Trip Report: Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Chichen Itza, and Cancun in 8 Days
I have the full series of reports complete with photos, start at http://donnaaries.wordpress.com/2006/...
I will summarize the best & the worst in this post.
Playa del Carmen:
Best drink: mojito at Babe's Noodle & Bar (and the shrimp spring rolls were delicious, too
)Best dinner: tikin xic at Yaxche. Some say this is touristy, but I think the atmosphere is really worth it.
Best non-alcoholic drink: chocolate frio (natural chocolate with iced milk) at Ah Cacao
Best photo op: Senor Tacombi's hippie VW van. The shredded chicken tacos for $1 weren't bad either.
Wish I had skipped: Cannoli dessert at The Glass Bar. Not worth the money at all.
Tulum:
Best: I didn't find anything spectacular in Tulum. I did enjoy breakfast at the hotel restaurant (Tierras del Sol) and the hotter than hell salsa at Don Cafetos.
Worst: Size of licuados at dinner at Zamas. $3.00 for less than 8 oz. Salsa was also terrible at Zamas.
Chichen Itza and surrounding interior areas:
Best: Spit-grilled whole chicken at a restaurant (no name) next to Los Pajaros on the main road through Piste (10 minute drive from Chichen Itza). $3 for the best half chicken I've ever tasted.
Cancun:
I stayed at the Golden Parnassus all-inclusive and ate only at the hotel for my 2 night stay. If you decide to stay here, I would recommend Shangri-La (good creme brulee) but strongly caution against Sumo (terrible sushi, it is at best supermarket grade).
donnaaries
Jan 17, 2007 10:41PM
Disappointing cannoli, sushi; there's a pattern here. Foreign themed restaurants are proliferating along the Riviera Maya, and often fall short because of substituted ingredients and underskilled (poorly trained?) kitchen help. Best to stick with what they do best- Mexican!. No surprise about the killer poultry- they do chicken best (sorry, Colonel..)
Babe's is a refreshing exception. The owner is Swedish and his food is basically Thai variations. He is fastidious with quality control and cleanliness. After many successful years with his restaurant, (and he has a second location in "little Italy" on 5th ave) he still makes his swedish meatballs every morning himself.
Tulum still lacks an identity as it evolves from its bohemian past. (By that I mean the European backpackers, not the Mayans who are being screwed out of their land).
Veggo
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I just looked at your report of your trip on your blog and wanted to tell you I really enjoyed reading about your time there! Great pics of the food you ate.
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Thanks! I appreciate your kind words :)
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If you go back to the Yucatan, I would highly recommend checking out the western portion... particularly Uxmal (better than Chichen Itza), the walled port of Campeche (with Pampano the best restaurant in the Yucatan), Merida (lots of good eating & culture)... and then go throught the jungle from Uxmal to the mesmirizing Bacalar Lagoon.... back up to the Riveria Maya.... next time try eating in down town Cancun where the locals eat.
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I agree with Eat Nopal.. go to Uxmal. Merida is wonderful good eats and just a great spot, do not go in the summer dreadfully hot.
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Sorry I am using my boyfriend's computer he is Grubbjunkie.
I replied above to Eat Nopal.
Lori SF
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