La Manzanilla ceviche rincon

La Manzanilla – The Food

The house we rented in La Manzanilla had a great kitchen, but we didn’t cook once during the entire nine day stay. It might sound crazy, and crazy expensive, to eat out for every single meal on vacation, but the food in that little town is so delicious and so cheap that it was no big deal. Nothing was cutting edge or super high end, but everyone from the street vendors to the most expensive restaurants in town just knows how to make food taste delicious. La Manzanilla has unexpectedly become one of my favourite food destinations, and I’m already missing the incredible seafood and street tacos.

La Manzanilla chilaquiles Chiantli Mare La Manzanilla chilaquiles Cafe Azul  La Manzanilla chilaquiles Martin'sNo matter how late in the morning we dragged ourselves out of bed, we always made it to one of the little cafes for breakfast. Breakfast menus are pretty similar at many of the restaurants in town, and usually have a mix of Mexican dishes and American-style classics. I was on a pretty serious mission to find the best chilaquiles in town, and I think the ones from Chiantli Mare, an upscale hotel a ten minute drive from town, came out on top. I loved that I got to try both red and green chilaquiles on the same plate, and the chips were in that sweet spot of soft but still a little crunchy. Brunch at Chiantli Mare is a Sunday special, but you can’t go wrong with any of the chilaquiles at the cafes in the town centre.

La Manzanilla french toast Martin'sLa Manzanilla club sandwich azulMost of the breakfast menus in town feature things you’d normally find at lunch in Canada, like hamburgers, club sandwiches, and BLTs. It seemed a little strange to order something so familiar when huevos rancheros and eggs with tortillas were an option, but those Mexicans know how to make a damn good sandwich! Our group ordered many a club sandwich, and they all featured perfectly toasted bread, just enough mayo, and a whole lot of veggies and protein. I wish I could get a sandwich that good for less than $5 at home! Part way through the trip we discovered that most places had fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a big glass became the perfect way to start the day after a long night of fun.

La Manzanilla chips and salsa La Manzanilla fish tacos pedros La Manzanilla ceviche quinta valentinaAt lunchtime you could always find our group at one of the little restaurants on the beach. Most of these spots got our afternoons started off on the right foot with freshly made chips and salsa to munch on as we sipped our first cold beers (with lime and salt, of course) and dug our toes in to the sand. The cooks at Pedro’s, the place we went to most often because of the unparalleled service, know where it’s at when it comes to deep fried fish, and their fish tacos and fish and chips are some of the best I’ve had anywhere. I’d been dreaming of the ceviche verde at Quinta Valentina for two years, and the unique mix of briny olives, crunchy cucumbers, and fresh fish was by far my favourite in town. Even the simple cheese quesadillas, Zevi’s go-to, are delicious. I don’t know what it is about that melty white cheese they use, but it’s way better than our boring mozzarella! Everything comes with some variety of homemade hot sauce that makes every bite even more irresistible.

La Manzanilla shrimp ceviche sunset La Manzanilla octopus Cafe AzulWe almost always ended our days with delicious dinners outside in La Manzanilla. I ate my favourite dish of the trip on our first night there – octopus cooked in garlic and spices at Cafe Azul. By far the most tender octopus I’ve ever had, as I sat on the beach under the moonlight and ate one incredible bite after another I never wanted my plate to be empty. I tried it again on a different day to make sure the joy of arriving in Mexico hadn’t unfairly improved my impression of the dish, and I loved it just as much as the first time around. I think l’ll be hard pressed to find octopus that delicious anywhere else, even in the fanciest of restaurants!

La Manzanilla shrimp ceviche sunset La Manzanilla street tacosThe octopus won the week, but the street tacos came a verrrry close second. Our favourite taco cart was a very unassuming operation, with plastic tables and chairs in the streets and plates covered with plastic bags to minimize clean up. The tortillas were made fresh to order, and I loved watching them puff up on the grill as they were charred and prepared for their filling. The beef, pork, chicken, and chorizo were all amazing, and needed only some cilantro, onion, and a couple dabs of fresh salsa to become perfection. Zevi and I easily had our fill for less than ten dollars, and I probably could have eaten those tacos every night and gone home happy.

La Manzanilla crepes La Manzanilla crepesEating in La Manzanilla is often an exercise in patience, but any wait we had to endure was always well worth it. Most everything I ate in that town was simple, fresh, and just plan delicious, and I’ll be dreaming about the crispy churros, the perfect tacos, and the incredible octopus until my next visit.

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