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Restaurant reviews graciously submitted by Gary R. Beck, a restaurant aficionado who bilocates between San Francisco and Puerto Vallarta. Gary has published a book of restaurant reviews which is available for purchase by clicking HERE.
Barrio Sur, located at Pulpito 122 in Old Town, South Side. www.resturantbarriosur.com
Gary writes: Owner Walter Haas presents an international Latin menu with morning omelets and sweet potato pancakes, followed by dinners of creative ideas. Taking over the location of a popular restaurant is difficult, as clients learn slowly of the changes. A period of growth must occue and we were very pleased to see the development here. The spot maintains its open-air garden setting with modern chairs and tables, neat and clean, an eye to detail being evident. Plants and flowers abound, making the visit like a trip into someone's local cozy home. Lighting and music are low for dining and easy conversing.
A large group of us stopped in for a sampling of their eclectic menu. We started with several appetizers for sharing. Cream of potato soup with organic oyster mushrooms (seta) and croutons was lovely. Rich and earthy as was expected. A salad chosen was a base of sliced beets layered with meaty shrimp and a raspberry coulis over red leaf lettuce, a great combination of flavor and texture. Caesar salad was fine and how it should be presented.
Moving on to main courses, osso buco was very tender and flavorful over a fine risotto covered with a rich sauce accented by pineapple. The portion was large, with plenty to take some home. Sea bass fillet was baked and topped with white wine, sauteed vegetables and creamy spinach sauce. Stuffed squash blossom and mustard, the chicken breast was garnished nicely and accompanied by yellow rice. It was a tasty dish assembled from this mild meat. An unusual lasagna was made from chicken, pasta, potato, poblano, manchego and basil sauce, the result being wildly different from the Italian standard.
Desserts must be sampled, too. Apple strudel was thick and crusty but the apples were not baked sufficiently. Chocolate tiramisu was a modified "Mexicanized" chocolate cake version, pleasing but not true to its design. Smooth pay de limon, lemon (or lime) cheesecake, was soothing after a dinner of a fine mixture of various flavors. Many of us hope this slice of creativity, this tropical gem, will attract many more customers.
Date of visit: 5/29/08 Likelihood to revisit, on a scale of 1 to 10: 8 Group of 6
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