Restaurant hits, and one miss
Weather aside, the talk amongst our group about our just concluded trip was restaurants. We made a conscious effort to try different places this trip and, with one exception, we were well rewarded. As follows:
La Vita'e Bella: OUTSTANDING! Wound up eating here twice as everything was great; appetizers, margaritas, pasta, fish, meat, desserts, ambiance and service. Great value for a memorable meal. Also, we did not order but were told by others that the pizza is very good. Cannot imagine another trip without at least one dinner here.
El Murmullo: OUTSTANDING! Very impressed with the menu and imagination of the chef/owner. Fish dishes were perfect and the shrimp with Pernod sauce might have been the best individual meal of the trip. Chocolate cake for dessert alone worth a visit. Only criticism was sangria; too large a serving with too much sparkling water. Think El Murmullo is another 'must visit' for future trips. Note: cash only, no credit cards.
Bacco Restaurant-Bar: VERY GOOD! Located on a deck overlooking Playa Madera in Hotel la Quinta de Don Andres, Bacco was off to a rough start with, IMHO,very poor margaritas but everything food related was very, very good. Pulpo carpaccio appetizer excellent and red snapper and dorado entrees were just right; sauce complementing the fish, not overwhelming it. Now if they could just get the margarita recipe from La Vita'e Bella...
La Tregua: NEVER AGAIN! Not one thing done well. Service non-existent. Margarita abysmal. Rib-eye like shoe leather. Would say it was an off night but to not be able to do anything right? Sorry, too many good restaurants to give this one another chance.
In addition to the new places above these old stand-bys came through, again:
Breakfasts on the beach at Paty's. Always a wonderful way to start the day, watching La Ropa wake up while enjoying coffee, juice and eggs or pan francais.
Amuleto: Ambiance, service and food never disappoint. For the price of an average meal in SF, LA or NY you get a memorable dining experience. Not for those who count pennies, but for those who know real value Amuleto is a must.
Already looking forward to March visit.
Restaurant hits, and one miss
by frostbite 
, Hamilton MT, Sunday, December 28, 2014, 13:38 (4262 days ago) @ CalBear
Of the ones listed, we're only familiar with Amuleto. Pricy, as you mentioned, but well worth it, especially when we bring guests down and they're anxious to say "Thank You" with a great meal. Some others we really like: El Manglar (for lunch to watch the crocodiles), Il Mare, Daniel's, Casa Vieja and the late, lamented Chendo's. Of course, there are many other good ones and we hope to find more when we return January 2nd.
Restaurant hits, and one miss
by Mirco Piazzi 
, Seattle, WA, Sunday, December 28, 2014, 14:31 (4262 days ago) @ CalBear
Thank you for the restaurant report! The restaurant scene is so good in Zihua, it is hard not to like at least a dozen of them!! And yes Amuleto is a must!
