Month: February 2024

Melaque/Barra Restaurants – Part 2

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book Reviews, Food & DiningLeave a comment

For Part 2 of this years list of area restaurants, Cathryn and I and some friends have visited the following restaurants in the past month. I’ve attached links for additional information, and as always, opinions are solely ours. One thing we’ve noticed this season, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone else, is that prices have gone up substantially.

Bistro Escondido – This hideaway has been around as long as we’ve been coming to Melaque, in one form or another. Cathryn and I actually stayed in the upstairs apartment for a few years. The cozy restaurant is off the beaten path, under a shady palapa, poolside. The menu is limited with what have come to be favorites of patrons who return regularly. Try the black & blue burger, fish & chips, or the assorted tapas. Sunday brunch is also popular, with an artisan market and music.

La Palma Negra – Definitely off the beaten path, on Coco Beach on the far side of Barra, Cathryn and I have voted this little place the best for coconut shrimp. Plump, fresh, and delicious. I once tackled one of their giant burgers and still have the stretch marks to prove it. Guacamole, ceviche, nachos, octopus…it’s all good. They have entertainment and you can even stay in a little beach hut beside a lazy river and pool. There are also turtle releases next door.

Chavakia – One of my occasional go-to places on my morning walks, this quiet spot offers one of the heathiest menus I’ve seen yet. Fresh fruit juices and smoothies, granola and yogurt, salads, and pancakes, waffles or French toast for those with a sweet tooth. They also offer plenty of other breakfast items like eggs benny, divorced eggs and omelets. Prices are very reasonable.

Moon – Offering the best view in Melaque, this restaurant should be packed every night. On the top floor of the new Casa Leon building at the west end of town, Moon was originally touted as upscale, a place where you could put on your Sunday go to meeting clothes for a night out. They still offer a selection of good steaks but have resorted to 2 for 1 specials to bring in diners. We did the burger night and were not impressed. Giving them another chance, we went with a group of 8 for dinner, having filets and rib eyes, ribs, fish n chips and pasta. Everyone was pretty happy with their meals.

Los Cocos – We happened on this beach restaurant by chance when Las Hamacas was filled up for a Bandidos performance. Located next door, we could hear the music and still carry on a conversation. We only had a light lunch there, a burrito, nachos, and a clubhouse. All were good portions and better than expected. the dinner menu looked good and they were prepping sections of pork for the barbeque that evening.

La Chinita – Chinese food in Mexico? Sure, why not, for a change? Li Xie, a little Chinese firecracker, owns and runs the restaurant, cooking most of the home made specialties herself. Fresh spring and egg rolls, meat and veggie dishes, assorted rice and great wonton soup with juicy and plump noodles. The restaurant is on the highway, across from Pemex and not the best of locations but the food makes up for it. They also deliver.

Colimilla – There’s a group of 5 restaurants – Mary’s, Lilly’s, Fortinos, Colimlla, and one other I can’t think of at the moment. To me they’re all about the same – waterfront eateries offering the same fare, mostly seafood and Mexican dishes, with some specialties. The quickest way to reach any of these places is to hop on one of their water taxi’s that will take you across the bay, behind the Grand Bay Resort, which borders the town of Colimilla. You can also drive around, taking the road to Isla de Navidad off the highway, just east of Barra.

Pechacane – Arguably the best pizza in Melaque or Barra, depending on whether or not you like normal or thin crust pizza. Cathryn and I liked this place before but now they have a new chef and expanded menu that includes lasagna’s, pastas, and even fish n chips. Our friend had the lasagna, a portion large enough for 2. The noodles were light and fluffy, the Bolognese meat sauce extraordinary – probably because it’s the chef’s grandmother’s recipe. She was from Bologna, Italy. Our pizzas were great.

Titos/Livys – There’s not much of a Facebook page but anyone who’s spent any time in Melaque knows about Titos, or now Livy’s next door. There is always some kind of entertainment at one of these beach bars, and being next door to each other gives patrons room to spread out and enjoy the music or food at either establishment. Tito is known for his 2 for 1 drinks and strong margaritas. We’ve been hit and miss on the food but most times the pub grub is pretty good. We do miss the pizza ovens.

Chantli Mare – If you want to go for a little drive, perhaps to visit the crocodiles in La Manzanilla, continue along the beach road for a couple miles and watch for the sign and gate to Chantli Mare. It’s a beach restaurant and more, offering seaside rooms for the night. The cuisine is French/Vietnamese/Mexican fusion with all the usual entrees plus some unique surprises. There is a bar, pool, patio and beach tables, and probably the nicest banos on the beach.

There are plenty more good places to eat in the Melaque/Barra area so don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try some of these places. Buen provecho!

Moon – Tapas Bar & Restaurant

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Food & DiningLeave a comment

In my opinion, the Moon Restaurant in Melaque is still trying to find its niche. The name alone is misleading since there are no tapas to be had there. Considered upscale by those in town who visit the rooftop restaurant above the Casa Leon with the best view on the bay, they’ve taken to offering 2 for 1 nights by offering burgers, ribs and shrimp.

Our first visit this season was to try the cheap burger night. It was too crowded and ingredients on the burgers were scaled down to make up for the discount. Mine had an uncooked piece of bacon about the size of a postage stamp. Called the American burger there was only a light sprinkling of white cheese instead of cheddar. On the flip side, friends went for rib night and came away happy campers.

To be fair, we returned to the Moon last night with a group of eight. We lucked out and were served by Ricardo, in my opinion the classiest waiter in Melaque. Two orders of tuna tartar were shared by the table and the consensus was it was too salty and limey. We ordered ribs, filets, ribeye’s, fish ‘n chips, and the blush fettucine with shrimp for our entrees.

The ribs were fall off the bone, juicy and meaty. The filets were huge and cooked perfectly. There were no complaints from the two rib eye eaters. The fish was lightly battered and served with home cut fries. My pasta was tasty but just slightly overcooked, leaving the sauce a bit dry. There was enough of the filets left over for doggy bags.

No one was up for dessert but there was a birthday boy among us who received a complimentary piece of red velvet cake, topped by a sparkler and song to boot. So, if you just want to stuff your face for a good price, try one of the 2 for 1 nights. But if you want a good meal go on a week night when it is quieter and the full menu is available.

As a group, we rated the Moon an 8 out of 10.

La Chinita – Chinese Food in Mexico

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Food & DiningLeave a comment

It’s been a while since Cathryn and I posted about a particular restaurant, especially one in Mexico. It’s not that there aren’t any good ones in the country, especially in a beach town like Melaque, because there are. But we get tired of the same old menus with the same offerings, just shuffled around. I’m sorry, but like the locals, I can’t eat tortillas at every meal.

We first met Li Xie a few years back at a house on one of the canals in Barra de Navidad, where she hosted a Chinese buffet in her own home. Everything was homemade – I watched her making the wonton soup right in her kitchen.

The following year, we were thrilled to see that Li opened her own restaurant on Hwy 200, across from the Pemex Gas Station. La Chinita bills itself as a Chinese Food restaurant with Mexican seafood. There is seating inside and out, and the menu offers favorites like wonton soup, spring rolls, and assorted rice or noodle dishes with meats or seafood.

We get to La Chinita at least once a season while we’re in Melaque and actually had Li cater to a group at our apartment complex on one occasion. On our latest visit, Li did up some of our favorites – spring rolls, wonton soup, beef & broccoli, and a mixed fried rice. They also serve adult beverages but we were taking a day off from the booze.

The spring rolls were fresh and crisp with good pork and veggie filler. The soup was actually a bowl, not a cup, and I detected an unusual but nice spice in the wontons. The beef was tender and the broccoli and carrots super fresh. We found generous portions of meat and shrimp in our fried rice. Everything was hot and came quite quickly. The food was simply delicious.

Cathryn and I both give La Chinta an 8 out of 10, our only complaint would be where the restaurant is situated, close to the highway, where we ate less than a meter from our parked car.

The Dark Hours – Michael Connelly

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Dark Hours (Renée Ballard, #4; Harry Bosch, #23; Harry Bosch Universe, #36) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Feb 09, 2024 

I gave this book four stars but I feel it was only worth 3.5.
There is nothing wrong with the story and perhaps I was less impressed because the protagonist was mostly Renee Ballard, not my favorite Connelly character.
Technically, it’s a Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch novel but the latter only makes a limited appearance later in the story as the female detective’s backup.
In The Dark Hours, Ballard juggles two cases, murder and rape, but struggles with everyone else in the “new L.A.P.D.” to get the job done. Of course, she can always count on retired Detective Harry Bosch for help.
The story picks up pace as Ballard bounces between the two cases, and then races to the finish line to wrap up all the bad guys in messy finale.