The Internet's Mexican Food Authority and Number One Expert - Jim Peyton, Mexican Food Cookbook Author
By Jim Peyton
NOTES FROM PUERTO VALLARTA Following are some notes I made when I was in Puerto Vallarta doing research for the food and wine chapter of The Lonely Planet Guide Book to the area
Orientation Until the filming of Night of the Iguana, Puerto Vallarta was a quiet fishing community, most of whose foreign visitors belonged to the in-the-know, adventurous variety. Everything changed when the entertainment media's coverage of the affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton exposed the area's natural beauty and framed it in an atmosphere of romance and adventure. The place has since exploded into what it is today: part Mexican seaport and part tourist destination. Like other Pacific Coast resorts, including Mazatlán, the result is neither fish nor fowl. Puerto Vallarta lacks both the charm of an unspoiled Mexican town and the elegance of the best destination resorts. (Only Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo has handled this problem well. Using a headland that separates the original village of Zihuatanejo from the line of high rise hotels along the beach at Ixtapa, the place is able to take advantage of both worlds in a pragmatic, separate-but-equal fashion). But don't be put off; as shall soon become evident, Puerto Vallarta has important redeeming qualities. While many Mexican towns have common architectural features as a defining threadCbuilding materials, design, graphics or color, Puerto Vallarta does not. It is like a picture puzzle of different pieces of masonry that was put together with the goal of making sure nothing fits. Things like an odd, tacked-on balcony or an addition of large, white-painted bricks to a structure of small, rough, red ones, maybe with green-painted grout lines are typical. After a while, you realize that this is not necessarily bad; this haphazard approach becomes a sort of funky thread in itself, one that is a metaphor for the inhabitants' informality and lack of pretension. And therein lies the area's charm. You needn't worry about the people you meet looking down long noses at you just because you are not displaying the latest fashionable accessories. They are happy at the gift of prosperity your presence brings and grateful you are there. Even those urging you to patronize their businesses do so with genuine enthusiasm and, for the most part, lack the hard-edge of the professional hucksters that plague other resorts. In terms of layout, Puerto Vallarta consists of three basic areas. Roughly in the center is the Rió Cuale, which descends from the city's mountain backdrop to the sea. It's valley is called Gringo Gulch after the number of Americans who live and stay in the area. South of the river is the so-called Zona Romantica which is the older part of town with vintage high rise hotels along the beach, closely-packed shops, restaurants, and boutiques for three or four blocks inland. A few of the stores are interesting, but most are cheesy tourist dives. At this point and continuing for another six or seven blocks to the base of the mountain, the area turns into a normal Mexican city, with modest businesses and markets designed to serve the locals. South of the Zona Romantica the older atmosphere continues with less congestion. This is where you will find the more secluded beaches and resorts. To the north of the river (accessible either by a bridge with both vehicle and pedestrian traffic about two blocks from the ocean, or a waterfront pedestrian bridge and pathway) is the newer part of the city. It is filled with tourist oriented stores and restaurantsCas it turned out, some of the best ones I tired.
Where to Stay Where to stay is a fairly simple choice. If you like resort accommodations with familiar names that are fairly close to shopping and restaurants, stay in one of the chain operations in the northern Hotel Zone. If your preference is being in the center of action at lower prices, stay either in one of the high-rises along the Romantic Zone's beach, or in a smaller off-the-beach hotel. I do not recommend anyplace I have not stayed for reasons that will become clear, so I can only relate my experience, which was pretty good. Not having been in Puerto Vallarta for many years, I checked with some friends who had recently been there. They had all stayed in resorts, something I was anxious to avoid. What I wanted was an inexpensive, well-located hotel with a Mexican ambience. A place just south of the Rió Cuale was recommended in a magazine article and looked promising, but an internet check revealed complaints from several guests regarding a nearby disco that kept them awake nearly all night. In the Lonely Planet guide, I found a similarly located, modestly priced establishment called the Posada Rió Cuale that sounded about right, and I made a reservation. On my arrival I discovered I had made the right choice. The indoor-outdoor reception desk to one side of an outdoor restaurant by a small swimming pool reflected the casual atmosphere that I discovered is Vallarta's most pleasant feature. Past the bar and up a narrow stairway, I found my room overlooking the pool. It was a typical, modest, nearly hundred-percent masonry Mexican hotel room. It was also spacious, had cable T.V. and air conditioning, but no telephone. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect! The bulb on the bed light was out so I returned to the desk to be told they had no extras and there would be nobody available to get one until the next day. After explaining that reading in the dark was difficult, I was offered another room, and given the key. It seemed O.K., but the air conditioner appeared to have a broken plug, so I removed the functioning lightbulb from its lamp and took it to my original room. Problem solved. The place is also a bit tatty and rough around the edges, but its location: two blocks from the beach and an easy walk to most attractions as well as its fairly low price more than made up for any minor problems. In addition, the hotel's restaurant (which was quite good), bar, and general atmosphere suited my mood and purpose.
Where and what to eat Whenever you want to find the best food in a Mexican resort area, the last people to ask for a recommendation are tourist guides and employees of local travel agencies. No matter how much you implore them to suggest only authentic, non-tourist establishments, they will inevitably send you to someplace with which they have a commission relationship. The tipoff is when they tell you to present their card to the management for something complimentary! I have found that whatever is considered the best restaurant in town is a fine source of culinary intelligence. They know good food and have no incentive to send you to someone else's restaurant, especially one where you will not have a great experience. A quick review of several guidebooks and websites will usually indicate a likely prospect, especially in a place as small as Puerto Vallarta. Several sources, including a good friend in Mexico City, named the Café des Artistes, owned and operated by Chef Thierry Blouet, as the area's gold standard. I decided to go there first and found what may be the most beautiful restaurant in the entire area. Located in the newer downtown area, north of the river and five or six blocks uphill from the ocean, the restaurant is built on several levels, and includes seating in a lovely roof garden. The place manages to be both contemporary and traditional in a decidedly upscale manner, which is very appealing. I have rarely found a French restaurant in Mexico that did not customize its fare with a well-thought-out dash of something Mexican, and this was no exception, as the complimentary appetizer of creative tostadas immediately testified. The rest of the meal, including Tilapia raised in a nearby fresh water farm and served with a creamy mushroom sauce was terrific. So was the waiter's advice. He did a fine job and, after dinner, took me to meet M. Blouet. I found him, not playing Important Owner in the bar, but in the kitchen actually preparing food alongside his staff. How refreshing! He could not have been more cordial, and the crew recommended two places for Mexican food. For seafood, I was instructed to go to Tinos Mariscos in the nearby village of El Pitillal (pronounced El Pity-all) where they strongly suggested that I order the regional favorite, pescado zarandeado. For upscale, well-prepared Mexican food, they provided directions to the not-too-distant Los Xitomates. San Antonio, Texas where I spend most of the year, is 150 miles from the ocean. That may not seem far but, by the time most fish gets into the display case it is almost never as fresh as it is should be. As I spend several months each year in La Jolla, California, which has a terrific seafood market called El Pescador (The Fisherman), I am well aware of the difference! So, I had arrived in Puerto Vallarta anticipating perfectly fresh seafood. I had also read about pescado zarandeado, which is made from different species of fish, including snapper. It is fileted, given a rub with special spices, then grilled. Early the next afternoon I enquired about getting to El Pitillal, and discovered that it was about eight to ten miles away. A round trip cab ride would run about $40. Since that was nearly three times what I expected the meal to cost, I decided a cab was a bad idea. After receiving some instructions, I hopped on a bus. Next to me was an off-duty bus driver and behind us a boy of about twelve, who my seat mate informed me was learning to play the guitar and sing. As it turned out, he was far from a novice and regaled the bus with sixties U.S. rock n' roll hits sung in Spanish, which made the 20 - 30 minute trip pass quickly (at least for me). The driver kindly stopped when it was time for me to get off, and I found myself at Tino's entry. The entire trip, including a tip for the budding mariachi, cost about 50 cents. I can usually tell within seconds if a restaurant is going to be good. The look, the smells (or lack thereof), the expressions on employee's faces, the music, and the general ambiance speak volumes if you take the time to understand the language. Tinos immediately impressed me as one of those traditional places that serious diners of all ages and classes have been coming to since anyone can remember. The open kitchen is visible from nearly anyplace in the spacious seating area, which has all the appointments of a fine upper middle class Mexican restaurant, including waiters that seem to have been raised there. After a basket of chips and three excellent salsas, the pescado zarandeado arrived. What looked like three separate filets from close to a two-pound snapper literally filled the platter and caused me to ask the waiter where the army was to help me finish it. That was it: the platter of fish, the salsas, a bowl of lime wedges, and a basket of hot corn tortillas. And what a delight it was! Obviously more than enough for one person, it was one of the freshest, most perfectly prepared fish dishes I have ever had. The spice rub was thick with garlic and flavorful dried chiles, and perfectly contrasted with the sweet, mild snapper. The bright red color indicated a healthy amount of ground annato seeds, a Yucatan spice that is used to make their recados, or seasoning pastes (and which was once used to color things like margarine and lipstick). It was simply delicious! Feeling I was on a run of good luck, I went to Xitomate for dinner, and was not disappointed. The place is hip in the style of Mexico's best contemporary restaurants and, from the long spears of sesame-seeded tortilla chips to elegant dessert presentations, a great deal of thought has obviously gone into the service and food. Believing any seafood would be anticlimactic after the pescado zarandeado, I opted for the arrechara, a whole piece of skirt steak. It was served with a delicious rendition of rajas (sauteed, mild strips of chile poblano and onions). This version was bathed in cream which smoothed out any rough edges. (Milk products dilute chile heat). The young staff was genuinely enthusiastic. In summary, my short time in Puerto Vallarta provided nowhere near enough opportunity for in-depth exploration, but what I found, especially the friendly, laid-back atmosphere, made it probable that there is much more to be discovered, and certainly worth another visit! Note: One thing to bear in mind in Puerto Vallarta is that two customs that prevail in most of the rest of Mexico are absent. Usually, pedestrians are considered fair game by those in automobiles, especially in Mexico City where if you don't step lively drivers will actually speed up to show you who's boss. But in Puerto Vallarta pedestrians are usually treated with a respect that would almost please the authorities in California. (Remember I said usually, so don't relax your caution). The other custom that is violated regards the meal schedule. In deference to their foreign visitors, rather than serving the main meal or comida between about 1:30pm and 4:30pm, many of the better restaurants do not even open until 6pm. Places: Hotel Posada Rió Cuale Café des artistes Mariscos Tinos Los Xitomates
Pescado Zarandeado Pescado Zarandeado is a unique and delicious traditional grilled fish dish served along Mexico's Pacific Coast. The recipe uses a chile and garlic-based seasoning paste, and a final glazing of flavored mayonnaise before it goes on the grill.You can use any thin fish filet for this very special dish, or even very large shrimp. In Mexico, the whole fish makes one huge portion, but it can easily serve two people. For the authentic preparation, select a whole fish of about 2 - 2 2 pounds and have the fishmonger remove the head and butterfly it (or do it yourself), leaving the skin on. You may cook the fish whole, in one, large flat piece, plus a smaller one with the meat on the backbone, or you can trim each fish down to two fillets. You can grind the annato seeds to a powder in a coffee grinder. You could also use New Mexico chile powder, but it will be hotter, so, if you do, leave out the de arból or cayenne. You will notice that the marinade calls for a small amount of soy sauce. This is not inauthentic, as, since the early twentieth century, many Chinese immigrants have lived along Mexico's west coast. 1/4 cup olive oil Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt In the oil, cook the garlic and powdered annato seeds over medium low heat until the garlic is soft, but not browned, (unless you like the more assertive taste of browned garlic, but under no circumstances allow it to burn). Lower the heat to very low, add the soy sauce, the two chile powders, and salt, and continue to cook for 1 - 2 minutes, but do not allow the powder to burn as it will be bitter. Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 20 minutes. This will permit the powdered spices to fully hydrate. Grind the mixture to a paste in a molcajete or mortar and pestle. Mix 1 1/2 teaspoons of the paste with the mayonnaise and reserve in the refrigerator, then spread the rest of the paste over the fleshy side of the fish, rubbing it in well and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
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