Vagabondette

What to Do, See and Taste in Merida, Mexico

by vagabondette on April 4, 2009

Things to do and see in/around Merida, Mexico:

• Art Galleries (both fine art as well as local crafts)
• Live Theater/Symphony Performances
• Noche Mexicana - every Friday at the start of the Pasaeo de Montejo. Excellent place to go listen to some live music and watch some traditional dancing. There are craft stalls and amazing food as well.
• The church on the main square is the oldest cathedral in Mesoamerica. It is built from the stones of demolished Mayan ruins.
• Weekend Fiesta in the Zocalo – Every weekend they close down the main square and have dancing and music and other performances. There are tons of craft and food stalls as well.
• Celestun – go see the flamingos, wander the beach and have lunch at one of the shacks (avoid Boyo restaurant)
• Progresso – Great if you need a day at the beach
• Cenotes – there are several cenotes in the area and you can do one set of three by taking a collectivo, then a trici taxi, then a horse-drawn cart from a little town about 40 minutes from Merida.
• Uxmal – Uxmal is beautiful and only about 1.5-2 hours from Merida via bus. Or, if you have several people it may make sense to rent a car and visit several of the other sites in the area while you have the chance.
• Chichen Itza – After hearing from several people that Chichen Itza is over-rated and there are much better ruins to visit I decided to give it a pass. However, if it’s on your list, it’s an easy day trip from Merida.

Places to eat in Merida:

• El Trapiche – on Calle 62 between 57 and 61, on the right side of the street as you head towards the Zocalo. It doesn’t look like much but the food is great and very cheap. Try the Salbutes or Panuchos.
• Café Hoya – On Calle 62 between 57 and 59, on the right side of the street as you head towards the Zocalo. Mostly a local hang out, this is a great place to exchange a book, get a coffee or have a sandwich. They also have great cheesecake. Prices are reasonable and at night it’s a great place to people watch in their open courtyard. Very gay friendly environment.
• Amaros – this is the old standard in Merida and seems to be the place for tourists to go. On most nights they account for 90+% of the customers. The food is passable and if you’re a vegetarian this is one of the few places in town that really does veg food. You’ll be able to find it in any guide book.
• Pane y Vino – great homemade Italian pasta with various sauces. The sauces aren’t consistent but the food was always decent and they have a pretty good Pinot Grigio by the glass as well. It is on Calle 62 between 59 and 61 on the left as you’re heading towards the Zocalo. It’s only open for dinner.
• Pizza Rafaelo – the best pizza I’ve had in Mexico (others agree) by far. Fresh, wood fired with a thin, crispy crust. Will definitely satisfy your craving. It’s on Calle 60 between 51 and 47 on the right side of the road as you head away from the Zocalo.
• Bar Latino (I think this is the name, I just call it botana bar) – if you’re on a budget but still want the occasional beer, this is a great alternative. With your (24 MXN) beer you get an amazing array of botanas (free appetizers) ranging from Ceviche to Pumpkin spread (yummy!). They close early though so get there before 7:30 if you want to be able to eat anything. It’s on Calle 59 between 54 and 50 on the left side of the road if you’re heading away from the Centro. It’s small but look for a sign that says Botanas on the door and you should be able to find it.
• Eladios – another place to go if you want some free nibbles but the beer is more expensive and you’re more likely to hear English or German from the visitors than Spanish. It’s on the corner of Calle 59 and 44.
• Maya Pub – if you’re looking for somewhere to go later at night (bars close early in Merida) this is a great option. They have live music on the weekends and you can get a pitcher of beer for 77 MXN. The music can be hit or miss but it’s still a fun atmosphere in the evenings, full of locals catching up with old friends and tourists watching the locals.
• La Choperia – A mixture of Brazillian and Mexican foods, this new restaurant is very nice. They’re known for their Chope beer which is fresh and has a great flavor. The food was also very nice and great quality for the price. Get the mashed potato and beef stew starter if you have someone to split it with. You can ask around for directions or look in the Yucatan Today magazine for their advert.

Places to stay in Merida:

I stayed in three places in Merida, not including my couch surfing experience:

• Presidente Intercontinental – This is pretty much like any other 4* hotel in the world. Nice comfey beds, big bathrooms and thick comforters. Though I’m a budget traveler, I occasionally like to splash out and treat myself to somewhere nice and private for a couple nights. My main motivation this time was a big comfey bed and aircon. I was able to get this hotel for $50/night through priceline.com so try that first if you don’t want to pay the $190/night rack rate.
• Nomadas Hostel – the most well known hostel in Merida it seems to be where most people go first. I was not impressed and it’s not where I would recommend going.
• Hostal Santa Lucia – Smaller and MUCH friendlier than Nomadas it’s also cheaper and has a better breakfast so it gets my very enthusiastic thumbs up recommendation.

Mexican Food Porn

by vagabondette on April 1, 2009

As I start wrapping up my time here in Merida and prepare for my move to Campeche I’ve been spending a lot of time with my hostel friends.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), much of that soocializing has been done around some awesome food.  I’m getting spoiled but boy is it worth it!

Last night we got a taste of South America when Andreas (from Argentina) offered (kind of) to prepare a typical Argentine meal.  We heated up the grill and then gorged on BBQ beef and pork ribs, corn, onions, mushrooms, potatoes and homemade guacamole.  Washing it down with ice cold beer, it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and the tableside conversation made it even better.

Today Rafa (from Mexico) took it up  a notch when he brought all the materials to make chaya tamales (Yucatecan style).  Rafa, Selma (from France), Andreas and I spent the morning preparing the banana leaves, masa and sauce while Jaime entertained us with a Mexican history lesson.  It’s a fairly time consuming process though not hard but the great conversation made the time fly.  And even if it had just inched along it would have been worth it because they were some of the best tamales I’ve had. 

This version of tamales were a bit different than what I’m used to but were very nice.  Rather than being stuffed with meat or veggies, you add chaya to the masa and form them into thin pancakes which you wrap in banana leaves and then steam.  Once done you top the tamale with tomato sauce, chopped egg and ground pumpkin seed.  Different but yummy.  Now I need to see if I can repeat it on my own.

Tomorrow is Rafa’s goodbye party which will be another evening of gastronomic delight as several of the attendees plan on preparing some of their local specialties for an international taste of home.

Good Italian Food in Mexico? You betcha!

by vagabondette on February 14, 2009

Exploring new restaurants is part of the fun of visiting a new place and Merida definitely has a lot to offer.  I’ve been reading several review sites and decided to check out Pan & Vino (Calle 62 x 59 y 61) and I was not disappointed.  For about 80 pesos  (@ $5.70 US) you can get a place of fresh, home made pasta with the sauce of your choice.

I’ve been twice so far.  The first time I went alone and had gnocci with a spicy tomato sauce that was fantastic.  Tonight I went back with some friends and had gnocci again but this time with fresh tomato, basil and mozzerella with a little olive oil.  The sauce was not quite as good but the gnocci is some of the best I’ve ever had.

Now I just need to find some good Chinese and I’ll be set!

Meal cost:  200 MXN (@ $14.15 US) for an entree, dessert, 1/4 L. of good wine and tip.  Definitely not the cheapest place in Merida but a nice break from Salbutes.

For Love of Tacos

by vagabondette on January 24, 2009

I had my first dose of real Mexican tacos today and boy were they good.  I think I had beef but I’m not sure because the woman operating the stand spoke no English and her Spanish was on fast forward. 

She chopped the meat up into thin strips and reheated it (it was pre-cooked) on a grill right in front of me.  She added some sort of sauce, topped it with chopped onions, cilantro and a slice of avocado.  Add a mixture of the mild and the hot sauce on display and you have a very satisfying meal which, as one restaurant owner assured me while trying to lure me in, “isn’t like Taco Bell.”

I’ve also learned that there is a right way and a wrong way to eat a taco.  Apparently it’s a science.

How to eat a taco – step by step guide

1 – Never take the first tortilla from the warm pile in the basket.  Instead, lift the stack with your fingers and grab one from the middle.  These will still be warm and moist.

2 – Place the fillings on the correct side of the tortilla.  You should use the inflated side which is the result of heating the dough during cooking.

3 – Once the filling has been placed on the tortilla, roll it up and carry it to your mouth using your thumb and the first 3 fingers only.

4 – Only prepare one taco at a time, not all at once, so they don’t get cold.

5 – As you lift the taco to your mouth, lean forward.  This will prevent filling leak.  If, however, you notice fillings trying to escape from the other end, it is acceptable to turn it around and bite it off rather than letting it fall.  This is acceptable in even the most formal situations.

6 – Once you’ve lifted the taco from the plate you are expected to finish it.  It is considered very bad manners to return it to the plate, allowing it to unroll and get cold.