All posts by WilliamLawson
A La Vibora de la Mar – Seafood
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
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.
A Fresh Take on the Drug War
I had a crazy, out-of-the-box idea today while having lunch with my better half. We were discussing the perception potential tourists have of Mexico given the increase in violence along the border.
Since the drug business is based on the premise of overwhelming and incessant demand by a large percentage of the citizenry of the Somewhat United States of America, who WANT to get high and continue to delude themselves that they live in a democracy, why fight the drug business at all? Isn’t the idea behind the term democracy – so often touted as motivation behind screwing with other people’s freely elected governments and invading nations – being ‘rule by the people, for the people’? Well wake up, leaders of the world’s most hypocritical democracy – THE PEOPLE WANT THEIR DRUGS!!
Why does this country have to play the part of the US’s Mexican housekeeper or nanny? This is a third world country that has to do the dirty work for it’s neighbor in exchange for what?
As Tony Garza Jr., former U.S. ambassador to Mexico put it:
Mexico would not be the center of cartel activity or experience this level of violence were the United States not the largest consumer of illicit drugs and the main supplier of weapons to the cartels. We have a responsibility to fight this war together, or we fail together. (link)
Is it really necessary for Mexicans to be shooting each other because the bloated drug addict up north can’t get his act together? I mean really, what is the incentive? Keep fighting the drug cartels with all the spillover violence just so Mexico can get a condescending pat on the head from the US?
The admittedly crazy idea, is to sit down with the leaders of the drug cartels and offer them the de-criminalization of the whole drug business in exchange for them stopping the violence in Mexico, stopping distribution of drugs in the country and paying off any outstanding debt to the U.S.
If the U.S.A. want to wage a war on drugs, let them wage it on their turf. With their soldiers and their collateral damage. Or, and here’s a novel idea, take a look at the real problem: the depressed, deluded society they have created that cannot stand to look itself in the mirror and demands the drugs in the first place.
OK. I told you it was kind of out-of-the box idea.
Acqua Revisted
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.
Time to Change your License Plates!
Every few years, the government in the form of its’ state police, decides that all of us drivers need a little more stress in our lives and decrees that all license plates must be exchanged for new ones. Just because.
Actually there are a few reasons for this move, among which are the following:
- to detect stolen vehicles
- to detect vehicles brought into the country illegally
- to ensure that those people who haven’t paid their stupid tenencia tax, have to get with the program
This year, I decided not to do it myself, having just purchase a second hand vehicle (see photo on the right) that had a string of 5 invoices before my transaction, making the whole process that much more fun. The previous owner hadn’t officially changed the title of the vehicle, which was still in the previous (before him) owners name. All the tenencias were paid and up to date, but the vehicle had to be officially changed over to my name, as well as getting the new plates.
So I decided to hire a tramitador, which is a guy that will, for a small fee, do all the footwork and arguing with the cerebrally challenged officials to get the paperwork through properly. He will also grease any palms necessary to make things smooth and relatively effortless, since the police department will make every effort to thwart your attempt to put in order your vehicles status.
My day started the afternoon before, when I received a phone call from the secretary of a friend who was coordinating with the tramitador. She informed me that the next day I was to take my car to the ‘peni‘ which is short for penitenciaria or the former Merida penitentiary. I had already given her all my vehicles’ papers, and personal ID including passport and FM3, photocopied of course.
At 7:30 AM, I was at the requisite location, found a parking spot and proceeded to find my man. I talked to him briefly (he was in the front of the line after having basically camped there since 8 PM the night before. You see, you don’t just show up and do your thing. No, you must get there early and since the entire state of Yucatan has to jump through this hoop, they assign a limited number of turnos in the form of numbers. Once you get your number, you are guaranteed to get in that day. Then you wait. He was Number One. He told me to hang around and at maybe 8-8:30 AM he would know something.
So I waited. Thankfully the weather was cool and dry; the sun did come out but it wasn’t a scorching day in April by any stretch of the imagination. Food stalls were scattered around the police station and peni area, selling everything from cochinita to the usual Sabritas and other junk food.
At some point, since he hadn’t called and my hunger was getting the best of me, I sampled my first food stall. This was the cochinita set up outside the peni, where one could order tacos or tortas de cochinita. I ordered torta de maciza (all meat) instead of the surtido, which is everything from bits of rubbery ear and chewy feet to sloppy innards and crunchy skin. The bread was slightly warm still and the roast pork was delicious, dressed with some pickled onion and with several spoonfuls of nose-watering habanero salsa to cut the fat content. Highly recommended. I then plugged in my iPod and listened to another chapter of Pillars of the Earth.
At 10:30 AM my man on the inside interrupted the continuing saga of Jack, Earl William, Prior Phillip and Aliyena by calling my cell phone and informing me that I needed a telephone receipt to provide proof of my residence. I had included one in my name, but for my business. No, the police needed the one from my house. OK, I said, but I will have to get it from home, which is halfway to Progreso. I’ll wait, he answered.
Off I went, along the always charming and traffic-clogged Jacinto Canek avenue to the periferico and on to the Progreso highway, to the house and then back the same way with the telephone bill from November beside me. At the busy periferico Jacinto Canek intersection, he called again and asked grumpily where I was; the police were getting impatient. I explained that I had had to go home, home was a ways away but that I was now on the way back. OK; but hurry, he insisted.
I finally arrived again at the peni; no where to park so I just drove up to the door of the police station where you can’t park and he came and got the receipt. ‘You can’t park here’, he reminded me.
After a few trips around the peni, I found a parking spot and went into the parking area inside the police station; there is a parking lot along with several other government offices; I decided at this point that I was getting hungry again and settled on a small stand under a flamboyan tree. Apparently the guy’s name is Chino, since that is what the students eating there called him. Here, I had the most amazing Pibito! This is a small, individual sized pib (remember those mucbilpollos aka pibes from Dia de Muertos?)
It’s round, like a dinosaur egg, golden in color from the achiote, crispy on the outside and inside, a soft and exquisite blend of masa, pork and seasonings. Our friend Chino grabs one from under a towel-covered basket, stabs it with a spoon revealing its soft insides, and then slops on pickled cabbage and a thick tomato sauce. This is an amazing treat and I would go back to the police station just for this!! I also tried one of his kibis, but the flat, dry and somewhat flavorless crunch of cracked wheat was a let-down after the huge pibito.
I then retreated to a shady tree to nurse my aching and distended stomach and listen to some more of the Pillars.
At 1:30 PM I got the call. It’s time to come in and pay, said my man on the inside. Bring the old plates. In I went, the payment was made and in no time I had new license plates! After all that it was around 3 PM when I finally got home and had a nap to make up for all that exertion.
The cost of his services came to a whopping (not!) $300 pesos. I paid him $400. Viva Merida!
Tacos PM
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
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.
Congratulations USA
No arrests yesterday in Washington D.C., with almost 2 million people struggling to be a part of Obama’s inauguration, so that says a lot about the atmosphere and goodwill present!
The official – and probably completely unread – NotTheNews position is one of relief that the Medieval era of Cheney/Bush is finally over. Time to reel in the world’s number one “rogue” nation.
All the best to the new president; there’s a LOT of work to be done, both at home and abroad.
Glad I am not the only one…and Mr. Bloomberg’s Comments
I am glad to not be the only person to be more than a little worried about Israel’s heavy handed, politically-motivated response to the cowardly Hamas idiots who insist on firing missiles at Israel and then hiding among women and children. They (Hamas) must be so proud of themselves now.
That said, it is a sad day for humanity when the elephant, finally tiring of the needle pricks constantly being inflicted on it’s backside by a a few rogue elements in the cage they have built for their neighbors, decide to run amok and destroy the entire contents of that cage. Imagine all the inhabitants, scurrying from one place to another within in that cage, with no place to hide, being systematically trampled by the enraged and completely deranged elephant.
New York City mayor (and aspiring presidential candidate, according to some rumors out there) Michael Bloomberg, in a statement that can only be described as sucking up to his considerable Jewish constituency, maintains that the Israeli offensive is justifiable (I would suggest understandable but not justifiable) and the international law that prohibits this kind of blanket violence, citing the vast disproportionality, is irrelevant, once again showing how obtuse some Americans are, thinking that they are somehow above any silly international law.
His analogy, delivered in a CNN interview after a visit to Israel, which he may have though of himself, goes like this (and I quote): “if you’re in your apartment and some emotionally disturbed person is banging on the door screaming ‘I’m gonna come through this door and kill you” do you want us to respond with one police officer which is proportional or with all the resources at our command?” If you can hear this, note how condescending the tone of his voice becomes as he says this, as if he is talking to some 4 years olds who up until that moment, could not possibly fathom the depth of his understanding of the problem.
Well Mr. Bloomberg, it’s a good analogy but a stupid conclusion. In a situation like that, I would hope you would send in as many police officers as you thought necessary to apprehend and detain this emotionally disturbed person, not sent in a a unit of the 21st Airborne to bomb the entire building and kill the emotionally disturbed person’s entire family, as well as a few neighbors and probably destroy the building, thereby also weakening the structure in which your apartment resides as well.
Maybe Mr. Bloomberg should concentrate on New York City’s more pressing problems as a city and not go around offering such idiotic opinions on international events.
I apologize to those looking for light-hearted comments on the sanitary installations of the local bus terminal here in Merida; I promise there will be more of that soon! I just couldn’t resist commenting when I heard this on the news. And be forewarned: there will be some upcoming criticism of Mr. Obama’s cabinet selections as well, so you might want to avoid coming around in the next few weeks.
🙂