Tag Archives: Yucatan

And if you thought that last post was fun…

Life in the Yucatan, Politics, , , , , , , , ,

Here’s another one!

When filing your business’s annual tax declaration, you make out the onerous paperwork – well, your accountant does because the Mexican tax system is so complicated that it is virtually impossible for anyone to understand what the hell it is you are supposed to actually put in the scores of little boxes and what to deduct or declare – and you file it, paying at the bank via internet since Mexico is such a modern country. Once you have paid and received/printed your receipt, and have verified that your money has been removed from your bank account in order to help promote a comfortable lifestyle for Mexican politicians once they have retired and live in France, you think you are done right? Wrong.

It turns out that there is a little-known and never-used (up till now) in the marvelous taxation laws of this advanced democracy that states that besides filing your declaration and paying, you have to (or your accountant has to) LET HACIENDA KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PAID by means of an official letter or notification. Failure to do this will result in a $50,000.00 peso fine! Can you believe this? You pay and they already have your money, but since you didn’t tell them you paid, you automatically get slapped with a fat fine which will presumably cover the cost of Mr. Carstens weekly lunch bill.

This is nothing less than outright highway robbery and a wonderful incentive for investors to come to Mexico to subject themselves to this abuse. Perhaps the Mexican government should consider promoting the country to the International Masochist Businessmens Association, whose members might enjoy this kind of pain.

I am not making this up. I have first-hand knowledge of such a case right now. The accountant alleges that while it is technically his fault because he is supposed to be watching his clients’ back, he prefers to fight the fine legally (with the clients money of course).

Meanwhile, for your enjoyment, look for a photo of Mr. Carstens, Mexico’s Minister of All Things Taxable and believe me as you will see, he needs the money.

Trotters Revisited

Casual Restaurant Critic, , ,

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

Casual Restaurant Critic, ,

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.

What is the Attraction of Konsushi?

Casual Restaurant Critic, ,
The Casual Critic has had the opportunity, so to speak, to have lunch at this extremely popular sushi restaurant located behind the Pemex gas station across from Sam’s Club on the Prolongacion de Montejo , thanks to invitations from extended family members who seem to enjoy it.
Do you enjoy hot, crowded, noisy, rushed-service sushi restaurants? Then this could be the place for you.
You can call him a snob, but the Critic cannot find anything remotely attractive about this sushi restaurant. The creamy dips and things give the Critic the willy-nillys (hygiene and temperature issues come to mind) and most of the rolls have artery clogging philadelphia cheese throughout.

On one occasion, the Critic had to visit the washroom and, in spite of Mini-Critic’s warnings against doing so, visited the men’s room. The accompanying photo can give potential diners of what they will find. The complete absence of any aesthetic considerations is astonishing. Note the professional electrical installation with several wires sticking out next to the tiny sink. The lack of any kind of toilet seat on the WC is another nod to third world expectations.

If this is what is visible to the public’s naked eye, what doesn’t happen in the kitchen?

But they are a very popular choice. Price seems to be the main attraction, along with the fact that they are feeding to their clientele what that clientele thinks is exotic Japanese food. On weekends and nights, the place is jumping.

The Critic gives it a solid 2 out of 5.

Win Fa – Gran Plaza Fast Food Court

Casual Restaurant Critic, ,

Win Fa is one of the first of many Chinese restaurants that have been invading Mérida lately; they have two other locations besides this food court option.

If you are in the mall, Win Fa is a good option; there are real Chinese people in charge out front and in the kitchen and the food, while repetitive after a while (the Critic eats there frequently enough to know) is generally – and consistently – good.

If you should get a chance to peer into the kitchens back doors, there are several restaurants that you will never eat at again! Among the acceptable ones, Burger King, Win Fa and Los Trompos for tacos.

At Win Fa, there are two types of fried rice, with chicken or with shrimp and several hot ‘entrees’ to choose from. The consistently better tasting are:

  • the grilled chicken or pollo a la plancha, which is just that, chicken seasoned with a light dose of 5-spice powder and salt. The downside is the saltiness which will leave you dying for water about an hour after eating, as well as the inclusion of chicken skin, which is floppy and not too appealing;
  • the pineapple chicken also known as pollo a la piña, chicken chunks breaded and covered with a sweet and sour-y pineapple sauce; this is tasty but try to get it when they are refilling the steam table container from the kitchen as the breaded part loses it’s crispiness from sitting in the sauce;
  • Szechuan pork, with lots of vegetables and plenty of spicy kick.

There are other options, including a chow mein with regular pasta noodles that the Critic finds unappealing, spring rolls (one roll counts as an entree) and lately, chinese steamed buns filled with pork or chicken.

A filling two entree platter with rice will run you 45 pesos while just one entree with rice will cost you 38 pesos. Drinks like tea and jamaica are extra.

And remember, you will require hydration later.

For a fast food place, this one gets 4 out of 5.

El Payaso Seafood Restaurant – San Felipe, Yucatan

Casual Restaurant Critic, , ,

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.

Pirate Cigarrettes in the Yucatan!

Life in the Yucatan, ,

In case any of my readers are still smoking, I have this curious bit of info for you.

On the way back to Merida from my recent excursion to the Hacienda Sotuta de Peon, I stopped in the charming hamlet of Molas to buy some smokes at a roadside store.
When I lit the first one, I noticed that it was awfully harsh. Harsher than usual, anyway. So I had another look at the label and it was not in Spanish as usual, but in English. Intrigued, I looked at the side of the box and saw that they were made in… the Philippines!

How in the world did these nasty – and I don’t mean nasty ‘cuz they’re from there, but because they were truly nasty, throat scratching, cigarrettes that I ended up throwing away – Filipino cigarrettes get to Molas?

La Susana Internacional Revisited – Again

Casual Restaurant Critic, , , , , , , , ,

The Critic is pleased to report that what is arguably the the best panucheria in the Yucatan, La Susana Internacional, continues to maintain that which makes it so good in the Critic’s humble opinion:

  • friendly service from quirky waiters;
  • overflowing and oversized panuchos and salbutes;
  • caldos loaded to the rim with actual shredded roasted pavo aka turkey;
  • delcious, crunchy and chewy chicharra (pork rinds);
  • refreshing natural fruit (and nutritious chaya) drinks
  • amazingly accessible prices;
  • that friendly parking lot guy.

In addition, La Susana Internacional, located just across from the El Chisme II store in beautiful (ok maybe a little less than beautiful) downtown Kanasin, had, on this most recent visit at 11 om on a Saturday night, an hipil-clad hostess to welcome patrons and there was a shiny, brand-new menu complete with package combo suggestions for 2 to 8 people.

Still haven’t been there? What on Chaac’s good earth are you waiting for?