Los Barriles, Chicxulub, Yucatan

Back in the Yucatan and away from all that Vancouver pan-asian-ness, the Casual Restaurant Critic had good reason to be in Chicxulub at 5 in the afternoon and found Los Barriles open for business. The owners were lounging about and the waiters were entertained by new flat screen TV´s hanging on the walls.

While enjoying the National Geographic Channel in Spanish and learning all about municipal cowboys in Delhi that are charged with clearing the bovines from the streets, the Critic enjoyed a crispy and deliciously white-meat tender boquinete – which is called hog fish on the menu in English (no idea if this is correct) – in the classic ‘pescado frito’ format, where they clean the fish, cut a few diagonal slashes on either side and throw it, head and fins intact, into a vat of bubbling oil. The result is pure fish-lovers heaven. Highly recommended, even if you can only get the more readily available grouper aka mero which is a bit dryer.

Before the fish arrived, and while the Nat Geo channel was still in Bangladesh, the Critic had a refreshing Modelo Especial michelada accompanied by 3 botanas; a crab/fish mayonnaise salad, minced shark cooked in a tomato sauce and a cold rice that resembled a paella, Chicxulub style. All good and served with tostadas that were actually crispy.

Cost of a meal like this – plus a Coca Cola for dessert – for one person? $155 pesos before tip. It’s good to be home.

3 thoughts on “Los Barriles, Chicxulub, Yucatan

  1. We were in Chicxulub for a month a couple of years ago and ate a (possibly) this place LOADS of times! But I thought it was Dos Barriles…I may be mistaken as it has been a while. The entrance is two rather large barrels? But seeing how small Chicxulub is, it probably is the same place. For what it is, it was good and the fish was always delicious. Glad you are back and blogging. Your Vancouver posts made me a bit nostalgic as we lived there for five years! Beautiful city…did you go to Vij’s? Awesome Indian food.

  2. Probably the same one! Vij’s – went several years ago and everyone thought it was awesome, but I had something so weird that it kind of turned me off Indian food. Did go to Sawasdee Thai on south Main St. which was very good but today’s Thai in Baca, Yucatan was better. Honest.

  3. Baca is always reliable for their amazing food…even found the chef willing to share the secret of fish carved from carrots!
    btw…i think “los barriles” is on the sign, but snowbirds have the habit of calling it 2 barrels.
    how about some central island (nanaimo) reviews…looking for a surprise meal back home…?

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