Edmond Gagnon is a retired police officer turned novelist. He is the author of eleven crime novels in two crime series', a collection of short travel stories and a paranormal thriller.
Ed also travels the world, visiting forty countries on five continents. And he posts videos and photos in his blog.
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.
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.
I’ve noticed that lots of folks in Melaque and Barra de Navidad have been referring to last year’s post of recommended restaurants to visit. Cathryn and I haven’t been out as much this year but we now have ten places for you to check out. Keep in mind this post contains our own personal opinions.
Something we’ve noticed this year is that Melaque has gotten a lot busier this year and dinner reservations are recommended at many of the restaurants listed.
I’ve included direct links where available:
El Patio de Sabastian – On the main east-west road in town, this place has been consistently good since we’ve been coming to Melaque. It’s only open for breakfast and lunch but offers fresh-squeezed juice and everthing from omelets to loaded waffles that look more like birthday cakes.
El Quetzel de Laura – In Villa Obregon, on the main street to the market, this is another place that is consistently tasty – for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll see many nationals here, attesting to their authenticity. Great omelets, salads and Chile Relleno at reasonable prices.
El Dorado– On the beach beside the newly demolished side of the earthquake hotel, this is our go-to place when we arrive in town with an empty fridge. It offers one of the best views in town, has new comfortable tables and chairs, and delicious food most of the time. The chicken parm and fish are our favs. They have a large menu and take credit cards when the WIFI is working.
Patas – Near the end of the main road into town that runs by Super Hawaii, this little place offers a limited menu but one of the best burgers in town. Their Denver burrito is unique and stuffed with meaty goodness. Cathryn loves their cilantro margaritas and there fresh and warm tortilla chips. With limited seating and no reservations, Patas gets busy during prime dinner time. Consider going a bit earlier or later.
Albatross – A beach bar that’s tucked in behind the Melaque Arts Center and Jack’s ATV’s, Albatross has live entertainment most afternoons and evenings throughout the week. Their food is normally good, but tends to be inconsistent when the place is full and rocking. They’ve got all the typical pub grub like burgers, wings and nachos.
Fer LatteCafé – The place has relocated to the main road that separates San Patricio and Villa Obregon, situated on the east side of the boulevard, kind of kitty corner from Jack’s. I’ve only been there once, for breakfast, and it was decent. The live music was a nice touch. They messed up my order a bit but the omelet and fixings were good. Try the home made sausage patty.
Vanilla Pimienta – Considered upscale, it’s a nice place for a special dinner. Located closer to the beach and on the same road as Jack’s and Fer Latte, the restaurant is on the second floor. The menus changes daily but offers steak, ribs, pasta, fish, and home made desserts. On our last visit we had the mussels, ribs and a filet. I was a bit disappointed in the ribs which were a bit heavy on the teriyaki sauce. Their fresh bread and tomato-oil dip was so delicious we asked for seconds.
Nonsolo Pizza – In it’s new location, across the boulevard from Vanilla Pimienta, we think Nonsolo offers one of the better thick crust pizzas in town. They also have other items on the menu but if you don’t like hot dogs, stay away from ordering sausage. It seems that Fud hot dogs stand in for sausage in Melaque, but they do have chorizo. Being spoiled by the excellent pizza back home in Windsor, we thought Nonsolo’s pie was okay.
Bananas – (Barra) – We’ve always wanted to try this place and finally got there this week. They have a new, clean and colorful location on the same street, just north of the hotel they used to be in. They offer everything from Mexican to American breakfasts, including omelets, pancakes, waffles, fruit, avocado on toast, etc. They food was very good but Cathryn’s omelet was barely warm. Prices were in line with most others.
Besame Mucho – (Bara) – We thought they deserved another shot after last year’s lackluster experience where they short-changed my on my ribs and overcharged us for a bottle of wine. With friends on this visit, we had the fettuccine alfredo, pulled pork, mahi mahi, and shrimp entrees. Portions were large and everything was tasty. The melted cheese appy was okay but the tuna tartar with avocado and mango was awesome. They always have solo musicians for nice background music you can talk over.
There are plenty more places to check out in both towns. Go. Explore. Eat.
I like Baldacci’s style and his character John Puller, in my opinion his version of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. Both men have military experience and the same moral compass when it comes to helping people and doing what’s right. The Forgotten has become an all-to-familiar tale of human trafficking at it’s worst. In this case it’s the rich getter richer by stealing the poor from their homes, threatening their families, and selling them off as slaves. That’s the story in a nutshell but there’s lots of intrigue and action, John Puller style. The Forgotten is a good read.
Michael Connelly has become my favorite author, mostly for his Harry Bosch series but I do like the Lincoln Lawyer series as well. Especially when there are little crossovers between the two protagonists who are half brothers. Like some of the best lawyers I know personally, Michael Haller is not perfect and has his own life issues to handle while he does his best to represent his clients, guilty or not. Although mostly predictable, The Gods of Guilt is jam-packed with courtroom action and a few little surprises that Haller pulls out of his magic hat. This story didn’t knock my socks off but was a very good read.
I’ve missed Harry Bosch. Although this is an older title, I haven’t stumbled across one of Michael Connelly’s cop stories in a while. I’ve been able to get my Bosch fix through streaming both that series and the Lincoln Lawyer.
This book has Harry all twisted inside-out, having him involved in a big civil suit launched against him for taking out a serial killer. Then, while the trial is going on, a note appears that shows there might be a copycat killer or that Harry killed the wrong man.
Add in Bosch’s lates romance that he is trying to cling to…and various suspects he tracks down only to find he’s got the wrong guy, and The Concrete Blonde is a fast-paced read with lots of twists and turns that keeps you guessing to the end.
Ridley Scott knows how to make an epic movie for the big screen. Beautiful cinematography, explosive sound from cannon fire, and the horrific cacophony of battle cries and screams. Mix in an evolving love story and you have a detailed accounting of the rise in power of Napoleon Bonaparte.
It’s one of those movies that should be seen on the big screen, and perhaps from the comfort of a Lazy Boy recliner because if its two hour and forty minute length. I thought some of the intimate scenes between Napoleon and Josephine could have been trimmed a bit but they give viewers an in-depth look at the military commander’s personal life.
No doubt Joaquin Phoenix will get an Oscar nomination for his role in portraying the little French General with the big ego. I found some of his character traits were similar to those he portrayed as Commodus in Gladiator. Unknown to me, actress Vanessa Kirby did a nice job of portraying Josephine, Napoleon’s lifetime love.
Scott did an amazing job of combining real action in battle scenes with CGI special effects to the point where it is difficult to separate the two. I can’t imagine the skill and co-ordination it takes to pull off such huge undertakings.
For a war movie, Cathryn said it wasn’t too gory and she managed to keep her eyes open through the whole film. I thought the action was great but found the show a bit slow between battle scenes. She gave the flick a 9 and I and 8 out of 10.
If you’re a natural history or geography buff or at all interested in the evolution of our own planet, you have to check out, Life On Our Planet, currently on Netflix. The series is similar to the Planet Earth series by the BBC and David Attenborough, with amazing graphics, CGI, and real footage.
Morgan Freeman narrates this series, which focuses on any and all life on our planet, including the mass extinctions that killed off animals like the Dinosaurs. Although accurately describing life here millions of years ago must be a lot of educated guesswork, the CGI used to recreate the different species that came before us it mind blowing.
If you’re looking for something different and new to watch, you have to check this out.
Slow and long. Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon will no doubt be nominated and win some Academy Awards, but as in most Oscar winners it’s difficult to watch. Not because of all the killing in the name of personal and corporate greed, but because the film’s 3.5 hour length drags on longer than a Sergio Leone spaghetti western.
We all know the plot – white man wants red man land and the oil that lies beneath it, and will stop at nothing to obtain it. Perhaps this Oklahoma tale hasn’t been heard by the masses but it is an all too-familiar story that continues today with our own governments fighting wars over natural resources.
The star-studded cast – with a few you really have to look for – helps move the movie along at a steady snails pace. Although the acting was top-notch, I think the film editor could have been a little more sadistic with the scissors. I got the message in the first ten minutes of the movie.
I don’t believe this movie is a must-see on the big screen but well worth the watch from your own living room, where you can nod off and not worry about someone stealing your popcorn. Cathryn had no interest in seeing this flick so I went solo. I give it a 7 out of 10.
I didn’t find this book all that interesting, perhaps because I also worked the streets for over 31 years and lived the same stories. Having said that, Disser offers a real look into the types of calls and crimes that police officers face on a daily basis. As an author, I think this former cop fell into the same trap I did with my first book, telling his tales as if writing a police report,without much emotion. Not that the individual stories weren’t inciteful for most people, they just lacked enough feeling to drag readers into the events he related. For anyone who wants a real-life account of what happens during a variety of police investigations, this book is a good example.
Life Written and Reviewed 