Tag Archives: ceviche

The Casual Restaurant Critic Revisits La Pigua and Kraken

January 20, 2019Casual Restaurant Criticatun, camarones, Casual Restaurant Critic, ceviche, chef eduardo estrella, cilantro, comida, comida en merida, gourmet, kraken, La pigua, lawsonsyucatan.com, mango, mariscos, Merida, merida restaurants, opciones, restaurantes, restaurants, seafood, serrano, shrimp, tiradito, tuna, Yucatan, yucatecan restaurantsWilliamLawson

While La Pigua is the more famous of the two, Kraken is probably a little more elaborate in its recipes and presentations. Both restaurants, of course, are all about seafood and favorites of the Critic since the Pleistocene era.

In other words, for a while now.

La Pigua has the traditional coastal seafood you would expect; from seafood cocktails and salads to fried whole fish, all done with flair and accompanied by excellent and professional service. The Pigua was reviewed here (with photos) in 2012 – http://www.lawsonsyucatan.com/2012/01/08/la-pigua/

Kraken is the more recently opened restaurant, and Isla Arena (Campeche) native Eduardo Estrella is really an estrella when it comes to combining fresh fish and seafood with local and not so local ingredients and presenting the result in true top chef fashion. Service is still a little below the level of the food, but perfectly adequate.

Enjoy the photos (all from Kraken) and visit one of these classic Merida seafood dining options, both highly recommended by the cantankerous Critic.

Pulpo (octopus) Kraken

Camarones (shrimp)

Tiradito de Atun (tuna) This was the Critic’s dish and on top of the raw tuna was a mango sauce with serrano chile and sesame and a sauce on the plate featuring among other things, dijon mustard which was unexpected and delicious

Ceviche de camarones (shrimp)

Shrimp taco

Breaded shrimp taco

Casual Restaurant Critic re-visits Peruano

July 20, 2017Casual Restaurant CriticCasual Restaurant Critic, ceviche, food, Lawsons Yucatan, lawsonsyucatan.com, life in Merida, mariscos, Merida, merida restaurants, mexico, passionfruit, peru, peruvian, pisco, refreshing, restaurantes, restaurants, seafood, seafood restaurants, shrimp, tuna, William Lawson, Yucatan, yucatan restaurantsWilliamLawson

Just a quick update on this great Santa Lucia restaurant, in the heart of Merida – it’s still fabulous as of this writing. Don’t miss the ceviches – on this occasion we had two different tuna ceviches and one warm shrimp ceviche – and drink a Pisco Sour or two: refreshingly delicious but strong, so don’t be getting into your car after this!

Highly recommended!

Tuna ceviche I

Tuna ceviche II

Warm shrimp ceviche

Pisco Sour

The Casual Restaurant Critic visits Peruano

November 6, 2016Casual Restaurant Criticcalle 55, Casual Restaurant Critic, ceviche, comida en merida, Lawsons Yucatan, life in Merida, Life in the Yucatan, Merida, merida restaurants, mexico, Peruano, peruvian food, pisco sour, restaurantes en merida, restaurants, santa lucia, Yucatan, yucatan restaurantsWilliamLawson

The Casual Restaurant Critic and his lovely Better Half were celebrating. It was an anniversary and that dangerous time of the year was coming up (pib season in the Yucatan) and so, the Critic thought, something light, but special. He had seen the Peruano on the occasional drive-by near Santa Lucia in el centro de Merida, but had never stopped in.

What a pleasant surprise!

A colorful, beautiful little restaurant serving all things Peruvian with a few local touches. The famous ceviches are very present, as well as other combinations that have put Peruvian cuisine on the map in the last decade or so.

The house drink, a Pisco Sour, was absolutely fantastic. It was necessary to repeat the drink order as the first round went down far too quickly.

The ceviche trio – a sampler, and perfect for two people – makes for a great appetizer. They are fresh, zesty and refreshingly cold. Critic liked the tuna ceviche best. Fried yuca was great. The little bowl of crispy but not rock-hard corn, lightly salted and with that smoky flavor of the fire, was a nice touch.

For a little bit of carbohydrates, some coconut rice was ordered which was delicious and accompanied perfectly the ceviche.

Service was great, from the on-site Peruvian waiter who seems to be in charge of things. Make sure you get him to help you with your menu choices as he knows what he is talking about. Air conditioned and beautiful little room.

The bill, which you must find in one of the drawers of the little piece of furniture brought to your table, was completely acceptable, given the level of food, the location and the service.

Another – thankfully great – addition to the Santa Lucia restaurant scene.

La Pigua, revisited

January 8, 2012Casual Restaurant Critic2012, calamares, Casual Restaurant Critic, ceviche, comida en merida, fish, INI, La pigua, Merida, merida restaurants, restaurants, Salmon, seafood restaurants, shrimp, sir francis drake, squid, William Lawson, Yucatan, yucatecan restaurantsWilliamLawson

La Pigua!

A recent visit with the MiniCritic confirmed to the Cantankerous Casual Restaurant Critic that La Pigua continues to be one of Merida’s finer restaurants with delicious, freshly prepared and tasty food and great service. In the photos, from top to bottom: Coconut Shrimp, Ceviche de Salmon, Tostadas de Callo de Hacha (scallops) and the Critics personal favourite, Calamares Sir Francis Drake.