Tag Archives: club sibarita

The Casual Restaurant Critic at Izamal – A Club Sibarita Event

April 1, 2021Casual Restaurant Critic, Inspiredclub sibarita, cochinita, comida yucateca, foodies, gastronomicos, izamal, kinich, mastache, pibil, queso, relleno negro, tours, yucatecan foodWilliamLawson

Just this past Sunday, Merida’s Club Sibarita organized another outing to a town nearby (the previous one was Espita, which the Critic was unable to attend); in this case the Yellow City of Izamal. Also known as Yzamal if you carefully read those engraved stone reminders embedded in the walls of the monastery and other buildings. The Spanish were notoriously relaxed in their spelling.

Back to the trip.

First stop was the market, where, it being the first Sunday of the Easter holidays, it seemed like the crowd that had banned from the malecon in Progreso had decided to converge on Izamal. Extremely congested with minimal social distancing possible, the Critic and his Better Half wolfed down a cochinita pibil and dzic de venado taco or two and fled as quickly as possible to enjoy a coconut ice cream outside, in the fresh air, far away from the hordes.

Nothing like a greasy cochinita taco or torta in the morning! Sublime!

Dzic de Venado on a fat corn tortilla. Yum.

After that, a visit to the Kinich Kakmo pyramid, a short tutorial on the how to make a recado rojo – with achiote (annatto seed) and a visit to the very top of the Izamal convent!

Then the main event: a delectable multi-course gourmet local-ingredients Yucatan meal featuring the best of the Critics favorite Yucatecan restaurant of all time – Kinich – accompanied by a selection of white, rosé and red wines, and cervezas from the newest local brewery, Mastache, all the way from the nearby suburb of Caucel.

The photos (below) speak for themselves. If you love Yucatecan food, you must visit Kinich and if you want to join in these kinds of fun activities, contact Club Sibarita and become a member. Or follow them on social media – many events are open to the general public as well.

Buen provecho!

Our culinary host
The recado demonstration
Welcome drinks!
Beautiful
Lec
Doña Gina
Chiles for the relleno negro
Grinding the ingredients
Some of the ingredients
Our fabulous hostess
Amazing sky
Coqui Coqui
Coqui Coqui
Coqui Coqui
Convent
Sponsor
Papadzul Kinich
Papadzul Kinich
Tacos de cochinita
Sponsor
Taco de cochinita
Dzic de venado almendrado
Queso Relleno!
Desserts – the coffee flan is on the bottom right

Highlights from the Club Sibarita Festival Gastronomico 2019

February 24, 2019Casual Restaurant Critic, Life in the Yucatanahumadero, altozano, andres zapata, Casual Restaurant Critic, club sibarita, comida en merida, comida yucateca, Dolce magazine, eureka, events, gin, katun, la zebra, Lawsons Yucatan, lawsonsyucatan.com, life in Merida, Life in the Yucatan, Merida, merida restaurants, restaurantes en merida, vincent, William Lawson, Yucatan, yucatecan food, zuWilliamLawson

The Critic and his Better Half bought tickets for several culinary events for this year’s version of Club Sibarita’s Festival Gastronomico 2019, the third such festival in Merida and now recognized nationally as an event worth attending. Chefs from all over Mexico (including Merida of course) and places further afield are in attendance, showcasing their talents with exquisite creations for attendees to swoon over.

Events at Pueblo Pibil in Tixcocob, Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca in Merida and the Hacienda Xcanatun were packed and the food was truly amazing. It made for some very late nights, and often the Critic and BH were home around 1 in the morning, full of great food and excellent wine courtesy of Casa Madero.

Enjoy some photos of the highlights of the events! First up: Pueblo Pibil, in Tixcocob for a leisurely and delectable lunch. Click on the photos to make them grow magically.

: Chef and Friends, at Tixcocobs fabulous Pueblo Pibil restaurant

: The room at Pueblo Pibil

: Waiting to uncover some deliciousness from the pib

: A beautifully presented ceviche

: Our hosts and the creators of Club Sibarita and editors of Dolce magazine

: Pueblo Pibil’s house margarita cocktail

: You may recognize a chef or two

: This is foie gras and mole. Talk about rich

: The caldo for the fish

: The fish

: Imagine two classics in one. Relleno Negro and Queso Relleno. Out of the park!

: Dessert by Shuteln

: Champagne popsicle with chocolate. I call it splat. Or art.

: Last words. Carlos takes the mic to thank everyone for visiting Pueblo Pibil

Next stop: Hacienda Xcanatun for the Fine Dining signature Sibarito event.

: Hacienda Xcanatun, The Art of Fine Dining

: A forest of glassware

: The room, with furniture brought in by sponsor Marbol

: The room

: Our hosts

: An oyster

: A sea urchin

: Fish

: Raviolo

: Raviolo II

: Paté

: Venison

: Dessert

: Dessert II

Lastly, Taste the Best at Altozano:

The Casual Restaurant Critic at Zu, a Club Sibarita Event

December 8, 2018Casual Restaurant Criticcasa madero, Casa Rolandi, Casual Restaurant Critic, club sibarita, comida en merida, Dolce magazine, food, Lawsons Yucatan, lawsonsyucatan.com, life in Merida, Life in the Yucatan, Merida, merida restaurants, restaurantes, restaurantes en merida, restaurants, Villa Rolandi, wines, Zoetry, zuWilliamLawson

The recently opened Zu, located in the Victory Platz (yes, that’s German) along Merida’s busiest commercial street (the one that leads from the pocito roundabout to the City Center mall at the periferico) was the scene for another successful and delicious Club Sibarita event. Excellent food by the Zu chef and a guest chef from Zoetry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres along with wines from the oldest winery in the Americas; Mexican winery Casa Madero. The results were spectacular and the Critic (accompanied as usual by the ever-present and multi-talented Better Half) was glad to have had the opportunity to experience this event.

If you haven’t been to a Club Sibarita event, you really should consider getting on their mailing list. There is no membership fee and there are events throughout the year that highlight amazing food, drinks, and the good life. You attend only those events you find appealing or interesting.

All contact and additional info in the links throughout.

On to the photos!

table setting

The restaurant

the bar

full menu

artistic shot of our illustrious leaders, the founders of Club Sibarita and Dolce magazine

happy diner

an amazing salad to start

Casa Madero was the official wine provider for the event, matching great Mexican wines with each exquisite dish

The Casual Restaurant Critic at Pueblo Pibil, A Club Sibarita Event

August 10, 2018Casual Restaurant CriticCasual Restaurant Critic, club sibarita, cochinita, cochinita pibil, comida en merida, comida yucateca, hechas a mano, kibi, kippeh, lawsonsyucatan.com, local, luxury, Merida, papadzul, pib, relleno negro, restaurantes, restaurantes en merida, sibarita, sopa de lima, Tixcocob, Tixcocob 180, tortillas de mais, traditional food, yucatecan food, yucatecan restaurantsWilliamLawson

The Merida-based Club Sibarita (https://www.facebook.com/clubsibaritamx/) organizes events both in Merida and the outskirts, featuring themes or restaurants worthy of note and this time it was the famous comida enterrada (food cooked underground in pits called pibes) that the Yucatan is known for and that the restaurant Pueblo Pibil in Tixcocob does masterfully.

The last event the Critic attended was in Merida and before that, an event at the spectacular Chablé resort/hacienda and this one proved to be as well-organized and the food as delicious as promised.

If you haven’t yet been to Pueblo Pibil, put this on your to-do list ASAP. It is an amazing lunch destination, well worth the 30-40 minute trip from Merida.

Here are a few photos from the event.

In the backyard patio of Pueblo Pibil, the pits are unearthed and the food is taken out, cooked for hours and hours on hot coals. Chef Silvio supervises the process and proceeds to hand out samples. iPhones record the moment and guests wait for their samples, in this case, the exquisite relleno negro (the best the Critic has ever had in the Yucatan) and owner Karina, out hostess for the day watches.

Then it’s off to the restaurant, where two large tables have been prepared for the group. There are two representatives from Casa Madero – the oldest wine company in the Americas by the way – who will be serving wines with each course and talking a little bit about each wine and how it complements the Yucatecan food served.

And of course, the food. Each dish is beautiful and as delicious as it looks, truly. The relleno negro has to be tasted to be believed and the hand-made corn tortillas, thick and luscious, are divine. The house signature dessert, el merengue de la abuela, was presented by the abuela herself, where she confessed that she won’t share her recipe with just anyone.

Last but not least, a shot of a few of the waiters and hostess. An amazing experience! If you like good food, good wine, and good company, join the Club Sibarita and come along on the next culinary adventure!