Las Guacamayas, El Toro Guerro, & The Container

Settled in Cabo, and on an eating spree with my family in town, we hit a few local favorites!

Let's start with Las Guacamayas- authentic Mexican street food in a very casual outdoor setting, that may even be cheaper than eating at home. At least I know I can't replicate these dishes without slaving away for hours, not to mention finding out where to buy and how to set up a pork slow roaster...but if you can lmk and please invite me!

My absolute favorite Mexican food is "tacos al pastor". Small handmade tortillas with adobo marinated pork that's been slow roasting for hours on a spit with a pineapple on top releasing its juices and breaking down any meat toughness with its enzymes. Add to that some "cebollitas de chambray"- lime & Maggi marinated and roasted onions- and you have sent your tastebuds to another planet. 

The melted cheese, or "queso fundido" is one of the few cheese references I'll make when it comes to real Mexican food. Don't get me started on nachos and that yellow string cheese on all the Tex Mex stuff. 

My parents had the arrachera- tender, thin steak with rice, beans, and tortillas- and my brother had some tacos and a sope, which is a thicker handmade tortilla with pork or meat, typically some lettuce and salsa. The best sopes are small pancake-like...this one was right on the thickness but long. 

They also have amazing horchata (rice water, like rice milk but ice cold, and cinnamon-y), and Jamaica (hibiscus) water, which in my opinion is the only way to fight off the burn from really hot/spicy food.

It is now my go-to place when I'm craving salty, meaty, goodness, and I can't wait to do a long training day and then come pig out here for less than $15. 

Being right on the water, Cabo has amazingly fresh seafood. My family and I have always loved all fish and shellfish, so we asked a dozen locals where the best place was and hands down the vote went to El Toro Guerro. 

The huge clams and oysters were to die for, and the ceviche and shrimp/octopus cocktail were perfectly seasoned/marinated. The atmosphere is also outdoors and very casual, though a bit pricier of course, as seafood tends to be. 

In contrast to these local hot spots, The Container is a nicer, more touristy restaurant in Puerto Los Cabos. The Kitchen is built from a ship container, and the seating is all outdoors on a lovely deck with live music overlooking the Marina. 

Their menu will please seafood and meat lovers, as well as accommodate vegetarians. It's locally sourced, seasonal ingredients bring out the best flavors. 

The red snapper on a bed of rice and sautéed vegetables was flawless. 

Cabo, Mexico!

Well I got back from Cabo last week, and wanted share some of the highlights of the trip.

My mom and I stayed at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar, and it is now on my list of favorite resorts- actually tied in first with the Ibero Gran of Playa del Carmen. The service was incredible! The people in Cabo prove the psychological impact such environmental beauty and tranquility has on attitude and outlook- I don't know where else I've seen so many kind and happy people:)

The food at the Sheraton was really good, though we didn't eat at the various restaurants they have on site because we didn't get the all inclusive purposefully in order to venture into town after spending most of the day in the resort. However, we did have breakfast included and it was a wonderful buffet of made-to-order omelettes, a station of hot items (scrambled eggs, chilquiles, beans, potatoes, roasted veggies), a granola/cereal station, fresh Abuelita hot chocolate, fruit station, and bagel/toast section....not to mention the fresh squeezed juices and mimosas (I don't know how people can drink at 8am!). A couple of times for lunch my mom had the ceviche and once I ordered the seared ahi with salad and vegetables- total hits. My observations and brief conversations with the waitstaff led me to believe that the hotel understands and really tries to implement healthy cooking.

 The first night we went out to the Marina which is in Cabo San Lucas. **A brief layout: "Cabo" in its entirety is a stretch along the ocean called "the corridor" from the town of San Jose del Cabo, from which a bit south/east leads to Puerto Los Cabos, to Cabo San Lucas (where notably the Marina, and nightlife are located). Most of the resorts are along the corridor- the Sheraton is kind of in the middle, but closer to the Marina**

Despite my Trip Adviser search, we weren't sure where to eat, we just knew we wanted seafood. So as we were walking through the Puerto Paraiso mall trying to figure out the exit that leads to the Marina, we asked a lady for help and she happened to be the director of the Marina, Francia Olmos, and originally from Panama City- which we were just in. Needless to say, we hit it off and she joined us for dinner. It was awesome to get her insight on moving to Cabo, and hear her stories of all she's seen/experienced during her time working there. Francia, took us to a gem of a seafood restaurant called Pochos. The staff surpassed excellence. At one point I was shivering a little and the waiter noticed and brought me a blanket. The food was equally amazing, so much that we went back the second night.

After we tired of seafood, I had a big craving for authentic Mexican food. I may be Mexican but rarely eat classic Mexican dishes, especially when at 9/10 places in the US they're Americanized. So, I did thorough research for this one, and we ended up at Mi Casa. It has grown from just a few tables and word of mouth traffic, to a huge three levels of dining areas. They even have a gift shop on site, where I bought this cool bracelet! A local lady makes them by hand from real leather and she happens to have a store in San Diego but sadly the register girl didn't know the name of it.

Mi Casa is also in Cabo, just past the Marina, near Pedregal (a very wealthy, private residential community that's adjacent to the exclusive Capella Pedregal Hotel- which not surprisingly is supposed to have an incredible restaurant that you can bet I'll be trying and blogging about asap).We also dined here two nights in a row haha, and both times my mom had the chicken mole, and I had the carnitas with fresh handmade tortillas, guac, salsas galore, and plantains. We capped that off with the delicious flan. By the way, if you want a replacement for chocolate and wine- try flan and wine...you're welcome;)






After our second time at Mi Casa, we walked around and found a Tequila Store that was way cool!  Cabo Unico educated me on the hisotry and process of tequila, and gave me a new found appreciation for this craft.

  The second to last night, we went to Nicko San for sushi. They have two locations- one in Palmilla (another exclusive area on the corridor), and one in Cabo. We went to the one in Palmilla, as my mom had seen it earlier that day and mentioned the killer ocean view. The design of the restaurant is super chic/modern. They have an outdoor lounge that on weekends and some week nights gets quite "club-y".  The sushi was good, but extremely overpriced. I'll pay almost $30 for a roll or chirashi but they better be substantial and outstanding. When you've had a chirashi at Chelsea Market in NYC that's equally as fresh with a ton more variety of sashimi, and double the size for almost half the price, it's disappointing. I'd be back to Nicko San for some organized occasion, but it's not to get my sushi fix.

The very last afternoon, I dropped my mom off at the airport as she had a mid morning flight, and I ventured out to Flora Farms- toward Puerto Los Cabos fron San Jose and follow the clearly marked signs. I had envisioned a country/rural type of place with a little restaurant, and that's not at all what it was like....it reminded me of The Secret Garden. Little cottages, beautiful flowers everywhere, perfectly trimmed grass, a cricket area, a pool next to the gardens, and then a restaurant and bar with a modern-barn look- stunning! I walked the grounds for a bit and discovered you can rent the cottages, they have a cute space for private events, tours, and culinary classes.For lunch I devoured their roasted chicken salad.

Then it was off to the airport and back to LA, to pack and hurry back to begin life in this magical part of Mexico.

Flamingo's, Cancun- Playa Mujeres

Sometime in the middle of noon masters today, I began my usual day-dreaming in the pool and it quickly lead to "what shall I eat after this?..." I've been craving fish tacos and suddenly recalled the amazing ones at Flamingo's. It was December, 2010 and I was recovering from Ironman Cozumel while staying with my father, who was living at La Amada Resort in Playa Mujeres. I ended up staying for the whole month as I watied for my new visa. For a few days, a friend I'd met at the race, Pierre Gigou, stayed with us as he wanted to visit Cancun.

Wanting to escape the pricey resort food and too lazy to cook, we ventured out to find a local spot that served the freshest fish. If my fascination for good food came from anyone in my family it's my dad. Undoubtedly, he'd lead us somewhere delicious.
Not long after this first visit, we were on a first name basis with everyone at Flamingo's. It's right on the water, and the fish you pick as you walk in- they're laid out market style inside an iced display case- was probably swimming just a few hours ago!

We stuck with ordering 2-3 snappers butterflied and grilled whole with guacamole, corn tortillas, limes, and plenty of salsa to just pick off the juicy fish and build our tacos. With an ice cold beer, a casual environemnt, and an ocean view...what else do you need??

For a meal that any seafood restaurant, especially in major cities or hotels/resorts, would likely charge $20-30 per preson, we would walk away stuffed for $10-15 each!! Yes, including alcohol!

I have fond memories of La Amada and the incredibly nice staff. I felt like Eloise living in the Plaza :) So I want to give them credit too for their splendid food. This was a paella I shared with my dad at the pool restaurant by the beach- super fresh seafood and full of flavor!