As you may have read in the neurotic foreigners blog, the Critic had the pleasure of accompanying him on his outing to Rio Lagartos/San Felipe and while it was a great disappointment to learn that one could not sit down in the municipio of Temozon to enjoy a smoked meat taco, the trip was enjoyable enough.
The restaurant in San Felipe, El Payaso, was recommended by a friend of that neurotic foreigner as being a good choice for seafood. As he said, what else are you going to eat in San Felipe? Hamburgers?
The place was deserted when the Critic’s party entered, with the family sitting at a plastic table near the kitchen. When asked if they were serving food (‘tan abiertos?) they responded affirmatively and got up to start working.
Along with the soft drinks, the smallest family member brought over some small platitos with the usual botana (pre-meal snacks) common to the typical Yucatecan beachfront seafood eatery. The Critic only tried what seemed to be cazon entomatado, (shredded shark meat cooked with tomato which gives it a pale red color) since he stubbornly refuses to become enamoured of the idea of the mayonnaise-based options placed before him.
The lunch was simple: a seafood soup, breaded filet of fish (empanizado) and fish filet in garlic (al mojo de ajo). The soup was served first and after waiting an eternity, the other dishes made their way to the table as well. The fish was fresh though – the waiter crossed the street and came back with the fish in a clear plastic bag and showed everyone that it was indeed, fresh boquinete.
The Critic’s opinion is that El Payaso is really nothing special in the world of Yucatecan seafood offerings – nothing worse or better than what one would find anywhere on the coast.
Out of 5, this restaurant gets a 3.