Los Cabos Magazine - Issue #10 - 2006 - Articles
|
Dining in Cabo San Lucas and Los Cabos
Culinary Delights - Delicious Reasons for Dining Out
Los Cabos Magazine Restaurant and Dining article.
|
Restaurant and Dining Article continued.
To bring you the latest take, follow Sandra Berry, Carol Billups, Bradley Fraser, Ann Hazard, George Landrum, and Sabrina Lear as they explore this season’s top tables around Los Cabos.
Los Cabos Magazine article - Issue #10 - January 2006.
Section 2 of 7 - Calima at Playa Grande Resort to Galeón Ristorante Italiano
| Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 | Section 6 | Section 7 | |
Calima at Playa Grande Resort
With al fresco patio dining set above the pool deck under an impressive large palapa at Playa Grande Resort, Calima offers casual dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The multi-level restaurant includes a large grill area, bar, and a separate raised level with a sushi bar, all finished in gleaming black granite. Start the day with selections from the generous breakfast buffet, or order from the a la carte menu, with hearty American and Mexican choices. For lunch or snacks around the pools, the day menu features ceviche and seafood cocktails, finger food, salads, deli sandwiches, tacos, and entrées like B.B.Q. chicken, fish as you like it and giant shrimp. Kids can choose from hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese. The full sushi bar, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., offers nigiri, sashimi, cones, and a large selection of sushi rolls. For dinner, try the oak-grilled shrimp, fish, chicken or steak kabobs, or order a New York, rib eye, filet mignon, or top sirloin steak. Lobster is sold by weight, or try the Earth, Sea and Sky combo of lobster with steak, shrimp, fish or chicken. An ample martini menu, along with special drinks like The Bulnés, a double shot of Cuervo 1800 tequila with Peachtree schnapps. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with seating for 150, including the sushi bar, call (624) 143-7575.—S.L.
Casa Rafael's Restaurant
On the hill above Medano Beach, eclectic Casa Rafael's is more than a restaurant. It is also a 10-room boutique hotel with tropical birds, lush gardens, pool, piano bar, and a spacious cigar and sporting events lounge. Our evening started in the Piano Bar, with floor to ceiling mirrors, fluorescent lava lamps and day-glo accents, complete with a baby grand and versatile pianist. Casa Rafael's has two separate dining areas: Poolside offers patio dining with stargazing. The Ocean Room, where we dined, features one of the largest salt-water aquariums in Mexico with cove ceilings and marine-themed frescos. We started with the crab cakes, which received raves all around, and the escargot, with a delicious garlic-herbed butter sauce perfect for soaking up the fresh breads. The catch of the day was cabrilla (sea bass) sauteed with capers and cream sauce. Casa Rafael's signature dish is lobster medallions in Oriental black bean sauce and USDA Black Angus filet mignon paired with French Morel mushroom. The wine list is solid, with a good selection of owner Rafael's faves, of which we enjoyed a 2003 MacRostie Carneros Chardonnay, bright with full aromas dominated by familiar notes of Fuji apple, lemon oil, citrus blossom and jasmine. In a word, yummy. Entrees from $21 to $49 U.S. An automatic gratuity of 18% is added to the bill. Fully air-conditioned, with seating for 80 and live music nightly. Between Camino Hotel Hacienda and Paseo El Pescador in Cabo San Lucas; dinner reservations required, call (624) 143-0739.—B.F.
Da Antonio Ristorante
It is not easy to find Da Antonio but this Italian restaurant in San Jose del Cabo is well worth the small fuss to uncover. Da Antonio clings to the beautiful San Jose estuary at the Presidente Inter-Continental Los Cabos Resort. A good selection of hot and cold Antipasti (appetizers) might have you start with Carpaccio All'Albese, thin slices of beef filet, with arugula and Reggiano Parmesan cheese, or Insalata Tiepida di Mare, otherwise known as a warm seafood salad. Both are good. Some restaurants boast “homemade” pasta and fall flat on their fusillis when put to the taste. Da Antonio's “from scratch” pastas are right on the noodle. The Ravioli Delle Langhe just felt right in the mouth, wrapped around a simple mix of meat, spinach and mushrooms. The Fettuccine All'Alfredo is worth it for the long floppy pasta alone but the butter and Reggiano Parmesan cheese sauce just make it better. Now for something you shouldn't try at home Risotto. If you have never had risotto, with Italian rice as its main ingredient, you may want to try Da Antonio's Seafood Risotto. The menu also offers meat and seafood entrees, good desserts, Italian vintages, and an espresso bar. The service is top notch and earnest. Pastas from $11 U.S. with entrees from $15 to $30 U.S. On the east end of Paseo de San Jose, San Jose's beachfront drive. Open Monday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with seating for 88 and groups up to 100. Resort attire and reservations required, call (624) 142-1001.—B.F.
Don Emiliano
A chance meeting in Japan led Chef Margarita C. Salinas to Don Emiliano's in San Jose del Cabo. The Chef of Mexico's Department of Agriculture, educator, international Slow Food movement member, and Le Cordon Bleu Chef, Salinas' Don Emiliano was three years in the making. Here, modern design cools a colonial patio setting where slowing down and savoring “the now” is easy. The menu, crafted to present dishes, each from scratch, revealing Mexico's Pre-Hispanic and colonial roots, jives with today's fusion sensibilities. (Those having visited Mijares #27 in previous years should know that this is an entirely reinvented Don Emiliano.) Artfully presented, from the first appetizer to the delicate dessert, Chef Salinas' deftness is felt in every plate. From the simplicity of fresh tomatillos over a bed of jícama with aged cheese and chipotle dressing, to a silky seasoned bean broth garnished with julienne tortilla, fresh cheese and avocado, or a shrimp stuffed ancho chile with fresh goat cheese and cilantro sauce, layers of subtle flavors infuse recipes honoring heritage, all created to be savored and remembered. Filete Eredira, a Chihuahua beef tenderloin bathed in fragrant ten chile oil and garlic flakes on a blue masa bed stuffed with a medley of mushrooms, shares the menu with Pre-Hispanic Lamb Mixiote, a hearty salsa verde-laced stew wrapped in agave skin paper. Charcoal-seared tuna paired with red and green jalapeño vinaigrette, and Yucatan-style catch of the day in achiote wrapped in banana leaves, lead one to the sea. Uncommon vintages—many from Baja California's emerging Valle de Guadalupe region—winsome service, and Angel Salinas as General Manager complement starlit dining and, for once, truly comfortable seating. Entrées from $20 to $36 U.S., with seating for 150 and groups to 220. At Boulevard Mijares #27 in downtown San Jose del Cabo, and open daily from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., for reservations, call (624) 142-0266.—S.L.
Edith's
Edith's is elegance at the beach. Edith Jimenez, restaurateur extraordinaire, casts her gourmet touch on every recipe, enticing diners to return year after year. This is a place to dine, not just to eat! A double-decker palapa covers the upper dining area, while another extends over the circular bar. The slight elevation allows for a great view, especially during the full moon. Seductive flavors envelope you as you pass the Miraflores mesquite grill. Seated alfresco under lanterns casting a soft glow, start with their famous Cadillac Margarita made with Don Julio tequila with just a hint of Grand Marnier. We couldn't resist the shrimp bisque served in a delightfully designed bread bowl. Put away the menu and allow the waiter to suggest a combination from the tray offering huge lobster tails, lamb chops, a variety of steak cuts, shrimp, and the fish of the day. While awaiting your entrée, enjoy a beautiful presentation of Caesar Salad, squash blossom quesadillas, or tortilla soup. The Lover's Special for two includes Caesar Salad, lobster, wine, and flan. Another favorite combines grilled garlic prawns, a fish filet smothered in a creamy spinach sauce, and a lobster tail. Wash it down with wine, including those from the Guadalupe Valley of Baja California. The service is attentive yet unassuming. On cool nights, your server will drape you with a Mexican blanket, and the standing clay fireplaces add to the warmth, if needed. Don't leave before trying the decadent chocolate cake chock full of chocolate chips, served a la mode. Top it off with Mexican coffee prepared tableside and enjoy the last few moments of a beautiful evening in the glow of the liquid fire. Entrees from $16 to $130 U.S. for the Lover's Special. Seating for 150 and groups up to 180. On Paseo del Pescador, one block up from Medano Beach. Daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with valet parking. Reservations strongly recommended, call (624) 143-0801.—S.B.
Enrique's Steak House and Lobster Restaurant
Enrique's is well known in Cabo for their $9.95 U.S. steak and lobster dinner, but there are many other great items on the menu. Often Enrique is there to greet you with a wide welcoming smile. Fresh vegetables and dip are presented when you sit down, and with a full bar, anything you would like to drink is available, which makes sense, because Enrique is a former bartender. The seating is on two levels and a nice breeze comes through the palapa-covered building. Kid friendly, at the rear is a safe, walled-in playground. The two most popular menu items are the sirloin and lobster and the beef filet with shrimp. The “Three Musketeers,” a beef filet served in three parts with a different sauce on each is also very good. Well known for mixed seafood platters, traditional Mexican food and steaks, Enrique's is good for large families and won't set you back too much for a meal. Don't forget to try the flaming Mexican coffee for dessert! Entrees are $9.95 to $29.95 U.S. With prompt, friendly service and seating for 100, Enrique's is open daily from 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. At Kilometer 4, just outside Cabo San Lucas, across from The Raven Golf Course on the frontage road. Group reservations are recommended, call (624)-143-2518.—G.L.
Galeon Ristorante Italiano
This fine stalwart institution is the place to watch a full moon rise over the marina. Galeon has been wooing diners since 1985 under the watchful eye of Chef Raffaele Di Maio. This is where to take your mother, your sweetheart, your adult children, for a taste of Mediterranean cuisine built around grilled fish, steaks, veal, chicken, mussels, calamari, as well as a variety of wood-fired pizzas and pastas with such unctuous sauces as lobster. No longer do you need to climb the stairs—an elevator awaits along with valet parking. Enticing aromas meet you in the air-conditioned great room with the tinkling piano keys of Ronald Valentino, a concert artist of international standing. If it's a romantic evening you're seeking or the perfect celebration, this is the place. Our dining experience began with Cozze Provenzale (New Zealand mussels with white wine), giant shrimp drizzled in red cocktail sauce, followed by baby rack of lamb in red wine, traditional Veal Parmiggiana; and we had to try their rendition of pasta a la Puttanesca. Its intriguing ingredients include black olives, capers, and anchovy fillets. A selection of international wines range from French champagne to wines by the glass. When the lights are dimmed, you know it's a special celebration for someone, as was our case, and we enjoyed watching the preparation of the Mexican coffee flamed at our table. To top off an impeccably executed dining experience, it was difficult to choose from the beautiful array of sinful desserts. But we managed and enjoyed every morsel of the cheesecake and the flaky Napoleon filled with mango crème. Air-conditioned and open nightly from 4 to 11 p.m., entrees are $8 to $35 U.S., with seating for 180 and groups up to 250. On Boulevard Marina in Cabo San Lucas, just before the turn to Solmar Suites and Playa Grande Resort. For reservations, call (624) 143-0443.—S.B.
|
|
|
Copyright © 2008 - Joseph A. Tyson - Tyson Promotions Inc - All Rights Reserved
Los Cabos Magazine - Los Cabos Visitor's Guide - Promociones Tyson, S. A. de C. V.
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico - Last Revision - 27 July 2006 - jat
|
|
