas; all the possible condiments you could wish for to dress up both of these broths.

Delicious was the verdict, the Better Half did not get much better but it was tasty.

Total price of this take out? $54.00. Unbelievable. That's less than 5 usabucks for 2 orders of home-made soup.

El Fogon - Antojitos Mexicanos - Near the Gran Plaza Mall

2008-11-11T23:49:00.000-06:00

The other day, feeling hungry and definitely not in the mood for the usual WinFa/Trompos/BurgerKing lunch, the Casual Restaurant Critic sallied forth from the occasionally air conditioned Gran Plaza mall with his Better Half, strolled across the parking lot in the general direction of Starbucks and then veered off to the left to have lunch in the red-signed restaurant that proclaims, in an apparently Coca Cola sponsored, red-lettered sign: 'Cocina Mexicana'. Next to that, a smaller logo with the words El Fogon.

For those readers unfamiliar with the term 'antojitos' it means snacks or perhaps appetizers and is generally used to refer to food prepared in the wach style. If you don't know what a wach is, you need to find the NotTheNews Living Dictionary (it's online around here someplace or order a printed version at lulu.com) and look it up. Mexico City street cuisine is alive and well in Merida and there are several places where one can find typical food from the country's capital. Jardin Balbuena is one of those places. This place - el Fogon - that the Critic is writing about today, is another.

The Better Half and the CRC ordered enough food to sink a canoe, which is what usually happens when one is starving and the menu looks appetizing! The following items were ordered, believe it or not:

pozole de Jalisco, one bowl
taquitos de barbacoa, 3 to an order
consommé de barbacoa, one bowl
tostadas de barbacoa, order of 3
gorditas de chicharron prensado, 2 pieces

There is enough cholesterol in the above order to keep an entire African village fed for a month, but the Critic and his BH managed to finish most of it. Everything was hot and for the most part, tasty. The pozole was a little on the watery side as if the Critic had arrived at the final pressing of a large pot of soup that had been re-watered for several days to make it last a little longer. The taste of the tostadas was smothered by the heavy cream that the waches like to pour on their sopes and antojitos, along with that crumbled goat cheese, but all in all the food was satisfying.

Service was familiar ie: family style. This means that a family member is taking orders from the table and really doesn't have a clue, but was not unpleasant. The food came quickly and the table soon filled with plates and bowls. The outdoor setting on this November afternoon was cool, breezy and very comfortable. There was a view of the small street and the Gran Plaza parking lot. This would be a great place to sit and watch the Christmas madness unfold in December.

And the bill? All that food and a bottle of Coke came to a whopping 171 pesos, which at today's exchange rates is about 15 US dollars. Quite a bargain, really.

Laredo's - Mérida Restaurant featuring Northern Mexican Fare

2008-10-05T20:15:00.001-05:00

Today the Critic was invited for lunch at Laredo's, a popular Northern Mexican restaurant located on Montejo. The Critic recalled that Laredo's had - on a visit some million years ago - some excellent steaks, particularly their 'corazon de filete' which was very tender and delicious.

Unfortunately, the restaurant seems to have aged rather ungracefully; from the moment you arrive and fight with the double doors (and no one is there to greet you, let alone help you get in the damn place) you are under the impression that things are not all that well in Laredo-Land.

The parrillada, a large metal plate of assorted meats (you can choose the combination you would like) served on a small portable barbecue-like anafre, arrives at your table, along with a plate of garnishes including a half-full (ever the optimist, the Critic) bowl of luke-warm and bland frijoles charros (cowboy beans), a grilled onion, a withered half-potato featuring a minimum of cream and bacon garnish and some salad greens.

The meats were not at all great, considering this is a meat restaurant and the Critic suspects that anyone from El Norte would scoff at the notion of this being typical food from northern Mexico. One of the cuts was chewy and full of gristle, the machitos were rather non-macho bland and the arrachera, while tender, was completely devoid of any flavor.

The service was unprofessional and plates were banged and crashed as they reached each diner.

The Critic could not recommend the restaurant for any reason, really, especially considering all the excellent Argentinian meat options out there now in Merida.

One to Five? One. Don't go. Waste of money, calories and time.

La Nao de China - Formerly Hong Kong (Merida Chinese Restaurant)

2008-10-02T18:03:00.000-05:00

Today the Casual Restaurant Critic, with all the related Critics (Midi, Mini and Better Half) away, decided on having a Chinese lunch at the Nao de China restaurant, formerly known as Hong Kong. The Critic had been wanting to go back after a long absence, but somehow it never happened. Until today.

The draw at this place is the lunch buffet, which at present runs at $82 pesos and includes a soft drink.

Besides the restaurant being a lot larger - the patio in back is now covered and air conditioned and the buffet has been moved from the entrance area to the newer part - the place is basically the same as always.

The food on the buffet steam table is still exactly the same as 5 years ago or so when the Critic was last there. The same stuff! There are spring rolls, fried chicken wings, roasted chicken, a curry dish, a chop suey, some pieces of sushi, the gelatin desserts and a watery soup. Once they were novel and tasty; now they are all really quite horrendous and completely forgettable, bordering on the inedible.

First of all, nothing tastes even remotely fresh. The spring rolls used to be flaky and crunchy, now they are thick and crunchy and rather bland. The chicken wings are lukje warm, not at all crispy; more like chewy and feel as if they have been there for a day or so. The curry and chop suey dishes are warmer, but as bland as eating a paper placemat. The roast chicken was as dry as one of those steer skulls in the desert and needed water to force it down. The gelatinous selection of desserts was not tried, neither was the soup or the plain, unappetizing looking "sushi".

A complete bust. Even if they charged $25 pesos for this unappealing and extremely limited selection, the Critic would not return.

The Critic was so disgusted that he couldn't manage another trip to the buffet. A menu was asked for and Chi Maa chicken ordered. The Critic remember that this was always good before, and he wasn't disappointed when it arrived at the table. Crispy deep fried chunks of batter stuffed with chicken and drizzled with honey and topped with chopped green onions. A huge portion, hot and tasty and served with steamed rice. Much better!

The service was fair, the hostess completely indifferent as was the person in charge of the buffet. They could care less if you were there or not.

Critic's recommendation? If you have to go, choose the menu over the buffet and watch the people stare enviously as you eat well while they suffer through the tasteless crap from the buffet. Hey it's their own fault for being so damn cheap.

Total bill was 114 pesos ($82 for the buffet and the rest for the Pollo Chi Maa). Refresco included with the price of the buffet (Pepsi products only, no Coke; even the uniforms have Pepsi embroidered on them).

You are better off at Win Fa or one of the other new Chinese places sprouting up all over Merida as the Oriental Invasion finally comes to the Yucatan.

One to five? This place rates a "don't bother" - 2.

Reader Contribution - by Jean

2008-10-02T10:06:00.000-05:00

Casual Restaurant Critic's comment: please note: the author's first language is Dutch, before you start with your comments on any deficiencies in the writers' English. Would that you could speak and write in Dutch as well as he can write in English

A nice evening out in Chuburna. Or how the para llevar was born.

What else can you do, after a long day of teaching a foreign language to kids who not even master their own native language (what’s wrong with the education here, they don’t even know what a demonstrative pronoun is in Spanish…..), than to take your lovely wife around 9 in the evening for a nice little comida, just the two of you….

She ordered a salad, because she wants to stay at the safe side of obesity, and I ordered the usual 4 arrachera taco’s de harina, because I didn’t fought myself to the top of the food chain to eat grass…

Within 7 min after ordering, the 4 taco’s are staring at me and we wait a few minutes for the salad… After all, we are ‘out’ to have a nice comida together…right ?.

When after another 5 minutes or so none of the 4 or 6 locals who are running around with empty hands (or taking plates away from customers who are still chewing the last bite) is willing to bring the salad, my wife urge me to start eating ‘before it’s cold’.

And because it’s not a good idea to argue with a person where you intend to spend the night with, I start, very slow, to move the arrachera taco’s from my plastic plate to my internal system.

After another 5 minutes or so, the 4 or 6 locals are still running around with empty hands, I start thinking about this system to stay in shape.

Go to a local restaurant, order food, wait a given amount of time, leave the place.....

Easy, you don’t have to say to people you’re on a diet, you still can say you visit reataurants...they don’t bring the food you ordered anyway.....

I’m at taco number 3, still no salad…still locals running.

My wife managed to capture the attention of one of the runners, who listen carefully, looked at me, my nearly empty plate, magically displays a disbelieve look, turns around and jogs to the innerside of the building, returns after nearly 30 seconds (see, they can be quick) and tells my wife a story.

My Spanish is reaching the level where only I understand it (one have to start somewhere), so the translation is: they working on it.

Duh, more than an half hour to prepare a salad ? Do they have a local schmuck driving a 125 cc motorcycle to the nearby village to get the grass so the salad is fresh ?

Meanwhile, taco nr 4 is moved from plate to internal system, beer was taking the same way and salad is still underway…

Finally, after nearly 45 minutes….tataaa…there’s the salad.

The purpose of this evening out is to be together, to eat together, to drink together…

The food has to reach the table so the people, a couple, can eat together…how difficult is that ?

So when the designated runner is putting the salad in front of my wife, she takes revenge ( it is a plate one have to eat or serve cold, and the salad is cold so this is a perfect opportunity), and ordered the salad para llevar and I ordered la cuenta.

Mind you, within 3 minutes we have a nice plastic bag with the salad and a plate with the cuenta. They can be quick after all and they just showed to the world that two things can come together at one and the same table….

From now on we do not go to Los Tacquitos P.M. on Calle 50...we go to the para llevar....

No Smoking Update - VIPS

2008-09-26T00:10:00.000-05:00

The Critic had lunch at La Rueda and it has joined the ranks of non-smoking restaurants which is probably a good thing because there was no way you were going to be able to divide that tiny place into smoking and non smoking sections.

The real news is that VIPS, that Denny's clone from Mexico City (Wachilandia) still allows smoking in it's area reserved for those of us that still partake in the nasty habit.

How VIPS does this while everyone else is making their places exclusively non-smoking is a mystery to me. Perhaps it is because their food is so mediocre - with the exception of their great Caldo Tlalpeño which the Critic enjoys every Tueday night - and their service so lackadaisical that it doesn't really qualify as a 'restaurant'?

If anyone has any clues, please enlighten the Critic! Thank you.

La Rueda - Argentina in the Boonies

2008-09-25T23:53:00.000-05:00

It's good to be back in Merida!

For those of us that live in Merida's norte, getting to La Rueda is a bit if a drive. But the Casual Restaurant Critic is happy to report that it is probably worth it.

On a sunny midweek afternoon which turned into a downpour by the time lunch was over, the Critic and some amigos went for lunch at La Rueda. After hearing so much about this place, the Critic had to see for himself what all the fuss was about.

The restaurant is surprisingly easy to find, and Jorgitos directions couldn't be simpler. It is a non-descript little place on a corner, a converted house, that had a large sign on top and, as Jorgito noted, a rather conspicuous collection of nice cars out front.

On this occasion, no waiting was necessary and a table - one of about 8 in total - was had in the middle of the air conditioned restaurant. The decoration is unpretentious but pleasant; nicely put together posters, photos and memorabilia related to Argentina is all over the walls.

The 3 amigos ordered a salad to share, which featured real, crisp romaine lettuce, fresh tomatos and strips of prosciutto tossed with a vinagrette dressing. Refreshing. Soft drinks were ordered and since the Critic believes that red wine is good for you, a glass of Cuné Rioja.

As for meat, one of the amigos ordered the veal, while the other amigo and the Critic ordered the churrasco steak. Once the meat arrived, which took a little while, it turned out to be delicious. The chimichurri sauce was, in the Critic's humble opinion, not needed. A little fatty around the edges, it was perfectly seasoned and cooked and came with a mashed potato garnish that was not very warm and half of a grilled sweet onion. Superb.

Suprisingly, the desserts were not only original but tasty as well! The Praline is what appears to be a homemade hazelnut and almond ice cream and the chocolate pyramid was delicous as well.

The Critic had heard that the prices at La Rueda were ridiculously cheap; one of the amigos mentioned that the menu had had a serious price hike since his last visit. Since he is of Lebanese descent, the Critic believes him, because if anyone notices these things, it's a paisano.

The bill for the three people, for the food mentioned above, was - with tip - $810 pesos. This is not a lot lower than the bill for 2 meats and a pasta at La Recova on Montejo, reviewed in August. In the Critics opinion, both restaurants are excellent in food quality and service; perhaps the Montejo version is a little nicer in terms of the actual room.

On a scale of 5, this place rates a solid 4.

On a completely unrelated side note, the Critic and amigos finished their lunch just in time, as a comandante of the local police and his family were sitting down to have lunch. With all the drug violence in the formerly white city these days, it would be unwise to remain in such a small space in the immediate vicinity of a police official, one could safely assume. Also, what caught the Critic's eye was that the officer sat with his back to the plate glass sliding door entrance, a move the Critic wouldn't have undertaken if he were a member of the police force. Of course, two bodyguards were left on either side of the door to watch for anyone that looked fuereño and suspicious, but a machine-gun drive-by could have made quite a scene...

Provecho!

The Casual Restaurant Critic on Smoking in Restaurants

2008-09-23T08:36:00.000-05:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic would like to inform the 19 readers of this blog that Mexico - and even Merida - has joined the ranks of the cities, states and countries that have imposed upon their citizenry smoking controls of some sort.

While in Canada, the Critic noticed that not only are there no more 'smoking sections' anywhere to be found in restaurants or bars, there is no smoking outside the restaurants or bars either, and a new bylaw in the city of Vancouver for example, now prohibits smoking within '6 meters of any entrance' to the building. This means, wherever there are several small shops and restaurants together, like Robson or Denman streets for example you can't really get 6 meters away from any entrance. The Critic calculated in several areas that the 'smoking hot spot' (and it could be labeled as such, much like the WiFi hot spots in public areas) was in the middle of the street.

Of course there are ways around this; Canadians are generally very law-abiding but the smoking crowd is a little more rebellious. At many Starbucks locations, for example, smokers (or staff?) have moved one or two outdoor tables away from the other ones thereby creating a 6 meter illusion and bonafide smoking area. I mean, who can imagine coffee without a cigarette?

And now Merida has joined in in the no smoking fun. The Casual Restaurant Critic went to have a salad at Italianni's and there were no smoking signs everywhere and the place smelled of ozone. Those little injectors are everywhere it seems. Same experience at La Tradición. Also, at La Susana in Kanasin! The Critic was amazed at how civilized Merida has become.

It seems, however a little silly, all this fuss about smoking, when when people are literally losing their heads in drug wars, the land is being cemented over, every last living green thing is being chopped down, the water table is being contaminated, people still can't drive and there's no one to teach them, poverty is growing among the poor in the Yucatan's countryside at an alarming rate along with drug use and crime, wages are stagnant, and and and. But now we have no smoking in restaurants and this is progress at last.

Coffee Cup Café - Boulder City, USA

2008-09-18T09:29:00.001-05:00

On the road...

Just outside of Las Vegas, on the way to the Hoover Dam, lies this charming little hamlet, which deserves a stop on it's own because it is really quite lovely. However, the reason the Critic stopped here on his way to the Dam, is because the concierge at the Palace said "stop at the Coffee Cup; it's great".

These are the kind of local, insider tips a food addict like the Critic loves and appreciates, so not stopping was not even an option.

It's a diner, it's on the main street in Boulder City and it's reeaal casual. No uniforms, no "hi I'm Madison and I'll be your server", no maitre'd, no celebrity chef photo hanging outside. It's great! Finally, the real thing!

The Critic had the Chicken Fried Steak with eggs and hash browns. Huge, somewhat greasy and extremely satisfying!

Breakfast for two here will run you about $20 or less and is a welcome break from the crowds, the plastic and the blinking, flashing lights of Las Vegas.

Lotus of Siam - Las Vegas, USA

2008-09-18T09:29:00.000-05:00

On the road...

Do you like Thai? The Critic likes Thai.

In Las Vegas, hidden in an ugly shopping center on Sahara called (it's an original name no doubt) Commercial Center, is Lotus of Siam.

Lotus of Siam, if you do some digging on the internet, has a lot of fans! The accolades and magazine and major newspaper write-ups can be read in their entirety while you are waiting for a table, since they are posted in their tiny waiting room, where you will wait for a table as your nose starts to send urgent messages to your stomach as a result of the aromas emanating from the kitchen. "Best Thai Restaurant in North America" says one such article. Oh yeah, you say which magazine said that? Gourmet magazine that's who.

The Critic does not know if it is the best in North America or Las Vegas (or even Sahara Blvd for that matter) but it is extremely good and highly recommended. A meal here will be better, more satisfying and much more delicious than someplace on the strip or in one of the hotels.

The Critic usually orders more or less the same things: the Pad Thai, which, if you are familiar with, is a complex mixture of flavors and textures when done right and a mass of peanut-y goo when screwed up. Here it's the former. Also there is the soup, whose name once again escapes me, but it has lemon grass, coconut milk, shitaake mushrooms, ginger and is served in a pot to share with whomever is lucky enough to be sitting across from you.

Crispy duck is a must - there are three kinds, one is a little simple with Thai basil; another features a curry sauce and a third features.... something else. They are all delicious, having tried them on previous occasions, but the favorite has got to be the sauce-less one. It is such a flavor explosion in your mouth, if you include a basil leaf or two in your bite of duck, that you will think you have died and gone to heaven.

On this occasion the Critic asked for a recommendation and the waitress suggested crab salad. This was some kind of crab meat, lightly dusted and then quickly deep fried and served on a mixture of fresh salad greens that had a sweetish dressing on them. The taste of this dish was very light, fresh and delicate; have this one before the duck, definitely.

No room for dessert as usual, and the bill, with a beer or two, usually comes to under 60 dollars for two people. For that kind of money on the strip, you might get a main course for one.

Go there if you love Thai.

Water Street Café - Vancouver, Canada

2008-09-13T10:25:00.001-05:00

On the Road...

The Water Street Café is another Vancouver restaurant that has been around for a long time, and while not part of a chain as far the Critic can tell, it has survived and maintained a stellar reputation as a great place for lunch or dinner.

It's located on Water Street, an original name for a street that ran along the edge of the... water, in historic Gastown. After living in Mexico and particularly the Yucatan for the last 20 years, the Critic always smiles when coming across anything 'historic' in the Vancouver area. The whole damn country is only about 100 plus years old!

There is a small but delectable menu, a decent wine list, good service and the room itself is casually elegant. The fact that it is located right in front of Gastown's main attraction, an old steam clock that blows strains of the national anthem (the Canadian one of course) every fifteen minutes and then a whole chorus on the hour, makes for good people watching while sipping on your wine. Watch the Japanese tourists jostling for position in front of the steaming, whistling clock to get their souvenir photograph. Great stuff.

Try the oysters (pictured above) pan fried and then served in this indescribably delicious sauce that will have you dragging the remains of your bread, trying to get all the gravy, because, like Ricardo Montalban used to say, it's good to the last drop.

A tradition for the Critic and the MidiCritic (not to be confused with the MiniCritic) the other dish always ordered is the Penne with BC smoked salmon in a light creamy sauce. Again, absolutely fantastic.

The MidiCritic always orders the same dish, the details of which usually escape the Critic's Alzheimer's-deluded/diluted mind. However, thanks to editing capabilities and occasional flashes of short-term memory, one can come back and edit, right? There it is right in the photo for crying out loud. It's homemade gnocchi stuffed with cheese and served in a pumpkin squash sauce and it is again, excellent.

The Water Street Café is a great place for lunch or dinner. Highly recommended.

The Keg - Vancouver, Canada

2008-08-27T18:21:00.001-05:00

On the Road...

The Keg has been a Vancouver institution for over 20 years and it is encouraging to see a Vancouver restaurant chain that has lasted this long and is still doing well.

On one occasion, after work on a payday, the Critic and several co-workers of the now defunct-Sheraton Villa Inn in Burnaby visited the Keg and spent practically the whole paycheck on dinner, shots, and wine... the days of youth and irresponsibility!

The Critic hadn't visited the Keg for the same amount of time and it was a pleasant surprise to find the food still good, the ambiance friendly and a little more sophisticated than the rustic Canadiana of yore and the food was just as the Critic remembered it.

Mushrooms Neptune are STILL on the menu, as are the scallops wrapped in bacon, a perennial Keg favorite and classic. Stuffed with cream cheese and seafood, the mushroom caps are good in that comfort food kind of way and the scallops are tender morsels with the bacon giving them the needed kick, flavor wise. The Spinach and Crab dip was also tasty, again featuring cream cheese and the baked Goat Cheese was excellent, served with a cooked salsa that had just a little bit of picante.

Also (the Critic was accompanied by the MiniCritic) the Caesar Salad was ordered and a French Onion soup. The salad was so good that the MiniCritic, who detests salads, devoured half of it in record time - would that the Trotters could try it! The soup was hot, savory and covered in crouton and swiss cheese.

Good food, albeit a little heavy on the cheesy-creamy-thick side, with decent service and relaxed surroundings including several fireplaces along with a glass of Merlot made for a pleasant cool Vancouver evening.

Pappadeaux - Houston Airport

2008-08-27T18:10:00.000-05:00

On the Road...

If you have a layover at the airport in Houston, as the Critic did just a little while ago, of any considerable time, one option besides sitting around in those uncomfortable chairs with your eyes glazed over is to have a meal at Pappadeaux, the seafood restaurant owned by the Pappas people who also run a great steakhouse and a Greek restaurant as well if the Critic is not mistaken.

The service is fine, in that chirpy I'm Ricardo and I'll be your server today kind of way and the food while expensive is very good especially when one considers the myriad and mediocre fast food options available.

The Critic had the Blackened Redfish which came smothered with a shrimpy creamy sauce and was absolutely delicious and a very large portion too. Coconut shrimp were simply alright - you can get better at La Pigua in Campeche or Merida and the lobster bisque was satisfyingly rich but you wouldnt write home about it anytime soon.

There was no room for dessert, although they all looked delicious.

A good way to spend an hour or more in a pleasant setting enjoying some good food before getting on the plane and having to eat a tasteless microwaved sandwich, if you are lucky enough to get even that these days.

Regarding Service

2008-08-19T11:35:00.001-05:00

In response to the long comment on the Carreta Cubana II post, the Casual Restaurant Critic thinks it may be pertinent to answer this in 'post' form.

Service in Merida's restaurants is alright; it's just not professional in the gran mayoria de los casos and often a result of no one training anyone - there is no waiter's training program anywhere that the Critic is aware of. Too often personnel is hired with only minimum requirements: that they live close by, that they have a white shirt or something similar. Niggling details like not sticking your arm and the inevitable armpit in front of a restaurant patron while serving a plate (with the inevitable whiff of BO - really a horrible thing to have happen to you - or their Mennen Speed Stick - equally disagreeable) are rarely passed on to service personnel.

How do locals handle it? Well, in many cases people are not particularly concerned and have become accustomed to lackluster service. Merida is not Barcelona or Manhattan, so the dining options as well as the patrons do not have that level of sophistication or neuroses. Go with the flow is definitely the way to go.

To the Casual Restaurant Critic it is part of the charm of living in the Yucatan. You don't expect professional Smith and Wollensky service for the most part. (You do however expect professional service at Joe's Stone Crab and when they treat you like crap you let 'em have it and they try to make nice). Here waiters try, and usually do, a passable job. What is most upsetting to the admittedly neurotic foreigner is when hundreds of thousand of real dollars are invested in lighting, landscaping, architecture, menu printing, table linens, glassware, cutlery, kitchen equipment and advertising; and the owner hires a mediocre manager who hires even more mediocre service staff, some apparently culled from the garden staff, who have absolutely NO knowledge of gastronomy, what a Caesar salad might be, the difference between a salad and a dinner fork, white and red wine glasses, etc etc. And they don't train them either! That is unforgivable, in those particular cases.

As a foreigner thinking of moving to Mexico, one should definitely go with the flow, reduce expectations and learn to relax. It's not that important in the general scheme of things. And certainly not worth getting one's panties in a bunch.

La Carreta Cubana II

2008-08-13T09:58:00.000-05:00

From the sublime to the ridiculous might be the title of this post, in which the Casual Restaurant Critic, after visiting La Recova the other day, along with the BH and the MC dropped by La Carreta Cubana II for some Yucatecan food in the form of botanas which are served (as they are in Heladios and a million other cantina crossover restaurants in Merida) along with a drink order.

This local hangout, kind of run down and a little on the dirty side is tucked away in a neighborhood between Plaza Fiesta area and Prolongación Paseo de Montejo and is not worth seeking out. It may be a local favorite (at least for some locals) and it is cheap, but the food is nothing to write home about, the service is mediocre at best and the ambience is nil, a few notches below the point where charming becomes just plain ugly.

A round of beers means that you get a sampling of botana (snacks or tapas) which consisted of the following (more or less):

pickled beets
runny sikil pak (pumpkin seed and roasted tomato dip; it's not supposed to be THIS runny)
salsa
sliced white bread aka 'frances'
a mayonnaise-y dip
boiled and possibly pickled pigs ear, chopped
cold tortillas
other mysterious little plates of things

Are you smacking your lips yet? OK, admittedly this is not Nectar but still, the whole experience was less than satisfying. The plates are the beig colored plastic ones, some with cracks and chips along with a few porcelain cup saucers.

An order of relleno negro and cochinita came but it was completely un-exceptional and the cold machine made or store bought or whatever tortillas were a complete turn-off.

There are a billion places like this in Merida where the biggest draw is how cheap it is. This lunch was about $100 pesos. Cheap doesn't have to be synonymous with this however. Look at La Susana in Kanasin. It's ridiculously cheap but is nowhere near the dumpiness of this place.

If you want to try this traditional Yucatecan lunch, go to Heladios or Los Henequenes.

On a scale of one to five, this place rates a solid 1.

La Recova - Argentina Meets Montejo

2008-08-05T08:12:00.000-05:00

La Recova is a new Argentinian restaurant on Mérida's Prolongación de Montejo, smack dab in the middle of what the Casual Restaurant calls Taco Alley. You know, that part of street where you can find the taquerias El Cacique, Gabbos, Tacos PM, as well as the Yucatecan hold-outs in all their flourescent 75 watt tubular lighting splendor La Rosita and La Terracita Azul and where on a Friday or Saturday night when it's not temporada time, you can't find a parking space and traffic is crazy.

However, it is - at present - not temporada time for the Casual Restaurant Critic, since he cannot get away for 2 months just because the weather and tradition dictates it. Neither was it Friday or Saturday night and the destination was not tacos but to sample the new La Recova restaurant which looks quite modern and inviting from the outside in that new, taking-Merida-by-storm, minimalist way.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, the Critic was accompanied by the ever-lovely Better Half and of course the MiniCritic as well and although the mission was to reach Trotters for their Steak Au Poivre, it was decided - as La Recova appeared on the left - that you can't really go wrong with Argentinian beef.

If you, dear reader aka querido lector are saying "shut the hell up and get on with it!" you will have to be patient because the CRC woke up this morning feeling all inspired to write something and this is the result.

There is valet parking available for those too lazy to look for a spot themselves or to walk the distance necessary once they have found that spot. Or it's really busy and there really is not anywhere to park. Or you drive a pink Hummer and have to make an entrance.

But, on this Saturday afternoon with everyone at the beach working on their crowd management skills there was room nearby on Montejo and since the Critic as a rule does not employ the services of 'valet parkings' this time was no exception; it should be pointed out though that the guys at the valet parking stand actually acknowledged the presence of the Critic's party which was a hopeful sign being as it was the very first contact with the restaurant.

The hostesses (there were two) dressed in black were welcoming and friendly and quickly showed us to our table. Air conditioning was cold and welcome since it was extremely hot outside.

Drinks were ordered; nothing exotic or alcoholic and the Critic quickly ordered grilled asparagus with Parmesan cheese and Fontina cheese, melted. There are two options for the Fontina appetizer; smoked and regular, the Critic had the regular. These were very good; the Critic thought the asparagus was a little bitter but the melted cheese, served on a tomato slice and topped with a sweet red pepper, was outstanding.

The steaks, which was the whole purpose of the venture were ordered. There is a selection of Argentinian cuts on the menu that is actually quite extensive and incomprehensible but the waiter does a fine job of explaining everything. The Better Half was concerned that the waiter emphasized that her selection of steak had a lot of grasa, but the Critic thought he was friendly and courteous about it and it was a good idea since one can imagine the typical diner getting his or her steak and then exclaiming 'but it has FAT' like fat in beef was a bad thing. What did the Better Half order: Tira de Asado. The Critc will attempt to upload photos from a new phone. The Critic had the Bife - the quintessential Argentinian cut - while the MiniCritic ordered a pasta, the raviolis stuffed with goat cheese.

So how was the food? The Tira de Asado, besides being so huge that it lounges self-confidently on the plate like Tony Soprano in a bathtub with a cigar and scotch, is in the Critic's opinion a little chewy but that is the nature of that particular cut and there isn't a whole lot to be done about it. The Better Half was in heaven as were the dogs back home when the bone arrived! The Bife was outstanding, extremely tender and cooked perfectly. Accompanying both steaks was a garnish consisting of a zucchini slice, grilled, topped with some mashed potato, a cherry tomato and a sprig of romero. The raviolis came in a large bowl, in a generous portion that would make the Trotters blush and the sauce was so very delectable that the Critic had to savour it to the last drop it after the MiniCritic had devoured her pasta.

In spite of better judgement, desserts were offered and two were chosen, all in the name of research for this blog. Tiramisu, a gigantic cheesy concoction (made with real mascarpone cheese, the party was informed) that would have easily fed an entire refugee camp in the Sudan; and Flan Napolitano. There are photos of these two desserts, hopefully you are seeing them and not reading this! The Tiramisu lacked ladyfingers which the Critic believes are part of the original recipe and was just toooooooo much. Mascarpone or no, the cheese was too cheesy and the party of three soon had their arteries screaming in protest and could not be brought to finish it. The Flan was excellent and received a warmer reception from the party's cardiovascular systems. After dinner, the manager, whom the Critic knows, offered a dessert wine which was sweet, chilled and refreshing; much like a German Eiswein. Excellent.

Other notes: Service throughout is friendly (without being overly familiar - ie: Nectar where the waiter unfortunately feels the need to talk about how your business is coming along) and attentive (think Campay on those occasions when the waiter feels the need to prove his efficiency by pulling the plate from under your chopsticks as you pick up the last piece of sashimi).

Bread on the tables is warm and made in-house. Crisp white tablecloths throughout. Great air conditioning.

Large spaces set off by smaller spaces for groups and a great bar featuring a zillion types of alcoholic concoctions, a view of Montejo (the view is nothing to write home about but the Critic suspects that the idea is to be seen, rather than to see anything) and Mercer cigars as well as an ozone machine that sucks up the cigar smoke for those who just have to be there but are allergic to smoke... (hellooo?)

All in all, the Critic gives this place a solid 4.5. It could become a new all-time favorite!

Link: if you read Spanish, this will explain about Argentinian cuts of beef

Guru - Lebanese Restaurant Revisited

2008-06-23T09:20:00.000-05:00

Being as it was the weekend, the Critic's BH decided that the family should attempt to make a dent in the Guru restaurants Saturday buffet.

The buffet is a home made affair with the steam table ware a little haphazardly placed; as a result it's not easy to get to the food in some cases, which is also affected by the lack of readily visible serving spoons.

But the food is wonderful and everyone raved about it. There is a modest selection to choose from at the buffet but since it is Lebanese food, it is extremely filling and you really can't go nuts unless you are of course well-endowed in the digestive department. In the salad department, there is only one, a tabbouleh. The Critic assumes it is good, since the rules of engagement surrounding the preparation of a tabbouleh are beyond the scope of his knowledge base. There are two types of filled savory pastries; the one stuffed with leaves (grape?) and the other with meat. There is kibi crudo and bola. Garbanza and labne as well as berenjena aka eggplant. Rices abound. Cabbage rolls and little grape vine rolls stuffed with meat and rice.

It's all good! Tasty and homemade!

At $150 a head (not including drinks) it seems reasonable enough for the level of satisfcation that can be achieved for that amount.

Guru - New Lebanese Restaurant

2008-06-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

Guru is a new Lebanese restaurant that the Critic and a party had a chance to visit last night. You may have seen this restaurant, lit up at night with a bar right on the street in front of the Mouriño Pemex gas station, beside the Famous All Star restaurant which the Critic hopes never to have to visit, near the Golden Island casino, Merida´s largest. Hopefully that whole spiel will help you locate the Guru restaurant!

Since it was raining, the party sat inside, a large, extremely noisy room since it is completely furnished in all hard, sound-rebounding surfaces. Conversation was difficult and at times it was easier to just ignore the conversation since it took a real effort to read peoples lips across the table.

Service was great, the waiters were friendly, funny and always there to take away plates and/or bring things. The food was good; appetizers were ordered al centro which means the center of the table and everyone helped themselves. The arrachera plate was full of tender beef and loads of grilled sweet peppers. The kafta, a lamb skewer was delicious and the party raved about the kibi crudo, a raw meat dish famous in Lebanese food that is prepared by the individual with olive oil, raw onion, mint leaves, salt and pepper and eaten with soft Lebanese bread. Kibi bola was delicious, as were the empanadas.

A few glitches: flour tortillas were asked for to accompany the arracheras, but they were out. At dessert time, the popular pay de datil - date pie - was ordered but the party was informed that it also was no longer available either. At that moment, the owner, a friend of one member of the party, showed up and when she heard about the pie shortage, informed the party that she would go to her house and pick a few pies that she had in the oven (she is the chef). The pies arrived a short while later and if you can imagine a pecan pie, but made with dates, then you have the general idea. Warm and tender and extremely flavorful, the pie was out of this world. And the fact that the owner went out of her way to get it was unheard of!

The Critic would give the restaurant a 4, based on the food and the service, and will be back to sample the menu! The restaurant also features a Lebanese all you can eat buffet on the weekends, so that is another reason to return!

The Casual Restaurant Critic in Miami

2008-06-13T19:17:00.000-05:00

Florida that is.

Sometimes it's nice to get away and last weekend the Critic did just that, with his better half, and to get away they went to nearby Miami. The upside of Miami is that it is under 2 hours flying time away, a plus for the Critic who hates planes and the merest suggestion of turbulence. There is something unnatural about being at 30,000 feet, bumping around in a cloud bank, moving along at hundreds of kilometers and hour.

In Miami, besides the usual stops at shopping centers and malls, as well as just hanging out, there was some great restaurant sampling!

Shorty's BBQ - South Dixie Hwy, Dadeland Mall area

The Critic loves barbeque and this is a down and dirty, high volume restaurant complete with long wooden picnic tables, concrete floor and paper bags for your bones. Fingerlicking good ribs and the corn on the cob hot ans sweet and drenched in something resembling butter. Mmm good!

Latin Café

Another standout was the Latin Café - a chain of restaurants - serving Cuban food in a Cuban atmosphere complete with supercharged mojitos and friendly/surly wait staff. If you are in the mood for a torta cubana this is one of probably a million in Miami where you can get a good one. Slabs of roast pork, Spanish chorizo, Virginia ham and melted swiss cheese in a crispy toasted pan cubano is unbeatable here. It's the Latin 2000 and it's a sodium bomb so make sure you have access to liquids later on, because you will need them.

On a second visit, the Critic tried the masitas cubanas, which are marinated and fried chunks of pork, succulent, chewy and oh so good. Served with pickled white onions, a huge helping of congrí and tostones (crispy fried bananas) these were absolutely scrumptious. Highly recommended for those days when you need real sustenance and a serious shot of bad cholesterol.

Latin Café locations are all over Miami - the Critic visited the one on LeJeune near the airport and another location on Biscayne Ave, near Bayside Market.

Sushi Samba - Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

Another place that is well worth a visit is Sushi Samba on the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall. While the rest of the party had some OK rolls, the Critic opted for the waiter's suggestions, called Moqueque or something along those lines, which was a delicious seafood stew/paella/oriental combination, piping hot and featuring everything from shrimp and mussels to cashews and sprouts. All kinds of spices and condiments and then there is a luscious tender rice in the middle to soak up all the goodness. The photo hardly does the dish justice.

The green tea also deserves a mention, since they serve it with a bit of crushed fresh mint which gives it a real refreshing kick.

The Critic's Better Half had a lemonade which was so much better than a regular lemonade that everyone at the table had to have a sip.

Try this link to see pics of the restaurant!

Nothing like a little trip out of town to refresh the palate and inspire one to write good things about food and restaurants. Enjoy.

Chili's Altabrisa

2008-05-25T17:17:00.000-05:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic is deeply aware of the fact that no one wants to read reviews of this American chain restaurant. But since it is the only restaurant visited lately and something must be said about all the available options in Merida, here goes.

Chili's Altabrisa (in the new Altabrisa mall) is a notch above the Chili's located in Liverpool, where the Critic was amazed at how bad the service was. Here, in the sparkling new mall and across from the already reviewed Fogoncito taqueria, the service is a little better while the food is the same gringo fare found at the other locations.

The Critic's better half ordered her usual hamburger which was good enough (Carls Jr. is better), the MiniCritic ordered her favorite, cream of broccoli soup which she enjoys, and the curmudgeonly Critic ordered baby back ribs. All the food arrived without utensils of any sort and the party had to resort to hissing and whistling and finally just grabbing a bus person walking by to get some forks n knives. The burger was good, the soup was good, the ribs were OK (Friday's has better ribs). Basically they were dry and the extra sauce asked for when the food was brought to the table took an eternity to arrive.

An on the rocks "Top Shelf" Margarita was served without any of the problems and difficulties encountered at the Liverpool location and was delicious and refreshing as usual.

The bill was asked for and once the money had been placed in the little bill-thingie, it took another eternity to get the change back. Finally the party's waiter approached the table with the bill holder tucked under his armpit. However, he was distracted by the bus station and stopped to help roll up cutlery elegantly in wrinkled paper napkins (do not use the wrapping napkin to wipe your mouth - trust the Critic on this one). The Critic assumed he was going to do two or three to take to a table, but after watching him complete his seventh roll, he realized that the waiter had forgotten the change and bill holder in his armpit and so the waiter was called by name and he promptly came over with the bill at that point.

Please keep in mind that a Chili's hostess will attempt to sell you a 'membership card' that is good for 10% off your bill at any of the participating restaurants. There are about 8-10 listed of which one is in Merida. The rest are in the D.F. You decide if it is worth your while.

Again, nothing that Chili's did here made the Critic change his mind about the fact that this chain should be - with the notable exception of their great margaritas - near the bottom of your out-to-dinner list when in Merida.

Walk the Wok

2008-05-06T08:42:00.000-05:00

Merida has a new restaurant that you might want to check out if you are in 'el Norte', that part of town where all the action is.

The Casual Restaurant Critic first heard of this place in Plan B, that information-packed, Thursdays-only supplement in the local Diario de Yucatan newspaper. There was a catchy ad, and lo and behold, a whole page dedicated to the restaurant, which has, apparently, two locations on the entire planet: the first one, located in Amsterdam (Holland aka Netherlands for those geography-challenged, Left Behind readers) and now Mérida.

Amsterdam and Mérida share little else (understatement of the year, perhaps?) but now they share this cute little restaurant idea where the signage is funny, the food is interesting and they even have those little oriental food take out boxes complete with chopsticks.

It works like this - you pick your base, which can be rice or noodles, the latter of the rice or egg variety, which come with a bean sprout-y mix of basic veggies. Then, you add ingredients according to the contents of your wallet, the size of your appetite or your delusional thinking that you are a great chef and will invent something new. There is everything from shrimp to peanuts to choose from, each with it's own price. Finally, you have a choice of about 7 salsas or sauces to bind it all together. Black bean garlic, Thai curry and coconut, that sort of thing. The cashier takes your money while the cooks whip up your concoction right there and then in one of two enormous woks being slaved over behind a protective sheet of glass.

The result? Before you can finish a cigarette outside, your little boxes are ready to go. The
food itself, the Critic found a little bland. Of the three combinations ordered, the Shanghai sauce was the only one with enough kick to make it tasty. The other two were rather bland, in the Critic's humble opinion.

What about price you ask? Well, since you add your choice of ingredients and the prices are all over the map, you could probably eat cheap. The Critics meal, three orders for three people, two with shrimp and shiitake mushrooms, ran $250.00. Pesos of course.

On a scale of 1-5, the Critic rates this one a 3 for now. Take it or leave it.

Trotters Revisited

2008-03-25T09:48:00.000-06:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic has reviewed Trotter before (in 2005 and 2006) and so it's about time for an update.

Last night the CRC and his BH (you should know what the initials stand for by now) had a late, after work dinner at Trotters.

Turns out that Mondays are pretty quiet and you can get a table quickly and the waiters aren't rushed and... there is a wine special on. You get a discount of $200 pesos on any bottle of wine on their 'regular' list, which has some good ones, and $500 off per bottle on their short 'Gran Cava' wine list, which contains names like Chateau Jenesaisrien and others that are completely unfamiliar to the uneducated palate of the Critic.

In a nutshell, dinner was very good. A bottle of shiraz; cooked-to-perfection Steak au Poivre with hot, seasoned pommes frites; a refreshing watercress salad; steak medallions with an espresso crust (interesting but not as good as the steak au poivre) with creamy broccoli and roasted asparagus.

Desserts were of the oversized, cakey, heavy variety and after a steak dinner, it would have been just too much, so no desserts this time. Besides, on the one occasion when the desserts were sampled, they were not at all up to par with the rest of the menu.

A great night out in a spectacular room for $90.00 Not cheap, but a very agradable way to spend a couple of hours with someone you enjoy being with.

El Fogoncito - Altabrisa Mall, second (and third) visit

2008-03-24T08:24:00.000-06:00

Friends called up and said 'hey let's meet at Altabrisa mall for dinner and gossip - we can have dinner at Chili's'. With much trepidation, hesitation and consternation (considering the Critic's only-too-recent frozen experience with Chili's Liverpool) the Casual Restaurant Critic accepted, only for the chance to catch up with friends he hadn't seen in a while.

Lo and behold, upon arriving, the gods smiled on the group in the form of a darkened Chilis! But then the Critic realized that the gods have a sense of humor and that the smile was sarcastic, because directly in front of Chili's, the Fogoncito was all lights.

The Critic had been to the Fogoncito on a previous occasion or two and was still willing to give them the benefit of the opening-blues doubt. On this visit, the group of 7 was looked after in a timely fashion by a friendly waiter who seemed earnest, as did one of the managers who inquired as to how was the service, were orders taken, that kind of thing.

The food at the Fogoncito, as the Casual Restaurant Critic's 17 readers know by now, is in the Mexican taco genre, with meats, melted cheeses and red and green tomato salsas. Try the Sopa Azteca, which is a thick, savory, tomato-y broth with melted cheese, sliced avocado, crispy fried tortilla strips and a poblano chile floating on top. Bite into this chile at your own risk. It is by no means a challenger to the King of Chiles, el habanero yucateco, but it can be spicy. The Fogoncito's guacamole has been consistently excellent; fresh, green and chunky - the only caveat is the freshness of the tortilla chips that accompany the guacamole. There are always two (or more) chips that are noticeably soft and as the Mayans would say, sat's. Again, for a taco restaurant, soft tortilla chips that are supposedly crispycrunchy is unforgivable. The Critic had, on this occasion, something whose name escapes him at this writing but was a tortilla made of fried cheese, wrapped around a chopped pork chop with bacon. After eating this the Critic popped a vein and had to be taken to the Star Médica hospital nearby for a thorough artery cleansing. Kidding.

The margarita - on the rocks, not frozen - came in a highball glass, about two thirds full but was extremely heavy on the sweet syrup and the Critic couldn't finish more than a swallow or two. A Michelada (Sol, Tecate etc . no Coronas at the Fogoncito) was ordered instead, and that was very refreshing. Their horchata, with a dash of cinammon on top, is also the best in town.

So far so good. And it was. There was nothing to bitch about on this visit and the Fogoncito seemed well on the path to redemption in the Casual Critic's aging eyes.

* * * * * * *

But alas, all is not well in the land of the soft tortilla chip and the excellent horchata.

Another visit, a few nights later after a hard days' labor, resulted in a backslide for the Fogoncito, the Critic and his better half decided on a quick taco there. The table was greeted with a half-covered yawn by an exhausted waiter who commented that he was working a double shift. Nice of him to share that tidbit of information. The service went downhill from there. The food came out in shifts, with the arrachera accompaniments served along with the other people's main dishes, with the actual meat appearing several minutes later. Salsas were running low at one point and another waiter took the entire salsa structure (the multiple little bowls contraption), never to return. After much hand waving and trying to get the attention of a hearing-deficient head waiter (you can tell the difference by the color of their shirts) another, different waiter was convinced to provide fresh salsas, all the while the food waited since you can't enjoy a taco without salsas, right? Terrible service and again, the Fogoncito slipped down a couple of notches in the Casual Critic's humble opinion.

Speaking of Refried Beans

2008-03-12T08:40:00.000-06:00

The Onion, that online newspaper, had a funny headline the other day. You can read it here.

Chilis - Galería Liverpool Mall

2008-03-10T12:46:00.000-06:00

Oh what fun, it is to find, such a lousy place to trash!

Chili's with the Mini-Critic. She was hungry, the Critic was not. The Critic asked for a Margarita, not a regular one mind you, but a "Top Shelf Margarita". The photo showed a frosty glass mug, salt rimmed and the margarita with ice. Perfect for thirst quenching after a nice MSG-infused lunch at Win Fa in the Gran Plaza!

The waiter came back after an eternity with the naranjada for the Mini-Critic. A while later, the margarita appeared, slushy as a 7-11 Slurpy. Not what he ordered, the Critic took one sip and then called the waiter. You can't quench your thirst with a slushy, thick Slurpee.

The Critic waved his arm to get the attention of the waiter who was busy talking to one of the eight other waiters and waitresses in the barely-occupied restaurant. "I wanted this on the rocks, like in the photo. Not 'frozen'"

A puzzled look came across the waiter's face. "Asi vienen" he said. (this is how we make them). No, the photo indicates otherwise and the description reads 'frozen or on the rocks'. So he took the drink and was gone for a while before he came back, with the same drink and said that that was how they were made (yes, already said that) and if the Critic wanted another one, he - the waiter - would have to pay for that one.

So whatever. The Critic, still thirsty ordered another one, on the rocks, and said to charge him or not, whatever. "Can I take this one then?". "Yes, please do." A long while later, another margarita appeared, this one on the rocks and delicious.

More hand waving to get the order for food.

The Mini-Critic's sandwich arrived; unfortunately the fries were from earlier as demonstrated by their soft texture and luke warm temperature. The Critic had already given up on Chili's by this point, so no further complaining was in store for the absent minded, nervous and completely clueless person masquerading as a waiter.

He then had a flash of inspiration gleaned perhaps from a moment when he was paying attention during the training process and came to the table to ask "Is everything alright with your sandwich, Miss?". This was so contrived that the Mini-Critic almost lost her mouthful of food, trying not to laugh outright.

More hand waving for the bill. The bill one gets at the table has a space for adding the tip, before they take one's credit card and that bill to run it into the cash register. This is different and since the letters are so small, the blind Critic can no longer read and so was told by the waiter that if he wanted to leave a tip then that was the time and the place to put it was on the bottom of that little bill. He waited patiently at the Critic's side while a 10% amount was filled in. On this bill is a note regarding comments and an email address. Great! The Critic can write to someone about the wonderful service!

Off he went and soon the receipt was on the table and the ordeal was over. On the receipt that they leave you, there is mention of comments and no email address, that bill stays in the restaurant. They must really be interested in your opinion, so be sure to whip out your laptop in the time you have between them taking that bill and you getting your other receipt.

And yes, they charged the Critic BOTH margaritas, although they did take the frozen one away.

Clueless waiters (they can however, spin menus and bill holders on one finger, always impressive), formulaic gringo food that is served lukewarm and a terrific policy on handling waiter's screwups (charge the client!!) makes Chili's a place to avoid. The Critic gives it a solid 1.

Casa de Piedra restaurant - Hacienda Xcanatun

2008-03-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

After a long hiatus, the Casual Restaurant Critic had the opportunity to re-visit the restaurant at the luxurious Hacienda Xcanatun, located in the village of, you guessed it, Xcanatun, just off the Merida-Progreso highway.

The restaurant is still beautiful, the chef is relatively new (at least since the last visit by this Critic many moons ago) the food is both exciting in it's combinations of flavors and textures, and the service is still hugely deficient, taking into consideration the quality of the room and the cuisine.

Why is the Critic such a rag on service? Because it seems that it is that one elusive detail that restaurants in Merida just can not get right. The owners of many a Merida restaurant spend good money on decorating, menu-planning, lighting, getting a great chef, even hiring valet parking in some cases. Then, when it comes to probably the most important (ok for some neurotic people like the Critic) detail, the human interaction between everything just mentioned and the guest, there is little or not enough effort made to ensure that the concept comes full circle.

In the case of this visit to Xcanatun, the Critic's lovely better half had arranged a reservation asking for a nice table. Upon arrival, one of the wait staff consulted with the reservation book at the entrance and there was indeed a reservation; however, no table was offered. Instead, the waiter asked 'where would you like to sit?' which, when the table was chosen, turned out to be a table that was not ready and so the party stood around the table as the waiters changed tablecloths and set the table. Imagine this happening in a good restaurant someplace else? You make a reservation and then are told to sit wherever you like? The Critic doesn't think so.

Service throughout the meal was adequate, but the lack of professionalism was further highlighted by the truly spectacular food promised by the menu and delivered by the chef and kitchen staff. On the one hand you have food truly worthy of accolades and groans of satisfied pleasure, while on the other you have to suffer the distraction of inferior service; service that could be found in any where in Merida, from Friday's to El Fogoncito.

The Critic would like to stress that the service is not horrendous, but it is at a a level so much lower than the food that this creates a real clash. Of course, there are people to whom this is not important, but it seems a shame that Merida can not seem to boast at least one completely first-class restaurant. Another great and innovative restaurant, Nectar, suffers the same problem, as does the showy Trotter's, the other night's Casa de Frida, and these, along with Xcanatun, are among Mérida's best culinary experiences.

But the food! Still reeling from the delectable duck with mole sauce at La Casa de Frida, the Critic asked for Magret de Pato, which was a meaty duck breast, crunchy, succulent and sliced and, as a friend would say, to die for. Accompanied by perfectly sauteed onions that still had their bite, a sweet fruity reduction and some shredded meat which the Critic cannot place (was it duck or pork?). Blame it on the wine.

Before that main dish, there were some appetizers ordered, of which the Critic sampled and can highly recommend the deep fried won tons and their accompanying dipping sauce (a special that day), the ceviche de atun with sweet potato chips adding crunchy texture, and the chicharrón soup with a hint of tequila, which was like sipping the delicious gravy of the best roast leg of pork you have ever had; thick, savory and satisfying.

The desserts were also very good, the pay de limón was refreshingly balanced between tart and sweet and the apple pie was delicious.

If you enjoy exquisitely prepared food, and can put aside the distraction of the service, you must try the Casa de Piedra restaurant at Xcanatun.

Casa de Frida - Mexican Food in Merida´s Centro

2008-03-06T10:41:00.000-06:00

The Casual Restaurant Critic has not eaten anywhere in downtown Mérida for eons it seems, and there is mention everywhere about the wonderful-ness of the Casa de Frida restaurant, on 61 between 66 and 66a in the formerly white city, so it was exciting to be able to try this restaurant with some Canadians who wanted to try the "chiles en nogada" that the restaurant is famous for.

After a 15 minute delay trying to find parking - the lot mentioned in Yucatan Today had a large 'Solo Pensionados' sign which the Critic obeyed without question, respectful of authority as he is known to be, and forgetful of the mention of a buzzer - a spot was found on the street, about 2 blocks away, and the Critic and his ever-more-lovely Better Half was seated comfortably under a starlit sky with a boisterous group of Canadians from Quebec. The couple at the next table were assured that their quiet dinner was going to be a bit louder than they had perhaps expected.

The Critic's overall impression of the restaurant was that it is a comfortable, welcoming ambience with details alluding to it's namesake scattered throughout with lots of bright blue and yellow paint everywhere.

There was far too much gossip going on for any inspection of the menu, and when everyone at the table ordered the 'chiles' the Critic just had to try something else. No appetizers were ordered. A quick look at the limited menu items available as main courses, the duck and mole option caught the Critic's eye.

After a few copas of red Chilean wine and much chatter, the dishes arrived, not before several orders of camarones al mojo de ajo (garlic shrimp) made their sizzling and overpoweringly fragrant way past the table, making everyone's tastebuds tickle with anticipation.

The chiles en nogada are exceptional. The Critic's Better Half was in heaven and declared them the best she has ever tried, anywhere, including Puebla, from where the dish originates. The Canadians too were rapturous and cleaned their plates contentedly. Meanwhile, the Critic had before him a breast of duck, covered in rich red/chocolate colored mole sauce, served alongside a small bed of steaming white rice, perfectly cooked. It is hard to describe mole but one could start by pronouncing it correctly (MOH-lay) because when you read it in English, it sounds like a rodent thing. The Critic was blown away by this exquisite home-made mole, it's sweet, spicy, thick smoky flavor - and the portion size was perfect. Of course the Critic shared the duck and managed to obtain in return, a bite size morsel of the chile and it was fabulous.

Afterwards, the out of towners were treated to Xtabentun, an almond tart (the sliced almonds on top were toasted and still warm as they rested atop the smooth, not too sweet tart) and got to meet the chef, Gabriela, who received a round of enthusiastic applause from the table.

As for the rest, the service was, in the Critic's humble opinion, a little slow on the uptake; not keeping their eyes on wineglasses and the table in general. When something was needed - another glass of wine, another Xtabentun, the bill - one had to get the attention of one of the 3 or 4 waiters working the three tables occupied at the time.

The overall experience was very good and the Critic will be back, with more time to actually look at the menu, sample some appetizers and perhaps another main course. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, the Critic gives Frida's Casa a solid 4.5 which is almost perfect. The food certainly is!

Sushi Itto - Second Visit Confirms First

2008-03-05T07:20:00.000-06:00

Whatever doubts the Casual Restaurant Critic had as to the impression received from his first visit, these were dispelled by a recent second attempt. Again, the service was lackluster, the food - salmon sashimi, some rolls - was good but not excellent and the overall experience was, in a word, eeeh.

Or is it ehh. You know the sound you make, lifting up a corner of your mouth and shrugging your shoulder as if to say 'whatever'.

That's it!

Whatever.

Cuban Grill - Gran Plaza Mall

2008-02-12T13:05:00.000-06:00

There is a new place to eat in the Gran Plaza (actually, there are several new ones, but the Critic has a limited budget and who wants to spend it all on mall food, even if it is for research) called Cuban Grill, specializing in, you guessed it, Cuban food.

Tired of Win Fa (reviewed earlier on this site) the Critic and his Mini Critic visited the Cuban Grill for lunch the other day. What was found was a rather un-Cuban employee who stared back at the Critic with boredom, then offered some samples. Un-Cuban because you imagine a Cuban to be a little more lively. It was rather disconcerting to receive, from the naked hand of this sallow-faced employee, samples of their dishes placed precariously on toasted banana chips. Who knows where those hands have been...

They have Congrí, the traditional black beans and rice (or rice with black beans, depending on your point of view), which in this case is rather tasteless. The Critic had this, along with the garbanzo beans fried with chicken or pork, the Critic was unable to tell, and the afore-mentioned banana chips. The employee took great care to accommodate it all on an optimistically over sized Styrofoam platter, spreading the garbanzo dish carefully like peanut butter to make sure it covered the area it was supposed to and looked like more than it actually was.

All in all, it was a lackluster choice; the garbanzo dish was quite simple, which means it didn't really taste like much and the rice n beans was no better. That, and the lackluster attention received from the fellow behind the counter, made for a truly unspectacular lunch. The price? Under $40.00 for one person, which includes a can of soda.

From 1 - 5, this new place receives a solid 1. A waste of time, calories and money.

Fogoncito - Altabrisa Mall

2008-02-10T14:24:00.000-06:00

There is a new taqueria in town, El Fogoncito, and it is yet another chain from Mexico City. They have a few locations around town and their newest one, the most ambitious in terms of actual real estate occupied is located at the entrance to the brand-smacking new Altabrisa Mall, located in, um, Altabrisa.

For those of you not from the area, Altabrisa is the newest area to be developed commercially in Merida, and it's all new. There's some higher end residential areas, the Altabrisa Mall built by the Gran Plaza people, the Star Medica hospital, the huge IMSS hospital and more. Car dealerships have all built spectacular outlets along the Altabrisa route, which is the street that winds its way from Plaza Fiesta (remember that mall!!?!?!) to the periférico and eventually Cholul.

A lunch at the Fogoncito on opening day left much to be desired. While the tacos are good, they are tacos and you can get a great taco anywhere, really. The 'chiste' or what makes or breaks a taco place, is the service, the salsas and the location. Here the Fogoncito, on their first day open, fell flat on their face. Service was spotty, with one section of the table (there were 10 people) getting their food order taken and actually getting their food before the other half even got the waiter's attention. The food came out in spurts (sounds disgusting, sorry) and everyone got something different from what they ordered which turned out to be a simple case of the wrong dish for the wrong person. Once that was cleared up, everyone got what they ordered. Wait staff (lots of different people) came and went, reaching across people to pick up dirty dishes and used paper napkins, setting down drinks beside the coaster that was waiting for the glass to be set on it. Much confusion all around in spite of the fact that there were about 30 to 40 wait staff people in the whole restaurant; it seemed that only 3 or 4 actually had any training before the doors opened.

The salsas? Completely unremarkable, most tasted like something you might get by opening a bottle or a tin. The food was alright, nothing to really write home about. The Critic had a selection of tacos on a platter, all of which were fine, but again, nothing special. The grilled cheese (a crispy flat roll - it's supposed to be that way) served as an appetizer was indeed crispy but besides salty, devoid of flavor. The guacamole was good but some of the tortilla chips were soft, and mixed in with others that were crisp, which makes one suspect all kinds of unpleasant things involving leftover tortillas chips and... Soft tortilla chips is a deal breaker in a taco place. I mean, really.

One thing that the Critic found really delicious was the horchata. Served with ice and with cinnammon sprinkled on top, it was, ITCHO (in the Critic's Humble Opinion) the perfect consistency and flavor.

On a scale of 1-5, the Fogoncito, this one at least, gets a 2. Don't bother wasting your time, calories or pesos here just yet. Let's wait a few months and see if things improve.

Las Gordas de Doña Gorda - Gran Plaza Mall

2008-02-10T14:12:00.001-06:00

A newer option for a quick lunch at the mall is Las Gordas de Doña Gorda, which recently opened in the space formerly occupied by Crazy Pizza. That place served pizza that was so crazy that they didn't sell enough to warrant paying such a high overhead.

Anyway, if you are not familiar with the concept of gordas or gorditas, a word usually used to affectionately describe the wife (it means chubby, fatty and really is a term of endearment here), these are fat corn tortillas, cut in half, heated on a grill and then split so that they are hollow and can be stuffed. Fillings include things like cheese and roasted poblano chile strips, chorizo and potato, pork etc. The success or not of your gordita eating experience depends on who cooked those fillings and their degree of proficiency in making them extremely tasty.

The gordas in the mall are good, without reaching mouthgasm inducing levels of lip-smacking goodness. What makes them attractive is that they are very cheap. At about 10 pesos a pop, you can eat 3 or 4 of these and be very satisfied. Beware that the chile salsas that accompany the gordas are hot and that, in combination with the fact that the fillings are pre-cooked and kept at room temperature while they wait to be stuffed into the corn tortilla, can make your stomach have a violent reaction between 12 and 24 hours later.

Open during regular mall hours, from 10 am to 9 pm, next to Burger King in the food court on the second level of the Gran Plaza.

Sushi Itto - Another Sushi Option

2008-01-05T20:19:00.000-06:00

Sushi has, in the past few years, become very popular among Yucatecans and Mérida now boasts several restaurants catering to fans of Japanese food. The one caveat you should be aware of is that the predominant feature of Yucatecan sushi is not so much fish as it is cream cheese. The newly opened Sushi Itto, a chain restaurant based in central Mexico, is no exception.

Located on the Prolongacion de Montejo, in a space formerly occupied by a tanning salon that for some strange reason didn't take, Sushi Itto is a modern-looking minimalist room with high ceilings and lots of red and black.

The sushi here is a hybrid and has been extremely successful throughout Mexico, mixing traditional japanese preparation methods and ingredients with food items more readily identifiable as Mexican, like chiles, arracheras and the like.

The Casual Restaurant Critic went for lunch on a warm day, shortly after their opening, and found the restaurant full, even with no air conditioning (it was apparently experiencing some malfunction). The Critic and Co. tried some of their signature dishes whose names escape him at the moment, but one of them was a roll with beef arrachera which unfortunately featured a large piece of unchewable gristle.

Portions were medium sized, not particularly large or small. The soya sauce is the kind mixed with lemon juice so you will have to ask for 'normal' soya if you don't like the sour kind. The food was tasty, but the Critic didn't see what all the fuss was about. Nothing special.

The service was, as usual for Mérida, average at best. Managers strolled about imperiously; interacting with the clients was obviously not part of their mandate.

Would the Critic return? Not any time soon, nothing stands out that would make a return trip likely or desireable.

On a scale of 1 - 5, this Itto gets a 3. Take it or leave it.

Club Med Archeological Villas Uxmal

2007-12-29T21:28:00.000-06:00

Don't bother with the restaurant at the Club Med's hotel at the Uxmal ruins! This is the advice of the Casual Restaurant Critic after a visit a few days ago to the great Mayan ruins.

With a small group of people, the Critic figured - based on a positive past experience and the fact that a French-run restaurant catering to a demanding European clientèle must have decent food - that the best lunch would be at the Club Med's "Villas Arqueologicas". Well, the Critic was wrong.

The small group of four ordered plain spaghetti, (without the Bolognese sauce as described on the menu), avocado with shrimp, guacamole, a Spanish omelette without chorizo for the group vegetarian and a Caesar salad. The shrimp served in an avocado was apparently very good (the Critic didn't partake since it wasn't a large dish for sharing), the guacamole fresh and tasty, but the Caesar salad was an absolute mess. Little bits of white Iceberg lettuce instead of green Romaine, flattened in the center of a small plate, and garnished with toasted bread triangles and boiled egg quarters around the edge. The Critic didn't recognize anything even remotely Caesar about this salad. The omelette was alright and the plain spaghetti was garnished with chopped parsely and had to be sent back to have the offending vegetable removed, since what was wanted was plain spaghetti, no more, no less. Not a difficult request, really. The most offensive platter was the Critic's own, the Poc Chuc. A piece of marinated pork slathered in red achiote sauce, served with the typical scoop of overcooked white rice, a dollop of black beans with some rubbery (not crunchy but rather, flexible) corn tostadas, soggy boiled vegetables and some salsa. This Poc Chuc was unlike any the Critic had ever eaten. Only the meat was really edible.

As for service, it seemed like the waiters were on Valium or something; they moved, talked and reacted as if sedated. Not particularly friendly, they seemed almost unable or unwilling to understand the Critic who was doing the ordering for the group. The Critic has lived in the Yucatan for 20 years and has quite passable Spanish, but from time to time, in out of the way places far from the city of Merida, this tends to happen a lot. It's almost like some of the locals don't coordinate what they are seeing (a blond Canadian) with what they are hearing (Yucatecan accented Spanish). At least this it the theory the Critic's Better Half proffered on one such occasion. The tortillas never arrived. The question "son hechas a mano" (are they made by hand) had to be repeated three times, each time slower than before, in order to be understood.

As for the restaurant itself, it's OK. There was no option for air conditioning, and so the group sat near the tiny pool under a fan, which was alright.

The restaurant gets a score of 2 out of 5. Don't bother; try some of the other offerings.

Villa Italia - Italian

2007-11-28T14:41:00.000-06:00

A week or two ago, the Casual Restaurant Critic had the opportunity to visit, along with his better half and another happy couple, Villa Italia after a long hiatus. The first visit to Villa Italia many moons ago resulted in a poor rating for the Villa, when the staff was beyond indifferent and the food was, as the kids here say these days, "equis" which means it was just whatever.

On this occasion, there was an actual hostess and the group had the pleasure of having a friendly, proficient waiter. The restaurant itself has undergone several renovations, featuring a semi-enclosed area near the street and large additional rooms in the back. Villa Italia has had staying power over the many years it has been on the Merida restaurant scene, and all this renovation proves the point.

The waiter suggested to the Critic that he try one of the daily specials, which was rabbit. Since one can't eat rabbit in Merida every day, the Critic decided against the pasta winking at him from the menu opted for the bunny. Seasoned, grilled and served with real vegetables and some grilled potatoes, it was a little on the dry side but very flavorful and something different for a change. Others in the party had salads and pastas, all of which looked and (according to them) tasted very good. Presentation was good; perhaps the table was a little small for 4 people.

While there was really nothing to write off as positively negative (!) and the Critic and Party enjoyed the experience, Villa Italia remains in a strange kind of gastronomic limbo in that it is not so unbelievably good that it's worth raving about, nor is it so absolutely awful that it is worth trashing. Perhaps another visit is in order to try the pastas.

Take it or leave it. From one to five, the Villa gets, from this Critic, a 3.

La Tradicion - Revisted

2007-11-15T12:08:00.000-06:00

If there is one thing the Critic likes, it is his Yucatecan food. And so, along with his better half, he visited once again the Yucatecan La Tradicion, where chef David Cetina whips up authentic and non-pretentious cuisine from Yucatecan family recipes.

As in the last visit, the food this time around was absolutely wonderful; scrumptious queso relleno, hearty lomitos de valladolid, classic papadzules and crispy/chewy well seasoned longaniza. The Critic cannot find a flaw with the food.

The excellent service, such a rarity in Merida, was friendly, efficient and fast.

In fact, the only miniscule detail in detriment to the restaurant's rating, were the saucers (think cups and saucers) placed on the table as side dishes, but this is so common that the Critic has almost given up on this niggling detail.

The Casual Restaurant Critic maintains La Tradicion at a solid 4.5 out of 5.

Flamingo's Seafood Restaurant - Progreso

2007-11-03T09:33:00.001-06:00

Last week, Critic and some guests had a late (3:30pm) lunch at the Flamingos seafood restaurant, located on the malecón in Progreso.

The restaurant, a large room with an open kitchen and a view to the Gulf of Mexico was packed with locals, a lot of them sporting nametags which seemed to indicate that they were with some sort of convention or at least on company business. The Critic mentions this only to give the reader a better picture of what was happening, since the service was rushed and slow at the same time, if you get the idea. Rushed in that the waiter almost bounced while taking the order and slow in that it took him forever to get there in the first place.

The Critic's group heartily approved the frozen margaritas and piña coladas and ordered several to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. Apparently it wasn't. Along with the drinks came the requisite mini-servings of botana (snacks) which accompany every round of drinks in every restaurant on the Yucatan coast. At Flamingos, these were the hard corn chips, refried beans, ceviche, sikil-pak (pumpkin seed, roast tomato, cilantro paste for dipping) and fresh cut jicama strips with lemon squeezed on top and a dash of chile powder.

As for food, the Critic had a small 'back to life' mixed seafood cocktail, which was good but by no means an OMG moment; the rest of the group had San Francisco shrimp, featuring melted cheese on top - which by the looks of the clean plates were delicious - and Shrimp in Normanda' sauce, which was a white sauce, again with melted cheese as well as onions, bacon and other goodies in addition to the shrimp. Both plates were served with white rice and some steamed vegetables of the local variety. `

Only one person in the party had room for the desserts and ordered bananas flambé; one banana, split down the middle and served in its skin, flamed in liquors but not at the table which was a little bit dissappointing since some sort of show was expected but then it was just brought out. Maybe at night, when the setting is a little more laid back, they actually flame them tableside? The Critic doubts it since this requires a little more training in the waiter department and some sort of little cart and other utensils that were nowhere in sight.

Overall impression? Ehh. Nothing particularly wonderful. On a scale of 1-5, this is a middle of the road 3.

San Bernardo de Sierna de Don Juanito - Valladolid

2007-10-28T21:21:00.000-06:00

The other day, the Critic was invited to Valladolid to have lunch with friends. The restaurant chosen is the oldest restaurant in Valladolid, and it's a mouthful in itself: San Bernadino de Sierna de Don Juanito.

Apparently Don Juanito is now in his 70's and the Critic didn't have a chance to meet him, but did get a glimpse of his shotgun hanging on the wall, as well as a photograph of him carving up a roast pig on one occasion when the restaurant, still twice the size it is now, was filled with 2,000 people. The waiter informed the Critic's party of this fact; no historical sources were researched to authenticate this nugget of information. 2,000 people does seem like a lot... Also, the Critic's party members were intrigued by the stuffed 'pavo de monte', a pheasant like bird common to the Yucatan at some point, in an unlit glass case in one dark corner. The Critic suggested perhaps it was some offering to coincide with the Day of the Dead celebrations coming up, but the waiter informed everyone that the owner had shot this bird many many years ago and then had it stuffed.

The menu is ample and there is probably something for everyone. The Critic's party however, came for the Yucatecan food and for this hungry party of 5, the waiter suggested bringing out plates of all the Yucatecan dishes on the menu (there weren't that many after all, and the Critic's favorite, queso relleno, was reserved for Sundays only) and this was agreed on.

So, after getting plates, cutlery wrapped in a paper napkin and some watery agua de lima (lime water) with ice, the dishes arrived. The papadzules, soft corn tortillas stuffed with egg and covered with pumpkin seed sauce and tomato sauce, were delicious as was the brazo de reina, a corn masa loaf made with chaya (spinach-like vegetable very common in Yucatecan back yards) and also served with the previously mentioned sauces. The lomitos de Valladolid (small pork chunks cooked in a tomato-y sauce and seasoned to perfection were very good, while the poc chuc - a marinated and very flat strip of pork - was extremely tasty but unfortunately also cooked to the point of shoe leather. Cochinita pibil and it's feathered cousin, pollo pibil, which is essentially the meat seasoned with annato seed paste among other things and baked in banana leaves in underground pits, were also quite good, with the chicken getting mixed reviews from the others in the party. The Critic's personal favorite was the longaniza, the chorizo like sausage Valladolid is known for. Fried, it was crispy crunchy on the outside and smoky and flavorful on the inside. Wonderful in a hot tortilla all by itself with a dash of habanero chile salsa on top for an extra kick

A big disappointment were the tortillas, which arrived luke-warm and had to be sent back to be nuked in a microwave. Also, they were not hand made, but rather the assembly line stamped by a machine variety which are so common these days.

After dinner Xtabentun, a local liquor, was not available, since they had "just run out."

The service was excellent, the waiter most attentive and informative without being overly familiar as is occasionally the case when Mexican waiters are dealing with tourists.

Bathrooms are in pretty bad shape, considering that this is supposed to be a tourist town. They are not clean and there is no place for garbage as in paper towels when you have dried your hands. The toilets are of the hover variety, which means they haven't bought toilet seats so you have a choice of hovering or placing the delicate white skin of your buttocks directly on the unwashed porcelain. There is no flushing of toilets with paper permitted; the standard battered plastic bucket with used toilet tissue from previous visitors stands at the ready, presumably waiting for you to finish hovering. The soap dispenser, on the other hand, is electrically motivated, completely at odds with the rest of the 'ambience' and will make you jump when you place your hand under the dispenser and a light comes on, a motor whirrs and liquid soap squirts into your hand.

This restaurant is not bad, but has deteriorated since the Critic last visited it. What is needed is a thorough cleaning and revamping of the building itself with a special emphasis on the bathrooms since this will gross most people out. The menu is not bad but tries to cover too much ground and should be whittled down to emphasize the Yucatecan dishes; in addition, the Critic would capitalize on the fact that if it is indeed the oldest in Valladolid, the restaurant is practically a historical site and should be promoted along with the story of the owner.

And they might want to think about buying another bottle of Xtabentun.

SAN BERNARDO DE SIERNA DE DON JUANITO
CALLE 49 #227 X 48 Y 50 BARRIO DE SISAL
(985) 856 46 53

Rating? On a scale of 1-5, this restaurant currently gets a 2.