Fernando and Ole Paella - any news?

Every time I go to Costa Maya I have to look up Fernando as he has been moving a lot lately. I know he was working at his new place, Ole Paella, a few months ago and I am going to Costa Maya on January 23 so I was wondering if anyone has any recent news about this new place.

Wherever he is, you can bet that the food and drinks will be outstanding and he always treats you like a friend, not a tourist.

I haven't seen any other news on Fernando. So maybe you'll be the scout on this trip for the rest of us. If you can't find O.P. then hit the convenience store that's across the street from where 100% Agave used to be and see if they may know where he's at these days. If you don't recall, that'd be on the street one block inland from the malecon, Huachinango (it's the street taxis take down from the cruise port) and between Calle Sierra and Calle Cherna.

Best of luck and please report back what you see.:)

I was just in Costa Maya 1-23-15 and the bad news is that Fernando has moved again. We stopped in his convenience store and he was there. He said he was no longer associated with Ole Paella which is in his old 100% Agave building right next to his store.

He said he was working at a place next door to El Fuerte but that the cook was out of town so the place was closed and he didn't know if or when it would reopen.

At least you can still get good cold cheap beer or bottles of liquor at his store.

Thanks for the update and the pictures. Sad to see Don Fernando is no longer cooking that wonderful food. Guess his store will have lots more tourista patrons. did he still have his hooch for sale?

Thanks for the update and the pictures. Sad to see Don Fernando is no longer cooking that wonderful food. Guess his store will have lots more tourista patrons. did he still have his hooch for sale?

His store sells many brands of liquor and beer. I did not know he had a brand of his own.

His store sells many brands of liquor and beer. I did not know he had a brand of his own.

Well, it wasn't so much a "brand"; more like something he had in a small barrel and would sell you a pint or so on the side and would use it in the drinks, or at least the shots. No idea where he got it from. But it was 100% Agave.

I'm going to be back in Costa Maya on February 18 (Ash Wednesday) and if anything is open, I will try to see what Fernando is doing that week.

Enjoy the Dream! DW's Fav ship:) I appreciate the updates. I won't be heading back there til next January, and I doubt I can get DW and her SILs to swing by the store. But if he's still at his store next year, I'd like to stop in and say hello. Missed him the last time I was there.

I'm going to be back in Costa Maya on February 18 (Ash Wednesday) and if anything is open, I will try to see what Fernando is doing that week.

Just as an aside, maybe you can plant a bug in his ear about Cha Chi! Not sure what the financing arrangements and cost to renovate are, but that'd be an awesome spot.

Just as an aside, maybe you can plant a bug in his ear about Cha Chi! Not sure what the financing arrangements and cost to renovate are, but that'd be an awesome spot.

Somehow I just don't think that Fernando is in the financial position to do something like Cha Chi. And the best thing about Fernandos when he was at 100% Agave was that he was off the beaten path in the low rent district and was able to sell great products at much lower prices than those on the malecon until his landlord raised his rent forcing him to move. We all loved going to a local place that served locals with local pricing instead of one of the tourist traps on the malecon.

Also, I believe that the reason no one is developing Cha Chi is because they know the only easy egress is the hole in the fence which will definitely be closed if someone opens a resort there making people have to take a taxi trip a long way to get to the place that is right next to the pier.

It will probably cost many $$$$ to get a contract to make an entrance there from the pier.

We will be cruising out of New Orleans on the Dream Mardi Gras week, and will be in Costa Maya on ASH Wednesday also. Do you know of any Catholic Church in the area that will be offering mass or where we can recieve ashes. if so please let me know, we have group of 30+ and growing going.

thank you in advance, if you have any suggestions i would appreciate it and gladly buy you a beer on board.

There's a little church building along the coastal highway about 3 miles south of Mahahual toward Xcalak on the right hand side. Mostly just a small place where locals can light candles. I'm not sure if there's even a priest serving the area. I don't see a listing for any churches in Xcalak.

I think Lutherans missionaries run or used to run a service in the Corona House, I'd doubt they'd have Ash Wednesday services on a ship day in port.

There is a cathedral in Bacalar about an hour 1/2 -2 hours West out of main road near the port to 307 then past the turnoff to Cchacchoben and then south past the Blue Lagoon resort. It's about a 200 kilometer/120 mile round trip. I have no idea what a taxi would cost to get there. But you might be able to rent a jeep at port.

Every time I go to Costa Maya I have to look up Fernando as he has been moving a lot lately. I know he was working at his new place, Ole Paella, a few months ago and I am going to Costa Maya on January 23 so I was wondering if anyone has any recent news about this new place.

 

Wherever he is, you can bet that the food and drinks will be outstanding and he always treats you like a friend, not a tourist.

https://www.facebook.com/fernandos100agave

It appears that Fernando has reopened 100% Agave restaurant because there are current reviews (feb 2015) on Facebook and trip Advisor. We are cruising there in 2 weeks and will be on the hunt to "Find Fernando"!

None of those Facebook photos are from the old 100% Agave location. They are from a location on the melacon which has closed down. I took the attached photo of Fernando on January 22, 2015 in front of his liquor store and he said his other place was closed at this time.

If you want to see Fernando, go to his liquor store right across the street from his old 100% Agave location.

Just in case he started any new business this week, I will let you know on February 23.