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Our Last Night in Cancun Don and I usually avoid Touristy Mexico, but we got a good deal for a "resort" in the Hotel Zone of Cancun. Why not? On our last night we chose a restaurant with good reviews, within walking distance. We put on comfy shoes and headed off. When we arrived, I had to grin at the sign. First of all, there was a giant lobster, which meant we could say, We dined, 2 times in one day, at a restaurant with a giant lobster on the roof. (see previous post) I also had to grin at the words, under the name. "Since 1683" Hmmm? Is that a joke? Built Over Water To the left of the sign was the giant palapa restaurant, sitting over the water. Lorenzillo's brags that their palapa is the largest in the Americas. Of course they also claim a history going back to 1683. I was ready to find out. First Things First Before entering the main dining area, we paused to peek into the open air bar. It was on the early side, but still... How could this breezy bar with fabulous wood & canvas chairs and curious, striped wood floors, not be filled with people? We didn't need an answer. We just took a seat by the water and sighed. Martinis and Sunset We sat at our little barrel table and watched the sun sink. The April temps were balmy, not sticky. Cheers While sipping, I studied the words on the side of the building. I assumed Lorenzillo was the name of the owner. But later I learned that a man named Salvador, opened this restaurant and then others. He even opened a furniture factory, to make the tables and chairs that fill his restaurants. Main Dining Room After our drinks we headed inside. The interior wasn't full, but it was still bustling and festive. The blue and white, nautical theme was inviting. The Wine Vault We took a moment to take it all in, before we were seated. The thick blue door leading to the wine vault, looked like something out of a James Bond movie. Lobster Boat Lorenzillo's has its own lobster and crab farm. They're known for their lobster, so we probably should have thought about ordering some. But the boat filled with Lorenzillo's Girls, made me think twice. I've always been a wimp about seeing live food before eating it. So, how could I eat one of the Girls? That's like naming your pet chicken, that you plan on eventually eating. On View The display case made the fresh fish tempting, even to someone who doesn't adore seafood. I loved the artistically carved veggies, making pretty designs with the seafood. Bar Boat I love a theme and this place did a mighty fine job. Even the bar looked like a boat. The waiters wore blue and white shirts, accented with red lobsters. One of the men wearing a lobster shirt, welcomed us and had us follow him to our table. Nautical Plates We passed beautifully set tables. The white over blue tablecloths, plus blue & white china with a golden ships, looked very classy! He took us to a perfectly fine table, except for one thing. It was not by a window and there seemed to be quite a few available. New Table It never hurts to ask and sure enough, we were moved to a better table, beside a window. I tried not to wonder why they didn't take us to a better table first. Better to not over-think it. Our new table was lovely. A purse stand suddenly appeared next to me. My unworthy travel bag really wanted to hide under the table, but I used the stand anyway. Then a standing ice bucket arrived to hold our wine and then a basket with an amazing assortment of fresh breads and garlic butter. Yum Complimentary empanadas came next, with two kinds of sauce. I was happy. Curious View There was a door nearby, that lead to the deck tables. After a couple sips of wine, I took a quick step outside to catch the sunset. There was one more giant lobster that needed to be photographed! In my picture, it looks like he's keeping an eye on Don, who can be spotted in the first window. Sinking Sun Then, I took a photo of the sun just before it slipped behind low clouds. If we had been vacationing during peak season, then we could have enjoyed lots of people watching, along with our sunset. The palapa and decks were mostly empty. Feast It was silly to order chicken at a place known for seafood, but I was in heaven with my crispy coated chicken, oozing with spinach and goat cheese. I enjoyed bites of pasta and asparagus between decadent mouthfuls of cheesy meat. Don loves his seafood and he was more than pleased with the Veracruz-style Grouper, served with onions, peppers and olives. He can be picky, but he raved. Dessert? We had no room for dessert, but we worked off a couple calories by hiking the stairs to the second level, for a view of the wonderful "striped" floors. I think there's a story about those floors...? Flags and a View The upstairs dining was closed for the evening, but our waiter invited us to go up and peek around. Instead of a window view, these tables could look down on the diners below, or up at the international flags hanging from the beams. Best of all the upper level walls were covered with framed clippings and photos. We learned about past famous diners, like Jacques Cousteau and Omar Sharif. We learned about the two hurricanes that nearly destroyed the restaurant. I also finally learned the real age of Lorenzillo's. The Legend It was no surprise to learn that our restaurant had not been around since 1693. Lorenzillo's really opened in 1979. The restaurant was named for a legendary pirate. The story claims that in 1693, Lorenzillo was a hungry pirate when his ship arrived at the port in Veracruz, Mexico. He became enraged to find no good food available. That pirate story inspired Salvador Vidal, when he opened his restaurant nearly 4 decades ago. He could have just named the Lobster House after himself, since he has a pretty good name. Instead he used the legend and a little humor to create a restaurant with a reputation for delicious food, that could please a fierce and picky pirate, like Lorenzillo. Luckily all customers seemed content on the night we dined. I saw no outraged pirates or diners yelling and smashing the beautiful blue plates. Happy Tourists and Happy Pirates!
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Isla Mujeres in Mexico This was just about the first restaurant Don and I spotted when our ferry arrived on the island. It was early morning and we were starved. Any restaurant with a lobster on the roof, had to be good! Under the Roof Don and I paused to check the menu on the little carved stands in front. No staff rushed to greet, because they were all under the roof, eating their own breakfasts. But we were spotted and encouraged to come in and find a seat. Don and I headed into the shaded restaurant and noticed more creatures hanging from the ceiling. All the tables were sitting in beach sand, which was pretty fun. But we headed down the wooden walkway, towards the water. Table on the Deck We picked one of two wooden tables, on the deck, where we had a little shade, plus a nice view of the water and dock. All Alone The other ferry tourists all seemed eager to get to beaches or golf cart tours. We seemed to have the place to ourselves and that was perfect. Coffee at Last Our waiter eventually arrived with menus. I asked if they served coffee. He answered no... and then laughed. Some diners in need of caffeine, might not have found that funny. I was just happy he was teasing. Once I had a sip of coffee, I could enjoy the atmosphere. Our little, polished table had some character. There was a glass covered hole in the center, with a flower and shell display. Carved Chairs The chairs that went with the table were even more exciting. Don and I both had carved seahorses behind our backs, but there were chairs with dolphins and turtles and lobsters. I think families with young kids would find these chairs pretty nifty. I can also imagine some bickering siblings, tired from a day at the beach... fighting over the octopus chair. Eye on the Dock This was the perfect little spot to start our day on the island. Don and I (and the overhead shark) kept an eye on the water and boats. Not only was the setting peaceful, but the music that played softly was quite pleasant. A nice change from some of the places that cater to young tourists! Breakfast The food part of the dining adventure was decent and priced well. Our orders of Ranchero Eggs and Mexican Eggs were pretty similar and I can't even remember which we liked better. Lobster Next Time Our memories of Miramar will be about the curious decor and the view and our friendly pelican. I wish we had a lobster memory. After we excited I noticed the glass window facing the street, with the lobster tank. Next time, we'll need to go at night for a real feast, with lobster memories!
Yucatan Dining in Cozumel Don and I returned to an old favorite, on a trip to Cozumel last May. Over 10 Years Before Here we are with our kids in 2007. The quaint sidewalk cafe, was just steps from the town's plaza. I believe our good humored waiter took the photo. What's Different? The place looked pretty much the same after 10 years. This photo shows the tables and chairs looking more modern... and the diners looking more aged. I kind of missed the old wooden tables and chairs. Since 1945 As the placemat reminded us, Casa Denis has been around since before Don and I were born. So that made us feel younger. Martin Don and I recognized our old waiter from 10 years ago. Martin was just how I remembered him... gruff one minute and playful the next. He said he'd been working at Casa Denis for 17 years. He hasn't lost his posing skills. Little Yellow Casa Don and I arrived hungry at about 9 pm. There were plenty of tourists sitting outside the little yellow building. In Daylight When we walked by earlier in the day, I could see the house-like shape and hoped to take a peek inside when we returned. Homey Interior In the evening, I walked through the white doors and took a peek inside. I could imagine the Angulo family once living in the casa. Yellow Walls There were no tables for dining, just framed displays of family photos and a few famous guests like Jackie Onassis. It was easy to imagine Denis, Juanita and their children working and living here long ago. The couple actually sold food from their home in the 1930's. Tourists hadn't begun to flock to the island yet. Food and Drink Don and I were happy to sit outside on a balmy evening. We had spent the cool and rainy day, visiting the ruins of Tulum and we were ready for margaritas and some Yucatan dishes. Luckily the margaritas were delicious and safe... Another Cozumel Trip This is what happens when you indulge in bad margaritas. (I'm not proud of this mother/daughter photo from 6 years ago) I know I sound like I'm blaming the margaritas... which I am. They were deadly. Food? We were starved so we ordered 3 dishes. Don's Yucatan pork tacos were yummy, as I recall. My dish was very festive, as you can see. Sadly I failed to take notes. This was a while ago and I'm not going to lie. I remember being happy with my food and that's about all I remember. Ole for Mole! I do recall that we ordered Enchiladas de Mole, since Casa Denis is known for Yucatan specialties. The enchiladas were smothered in a creamy mole with onions. Very delish! New Friends Lydia and Jennie stopped by selling key chains. They spoke some English and Don spoke enough Spanish to be able to communicate fairly well. They were good humored and talked about school, so we hoped it was okay to buy from them. There was a lot of discussion about which animals and shapes were best. Both insisted we include at least one mermaid in our purchase. Pups and Music I don't have a photo of the tiny dog that strolled about the tables as we dined. He was so old I think he may have been the mascot, when we visited 10 years ago. We enjoyed the strolling guitar player just as much as the amusing pup. Our musician wasn't intrusive. He just politely asked if we preferred something happy or something romantic. We chose our favorite, the dramatic love song, Maleguena! Until Next Time Yes, this place attracts the tourists and sometimes the waiters are grumpy. But we love the Casa Denis. We've been coming to Cozumel since before the cruise ships started invading. We will be back, I'm sure.
Lebanese Food In Mexico Don and I had been in Cozumel for nearly a week, when we stumbled across this Lebanese restaurant, last April. We'd eaten a lot of tacos, so we were ready for a change. Well, sort of a change. Arabian Tacos at least sounded curious. Wandering Back Streets of Cozumel Don and I ran across this not overly inviting storefront, when wandering far off the usual tourist path. We were in search of a curious music store, we'd read about. By the time we figured out the store was long gone, we were hungry and we were no where near the restaurants that cater to tourists. It didn't look like the kind of place we would go for, unless we'd gotten a good recommendation. But, it smelled so darn good! We Peeked In The bright yellow space was empty, except for a young man and his cell phone at one table. The floor was still damp from a recent mopping and the owner was out on the patio, with a hose. He smiled and waved. In We Go The owner greeted us and invited us in. We chose one of the 3 tables and Don ordered a pineapple drink, while we checked over the menu. The curious drink was green, with a hint of cucumber and a tiny bit of crunch. Looking Around While we waited on our food, we took in the decor. There was a Lebanese flag on one wall and a Turkish flag on the other. There was a bookcase, with mostly books in English. Lebanese Roots We assumed the owner was Lebanese, but he told us it was his grandmother, who handed down the Lebanese recipes. Luis was born in Mexico and moved to Cozumel at the age of 14. After years in various kinds of business, Luis and his wife opened up this restaurant so he could cook and share the foods he loved. Arabian Tacos Don ordered the Arabian Tacos, which Luis recommended. The chicken and pork were flavored with delicious Mediterranean spices. The pita bread was soft and warm. Luis explained how to use the 4 sauce options, but we got a little confused. Falafel I went for the falafal plate, which came with 5 yummy, fried treats, hummus, salad and a yogurt based sauce. I ate every bit, except the salad. After a week of no salad, I was craving those greens. But I've learned to keep it safe... so I can enjoy my stay. Dessert We were full after our quick lunch, but took a look at the baklava and other goodies on the counter We ended up ordering a couple to go. Chatting With Luis We were a little uncertain who was cooking the special recipes, back in the kitchen. Luis was fairly busy during most of our dining time, so maybe he was doing some cooking, too. Once we finished though, Luis was more than happy to talk. We heard about his teen years in Cozumel and his unusual career path, which lead to the opening of Arabian Tacos, a couple of years ago. What nice guy. What yummy food. Oops! We sort of forgot our yummy treats for a few days. When we discovered them in a bag later, we were surprised at how absolutely delicious they still were! 3 cheers for our Arabian Dining Adventure!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
April 2024
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