Panchos Backyard in Cozumel, Mexico

Oasis on the Island

Don and I found the entrance to this restaurant, inside Los Cinco Soles, a large gift shop. That's usually a touristy thing... gift shops with restaurants. But this lovely place was a little piece of quiet heaven, on an October afternoon.

Marimba Duo

There were no other diners, which can also be a bad thing. But we were happy to have a pick of any table, inside or out. We chose a spot, directly in front of the father/son musicians. That again, could have been a bad thing. But they were a sweet pair, playing as many old Frank Sinatra hits as Mexican favorites. 

Menu with History

Our wooden menus gave us some good food options, along with some history.

The building was once part of a warehouse, that stored and shipped bales of dried resin. In the late 1940's, the building found new purpose, since a few travelers began coming to the island. 

The warehouse was transformed into a hotel, with gardens and a pool. I would love to step back in time and see the kinds of folks who ventured to Cozumel, back then.

​Inside and Out

I loved our table, looking out on the garden. The open air interior felt cool and breezy on an October day.

Picture Time

We just couldn't resist having some gigantic beverages with our meal. Ferdinando, our gracious server, took this photo of us with our feast.

The Food

Don's shrimp with garlic was perfecto. My Tamales Yucatecos, was equally tasty. Steamed tamales, served on a banana leaf, with a cute mound of rice. There was a touch of sweet that made me feel like I was on vacation. Well...I was.

The Two Ferds

Ferdinando was a delight. He never made us feel awkward for being the only diners in the restaurant. He "intruded" just enough. He also seemed pretty pleased to know that Don's middle name was Ferd. Don has never loved his middle name, but Don didn't share that.

Our dining adventure ended with a very nice photo of The Two Ferds!