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RESTAURANTS
Eating out is one of the best parts of a Puerto Vallarta vacation. Outstanding restaurants abound, and many of them are never to be seen advertised in the usual tourist publications. Don’t hesitate to travel off the beaten path, as part of the fun of PV is walking up and down various side streets and exploring attractions usually known only to the locals. In the main sections of Vallarta, and on the main streets, buses run until late at night, and most of the local people use public transportation, so the streets are usually occupied by pedestrians, buses run every few minutes, and even if it is very dark and late, I have never felt unsafe walking around Vallarta. So venture out!
Off the beaten path, you will find many small, neighborhood restaurants, and some amazing street vendors. If the locals are eating there, you can be sure it is GOOD Mexican food, and the real thing. While there are many parts of Mexico where one has to be particularly careful about eating at any restaurant that is not mainstream, because of health and sanitation concerns, this does not seem to be an issue in Vallarta. To begin with, the water is perfectly safe to drink, which means that fresh fruits and vegetables washed in local water do not present a health risk. Perhaps it is just my assumption, but given that tourism is THE economic source in Vallarta, it is of utmost importance to the locals to keep the tourists healthy and coming back. Word travels fast in a small town like Puerto Vallarta, so it is not in any business’s best interest to not treat guests well, to make people sick, or to not return a good value for the money spent.
Because the people in this city are so friendly, you can venture into a restaurant where you are not sure that much, if any, English is spoken, and still know that someone will help you order a meal that you will enjoy. Except for larger and/or chain restaurants, credit cards are not likely to be accepted. They most assuredly will not be accepted in small family restaurants. And you may find that restaurants where you think they will be accepted will actually surprise you to the contrary. But then, Vallarta is largely a cash town anyway, so plan accordingly when you schedule your trip.
No matter what section of town you are in, you will find everything from fast food hamburger chains to truly exceptional fine dining, family style restaurants, bars with nightlife, and a lot of small family-owned restaurants. If you are traveling with children, don’t worry. Hamburgers are everywhere! There is a MacDonald’s downtown, Domino’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Outback Steakhouse, Hard Rock Café, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a myriad of other American chain restaurants scattered throughout the city, if such is your preference. This list is not all-inclusive, as I have not eaten in any of them while in Vallarta, but it gives you some idea of the choices if that is what you are looking for.
The restaurants I describe here are not the only outstanding restaurants in Vallarta, by any means. While I am doing my level best to eat my way through Vallarta “for the sake of my guests,” I will never be able to get to them all, both for reasons of time and the fact that some are such favorites of mine that I return to them 3 or 4 times in one trip. So don’t hesitate to ask other people for their recommendations, and then ask them WHY they recommend that restaurant or what they liked to order there. That will not only give you some idea about the restaurant, but also tell you if that food is the kind YOU like. An important disclaimer here is to tell you that, while I eat shell fish and some light fish, I do not eat meat of any kind or chicken. By definition, then, you will not find steakhouses or Argentinian restaurants on my list. I simply haven’t gone there, and if you prefer those menus, ask around to find the best ones. Most restaurants will offer a variety of food, however, so my personal preferences don’t affect restaurant referrals. In fact, vegetarians will find an assortment of strictly vegetarian restaurants from which to choose, as well as many selections on standard menus. Vegan is a little harder to accommodate, so just be advised.
My partner contends that the measure of a good Mexican restaurant is their ability to make good Chiles Rellenos. I’m actually into cheese enchiladas and beans. But what we have typically done is order the same food item at various restaurants, to have some sort of standard against which to measure their overall quality. That has helped sort out authentic Mexican restaurants from those that advertise a lot but are more American versions of Mexican food. Other times, we just go on a whim and order whatever sounds good, and end up referring not only restaurants but particular menu items. Just understand that this is not a scientific list. It is a compilation of favorites from someone who loves to cook, who enjoys having fun, who LOVES Vallarta and, well, really likes a good meal!
Because of the need to organize restaurants according to some outline, I have chosen to list them by location or area. Within each area, there will be some variety of establishments, from fine dining, to breakfast spots, to seafood restaurants, Mexican food, and more. Speaking of seafood, Puerto Vallarta is a SHRIMP town. Lobster is not as readily available or generally of as good quality as might be found in locations such as Cancun, Cozumel, or Puerto Nuevo…although I will describe a notable exception at Langostino’s. Mostly, it is just not readily available. But the shrimp…oh my gosh! Many rival lobsters for size! Don’t leave Vallarta without having sampled one or more varieties. You will NOT be disappointed.
A recent article from the Dallas Morning News highlights some of the best experiences the author recently had at Vallarta restaurants. Check it out:
Sit down to memorable meals in Puerto Vallarta
Saturday, October 24,
By ALAN SOLOMON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico –
"This isn't the only tourist town on the Mexican coastline, but you already knew that. Cancún. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. Playa del Carmen. Acapulco. Cabo. Cozumel. Manzanillo. More. All with beaches and the requisite cervezas frias . Each, if you look closely, with something to offer that the others don't.
Puerto Vallarta has two of those somethings: There's the old town, with its sometimes scruffy charm and happy surprises: that tiny shop selling museum-quality Oaxacan woodcarvings, the gallery offering brilliant works by local painters and sculptors, another shop with weavings to grace your holiday table. Good stuff among the requisite tourist junk.
And its restaurants.
"In terms of quality, quantity, variety, creativity and value, in all of Mexico only Mexico City and, maybe, Guadalajara – this nation's largest metropolises – come close to Puerto Vallarta.
"Don't expect cheap, necessarily. The days of paying $2 for a whole red snapper that hours earlier was celebrating the sunrise in Banderas Bay are long gone. PV prices have caught up.
On the other hand, a favorable exchange rate (recently about 13 pesos to the dollar) eases the tabs. A bonus: Tourism slowed a bit by global economic realities means that most nights, tables at even the finest restaurants can be had without reservations and with an especially sincere welcome.
"(One more point: There are plenty of humbler little places in PV. By all means try them.)
What follows is a sampling of Puerto Vallarta restaurants we found worthy on our latest visit. It isn't a comprehensive list; many reliable favorites, including the elegant Cafe des Artistes downtown and Porto Bello at the Marina, eluded us this trip.
These didn't.
"Kaiser Maximilian. Who goes for Austrian in this land of fish tacos? Anyone who loves a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) served in reasonably authentic Old European ambience and accompanied (at its sidewalk tables) by a succession of roving musicians – singles, duos, quintets – offering for spare pesos their finest versions of "Bésame Mucho." Besides, it isn't all schnitzel and spaetzle here. My wife enjoyed her snapper and I my sea bass, both local, both handsomely prepared and served with grace by an efficient staff. Dinner for two, including a couple of drinks and generous tip: $62.
Contact: Olas Altas 38-B; 011-52-322-223- 0760; www.kaisermaximilia n.com/. Opens 8 a.m.; Closed Sundays.
Red Cabbage Cafe-El Repollo Rojo.When this place opened 14 years ago, there was nothing quite like it this side of the capital. It remains a singular experience for Puerto Vallarta: cozy, quirky, its walls covered with random art (Frida Kahlo variations, Broadway posters, an 8x10 of former Baltimore Colt Art Donovan), located a little out of the way along the River Cuale and with a menu foreign even to most Mexicans. Signature dish is chile en nogada, a stuffed pepper served cold and topped with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. The mole poblano here is the real, 25-ingredient thing. Service is relaxed. A fun time. Dinner for two, including modest beverages and an appropriate tip: $54.
Contact: Calle del Rio 204-A, 011-52-322-223- 0411; www.redcabbagepv. com . Open nightly in season, closed Sundays April through August and all of September.
El Arrayan. A revelation. This dazzling casual restaurant, launched in 2003, serves authentic regional, rarely-seen- on-the-coast Mexican dishes and variations on some familiar themes (the duck carnitas are a wonder) in a small but airy space just up the street from the bustle of the bayside Malecon. Here, too, can be found the chile en nogada; also cochinita pibil, a pork dish beloved in the Yucatán; and for the willing, Oaxaca-style tacos featuring chapulines (little grasshoppers) , a dish exactly as interesting as it sounds. Don't skip the homemade ice cream for dessert. Live, gentle non-mariachi music Saturday nights. Dinner for two, including two margaritas, a beer and a lavish gratuity, $68.
Contact: Allende 344; 011-52-322-222- 7195; www.elarrayan. com.mx . Closed Tuesdays.
Trio. A sensation since its 1994 opening, the upscale but relaxed Trio combines Mediterranean traditions with local influences, plus some combinations that defy category. It remains an essential (for grown-ups) Puerto Vallarta dining experience. Once again the chile en nogada makes an appearance, but at Trio, it's a starter, not an entrée, and the chile vanishes, replaced by a mostly boneless roasted quail. More: Expect a hint of jalapeño in the calamari and a paella that's peppered with a salsa de tres chiles. The menu is ever-changing with the seasons and the whims of its European chefs. (That quail was a special, and it was.) Service is splendid. Reservations strongly advised. Dinner for two, including two perfect martinis, a glass of wine and a worthy propina: $102.
Contact: Guerrero 264; 011-52-322-222- 2196; www.triopv.com . Open nightly.
El Palomar de los Gonzalez. The food here is good, but it almost doesn't matter. This one is up toward the mountains overlooking the city and Banderas Bay beyond. We missed the sunset and settled for the twinkling lights of Vallarta, and what a treat: candlelit terraces, polite strolling musicians, tableside Caesar salad, fresh seafood and even a very good rib eye – for a price. A modest surf and turf ran $40; shrimp dishes straddled the $20 level. Worth it. If view matters, and it should (you romantic, you), El Palomar is perfection. Dinner for two with cocktails, a little wine and a healthy tip: $97.
Contact: Aguacate 425; 011-52-322-222- 0795; www.elpalomardelosg onzalez.com . Open nightly."
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