IL Postcard

Indulge in Mexico’s Gastronomic Delights for Less Than $5

Date: 10/13/2008 Author: Suzan Haskins

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008

Read more about Mexico in International Living Postcards—your daily escape

Dear International Living Reader,

While Merida isn’t internationally known for its gourmet restaurants, there are many places that tempt the palate. Two of my favorites serve authentic Mexican food…from two distinctly different parts of Mexico. Best of all, both of these are very reasonably priced.

Los Platos Rotos is a little spot with about 10 umbrella-ed tables that spill out onto the sidewalk and offers chilango-style Mexican food (which originates from Mexico City). The food here would be considered gourmet back home, but is standard fare in Mexico.

Every day there are six mouthwatering specials they call comida del dia and cost only 36 pesos (about $3.50). There’s usually some type of chicken, pork, or beef in a flavorful sauce and one or two delicious vegetarian options. As a starter, you get fresh crispy corn chips and a big plate of black bean dip along with your choice of rice or soup.

For the main course, I almost always opt for anything served with a pasillo or guajillo sauce. These are made from two different kinds of dried peppers, but neither is particularly spicy, depending on the individual pepper and how it is prepared. These are my two new favorite Mexican sauces and I have experimented with making them in my own kitchen. I like to cook about as much as I like to eat…a lot!

For a dollar, you can wash it all down with a fresh fruit drink of watermelon, papaya, guava, etc.

Another Merida restaurant that I recommend serves traditional Yucatecan food—very different than what most people associate with Mexican food. Rarely spicy, it includes influences from the local Mayan culture, as well as Caribbean, Mexican, French, and Middle Eastern cultures. Sour orange, lime, and achiote are common ingredients, and banana leaves are sometimes used to wrap around pork and fish before roasting. If you want to spice it up, add a bit of salsa habanero, always served on the side.

The more upscale (but still casual) Restaurante La Tradicion is on Calle 60 just past the hotel zone. You can read more about it here. Most of the hearty (and oh-so-delicious) entrees made by Chef David Cetina cost less than $10. My personal recommendations include the papadzules (hardboiled eggs wrapped in warm tortillas and topped with a pumpkin seed sauce), cochinita pibil (deliciously melt-in-your-mouth marinated pork) and the lomitas de Valladolid (chunks of tender pork in a rich tomato/garlic broth).

There is also a full bar here and mouthwatering desserts. Be sure to try the cool, creamy flan or the crema Espanol.

By the way, I’ll be passing out a list of our favorite restaurants in Merida to all those who attend our Live and Invest in Mexico Seminar, here in Merida, Nov. 6–8—so you can try them out yourself.

Regards,

Suzan Haskins
Your Latin America Insider, International Living

Editor’s Note: Delicious food is only one of the many alluring factors Mexico has to offer. Its affordable lifestyle allows you to dramatically slash your living costs and improve the quality of your life. The country has a high-quality, affordable health care system and some of the world’s greatest property opportunities. Learn more here.

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