After a recent – and stomach stretching – visit to the Casual Restaurant Critics favorite Merida sushi restaurant, Miyabi, who continue to remain in the running for the Slowest Waiter in Merida Oscar, the Better Half pointed out a new restaurant right next door, called El Pez Gordo (literally, the big fish) which looked very eclectic and hip. The Critic and BH popped inside for a better look and wow! The place looks amazing; a funky bar counter covered in colorful broken tile, plenty of mirrors, themed vinyl decorations and phrases on the wall and loud rock music and the most friendly of owners, who hails from Chiapas but lived in Monterrey and wanted to bring some of that cuisine to Merida.
Seafood in Monterrey you ask? Yes, and the Critic reviewed the fabulous Pacifica restaurant there.
Today, it was the El Pez Gordos turn for a visit and the food did not disappoint! Not at all, not even close. It was amazingly delicious and fresh; nothing like yet another seafood restaurant with the same old tired creations.
To start, a warm shrimp broth in a little cup to open up the stomach and get the gastric juices flowing. Then, three scrumptious appetizers and three orders of delectable seafood tacos for the Critic and his beloved Better Half washed down with an icy Coke and a spicy Michelada were enough to convince both that this was their new favorite seafood restaurant in Merida!
First up was a mixed seafood ceviche, featuring shrimp, fish, calamar and octopus soaked and cooked in lime juice. The twist here was that there was also mango, jicama and pineapple chunks in that ceviche! Refreshingly cool and different and very good. Then, a pair of calamares stuffed with shrimp, cooked in a very spicy tomato-y sauce and served on a bed of guacamole. Hot, spicy and bursting with flavor, these were the best of the three appies. The third appetizer was a crunchy corn tostada topped with a smoked tuna and mayo salad and garnished with raw red cabbage. Unusual and pretty to look at, but the tuna was a little overpowered by the mayo, although I would order this dish again without hesitation if it wasn’t for the fact that there are a hundred more little items on the menu that need to be sampled first.
The tacos were delicious and the Critic cannot, unfortunately, recall their names, but one that stands out even now, several hours later, was a shrimp, chorizo, onion and tomato concoction that came in a melted cheese tortilla. That’s right, a melted cheese “tortilla” and it was absolutely fantastic.
Service today was a little on the slow side, but not as bad as our friends next door. And the bill? About 13 dollars per person for the meal described. Highly recommended!!
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Y make me so hungry, stuff calamari will be my favorit thing & price is great. We will definitely try when we are in town. Tx
You will love it Suk!
Thanks CRC, this place looks great, always good to have more options, especially some well priced options!
Mr Cultura – when are we going? Mr Chef will love this place too, I think.
Hey, where is this anyway?!
This new and fabulous little eatery is located in the plaza where Ca’D’Oro used to be, right next to Miyabi Sushi!
When are we going??
La Direccion/Address es Prolongacion Montejo esq 39 street/calle.
Same mall (Plaza Mayor) as Segafredo, Carl’s Jr. y Miyabi. Next to Wok to Walk. Cant miss it. For crying out loud go now, Chef Vanessa is VERY talented!!!!
Our new favorite place for seafood in Merida also. We have tried almost everything on the menu and it is all excellent!
I am so glad you enjoyed it also! The food today was delish, as usual!
In that plaza there are some places so you have different options to have a good meal,if you are looking for a budget restaurant this is a great option! After the delicious meal I enjoy a Bubble Tea on Tapioca Joe !
Pez Gordo is good & a refreshing addition to merida’s light dining but the fish taco’s are much better at TACOMAYA! so why the hell have you never eaten there?. Our burrito’s or Chimichanga’s are better than any other south of the border as are our Tostada’s , or Quesadilla’s We have been open for over 3 yrs serving consistently good food, you obviously know where we are & yet obviously pass us by. Why?
Hey there – is this your way of inviting me to try your fish tacos?? 🙂 I actually don’t know where you are so tell me and I will go. My reviews are often based on where I feel like going and/or have to go with friends or family – it’s not a job, unfortunately. But I will go to TacoMaya if you tell me where it is. For sure!
Now William, in your directions for people looking to find the new chelem restaurant Soma, You say go past the restaurants El Bull Pen & Tacomaya towards the beach, or something like that, & havent you been to our Funkymarkets?, my wife thinks she knows you but perhaps theres another William Lawson floating around. So getting right down to it, I am inviting you & everyone else for that matter to come & try our fish taco’s or anything else that takes their fancy. Our menu some would call texmex but I would prefer to call it Calmex which is even better. We also do the best rated fishNchips along this coast line. I cant believe you don’t know where we are (even though we keep quite a low profile, as we only seat 40 & can only afford the one waitress as she works free) . We are just north of the Baseball park in chelem, yes, next door to the Bull pen ( ours is a garden of earthly delight. Open Thursday thru Sunday, 10am to 2.30 pm)
Absolutely right of course!!! Duh. Blame it on a brain fart or something. OF COURSE I know TACOMAYA and confess to NOT having eaten there. But I did have some yummy coffee at that Funkymarket event yes. For some reason I thought you were in Merida this morning when I commented. So sorry!!
Yes William we do have the best coffee around if you like it strong that is, (some canadians like it a bit weaker) our homemade lemonade is better than we have had anywhere else too, a touch of spice added for body & not too sweet it ought to be patented.
When you commented at 4.28 this morning I was tucked up in bed but by your last comment at 11.10 am I was in Chedruai buying supplies for opening day mañana but why would that matter?.
Um… not sure!