Good AUTHENTIC Mexican food??

[kijjy]

We want to have some good REAL Mexican food, not Americanized. Where are the recommendations for getting this?

[volive]

Your in Mexico, so everythign is authentic!! LOL

 

Seriously though see this recent thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1557086

[EydieG]

Didn't read the other thread, so this may be mentioned but we love Pancho's Backyard. If you go there sometime after 12:00, their time, they have live music too.

[crewsweeper]

Do read theother thread. Panchos Back yard does have good food, but it's closer to what most Americans consider Mexican food, which is more Tex-Mex or northern Mexican street food and you can find similar things at cheaper prices in other restaurants. Mexico has a variety of regional foods and its cuisine varies from place to place. In Cozumel, the more indigenous Yucatan food is related to the Maya influences and to the sea. You can experience more local Yucatan cooking at one of the loncherias in San Miguel like Las Flamas or Sabores. For Yucatan influence in a more typical restaurant setting try Casa Denis (oldest restaurant on the island) or LaChoza, both downtown in the main Plaza area. For good seafood head away from the water to Pescarderia San Carlos. La Mission, on the southwestern corner of th ePlaza has a nice mix of both tourist oriented and Yucatan influenced cuisine with strolling mariachis and out door seating.

[Gonzo70]

I am just back from Cozumel a couple of days ago and had one of my most fun excursions I have ever had in the Caribbean with Cozumel Chef (you book directly with Emily, the owner) - not via the cruise line. She offers several tours, but the one I did involved visiting five different authentic Mexican restaurants away from the touristy areas. The cost is $75 and covers Emily's services as well as the food and beverages at each of the stops. It was so much fun, the food was incredible and very authentic and Emily is such a nice person and great tour guide.

 

Here is a link to her website: http://www.cozumelchef.com/

 

She is not well known on Cruise Critic yet for some reason, but has tons of reviews on Trip Advisor (all very favorable reviews).

 

I highly recommend you look into this - great way to sample a wide variety of authentic and tasty cuisine with a professional as your guide.

[avril4111]

Thank you so much for this info- I have bookmarked her website and will check out reviews.

I was not impressed with Panchos either. My DH and I both agreed we preferred a Mexican restaurant back home- although the setting at Panchos Backyard was gorgeous!!

We were thinking of just doing Nachi because the food got good reviews. but will definitely look into this:)

[crewsweeper]

I am just back from Cozumel a couple of days ago and had one of my most fun excursions I have ever had in the Caribbean with Cozumel Chef (you book directly with Emily, the owner) - not via the cruise line. She offers several tours, but the one I did involved visiting five different authentic Mexican restaurants away from the touristy areas. The cost is $75 and covers Emily's services as well as the food and beverages at each of the stops. It was so much fun, the food was incredible and very authentic and Emily is such a nice person and great tour guide.

 

Here is a link to her website: http://www.cozumelchef.com/

 

She is not well known on Cruise Critic yet for some reason, but has tons of reviews on Trip Advisor (all very favorable reviews).

 

I highly recommend you look into this - great way to sample a wide variety of authentic and tasty cuisine with a professional as your guide.

 

Thanks for the link. Many cruisers probably confuse this with a cooking demo. And you can do the loncherias and El Mercado on your own for a lot less than $75 pp. But this would be of interest to those of us who'd like to immerse more into Yucatan flavors. A Playa tour might be interesting too as there have been recent additions and deletions to the Playa resto scene.