NaturALL!

  

I enjoyed a wonderful sandwich at this amazing café on the main avenue of Tulum while waiting for my friend’s bus to Merida. Just a few locations down from the ADO bus station on the main avenue this great little spot served up satisfying and fresh sandwiches for a great price.

The café is colored in great shades of yellows, with grey and yellow flower patterns and brightly colored touches. The small kitchen turns out some amazing food and it was such a pleasure to eat here.

The menu had a great selection of salads, agua frescas and sandwiches. I ordered the chicken sandwich and my friend the turkey. Both came on warm sweet dark bread and had a spread on it that blew my mind. The veggies on this thing were stacked high and I could tell that all the ingredients were very fresh. The sandwich sported sliced carrot, tomato, cucumber, sprouts as well as mustard sprouts which gave it a great bite. This entirely satisfying sandwich was as nice to my wallet as it was to me. Not to mention VERY healthy. We each ate our sandwiches and enjoyed a great juice for only 120 pesos for both of us!!! That is a great meal.

I cannot wait to go back and eat more at this great little café in Tulum.

For more information about where to eat in Tulum, where to sleep, or what to do… Check the Tulum Living webpage at www.TulumLiving.com

Cositas Buenas

Cositas Buenas is beautiful restaurant in Tulum featuring creative dishes, a beautiful atmosphere and a great addition to the night life in Tulum pueblo.  When Cositas Buenas opened its doors this past summer I was so excited.  First of all I simply adore the people that run it.  And I have come to realize that the people and their character are what make a place truly great.  And the people that opened this place are as wonderful as you can get.  Musician and friends- I knew that whatever they set out to do with this place was going to be great and I could not have been more correct. 

The décor and overall look of the whole place is so beautiful and full of life.  With the large coconut lights beaming with colorful glass and cut out shapes of stars and suns to the chalk board menu bursting with colors and creative names.  The dessert menu cannot help but bring a smile to your face not only because of the sinfully delicious desserts but also for the daily special… AMOR!   With a side of helado if you please.

The front dining room is open and fresh and evokes an emotion that both pleases and calms at the same time.  As you pass the open kitchen to the back bar and garden you can see clearly why this is such a great spot for the local music scene.   The large open garden has a great flow of air and energy and is decorated in perfectly rich muted tones and beautiful artwork.  This is the perfect place to dance the night away under the starts surrounded by the best of natural elements of Tulum.

With wonderful breakfasts from fruit and French toasts and huevos rancheros you can leave satisfied however this spot has gained great reputations for their Pandaquiles, a play on chiliquiles (panda is one of the owners!)  And I can tell you – they are killer.

For afternoon and dinner choices you can find the great classics of the area from civiches, arrachera, chicken and fish as well as great salads, baguettes and hamburgers.  I have really loved the great salads  and tasty crepes.  They also feature fresh daily bread that can be in any number of flavors from Parmesan, rosemary, or nut.

Coming here for night time events is one of my favorite spots because of the greet bands that they book, (Panda is a great musician from the area- as are several other people with the restaurant and they know how to pick good music) but also because there is plenty of space to enjoy the music, the bar, the food and Tulum.

While in Tulum check out this great location.  Just across the street  from the ADO bus station. Check out more great spots in Tulum at our http://www.tulumliving.com/

El Camellos- Some of the best fish tacos in TULUM!***

When talking about the very best fish tacos in town you might get a few different answers. But one that you will hear again and again form the locals is El Camellos!!! This wonderful ALL FISH RESTAURANT is absolutely amazing. Considering that as of about 10 am you can see it packed with local fisherman- that should really be your first clue to how great this spot is. Not to mention that the fisherman just got down unloading their daily catch at the pescaderia (fish store) that shares this location.

When this hot spots needs a whole fish for their pescado frito entrée it is served fresh out of the cooler from this pescaderia. The most amazing part of the whole experience- is that you would never be able to tell that there were 5 massive coolers filled with fish. That is how fresh the fish at this spot is.

During the day this is many locals’ favorite spot for fish tacos. Coming 3 to a plate you can get these beauties cooked any number of ways from breaded to grilled. One of my favorites is Yucatecan style with tomatoes, peppers and onions. You should give it a try. And for only 60 or 70 pesos a plate—you can afford to try them all.

After 5:00 p.m. there are no more tacos but the various ceviche plates – that are HUGE by the way- along with the shrimp, octopus and let’s not forget the fresh fish dinners keep people happy throughout the night.

This is one of those spots that serves up the very best of the shores of Tulum to happy people eager to eat it. With various salsas and hot sauces ready on the table-my table is never quite complete without the chopped habenero they bring me drenched in lime stop

El Camellos is toward the south end of town a little past Rancho Tranquilo. This is a great spot that the whole family will love!

Altamar Tulum ***

Restaurants in Tulum have been earning a reputation for having wonderful flavors, exciting combinations and well executed plates. These amazing Tulum restaurants continue to get better and better and impress even further with each new day.

This past Valentine's day I took a very good girlfriend of mine out to dinner at Altamar Tulum. I have been eager to try this new restaurant since it opened a few months ago. With a warm and welcoming decor and great lighting, this amazing restaurant feels very calm and peaceful for being just off the main avenue of Tulum.

The first thing that we noticed was the beautiful open kitchen were we could watch the talented chefs create their masterpieces. After speaking with the manager, John and getting his recommendations we were excited about out upcoming meal. We toasted our friendship with a very well made margarita. It was the perfect start! The spread in the beginning of the meal was also a show stopper. Going much further then the traditional chips and salsa- a block of 6 different items was presented. jicama with spices, cucumber with spices, roasted sunflower seeds, nopal(sauteed cactus) and 2 salsas- neither one very hot but both full of great flavors.

To begin we had the civiche. While civiche is a common thing to find in the restaurants here, this civiche sets itself far apart from the normal dish. With a more south American twist using corn, avocado and some ginger that made the fish, shrimp and octopus just melt in your mouth. The pieces of fish were large cubed pieces and the octopus was soft and perfect.

The 2nd appetizer was to die for!!!! It was a chupe de camerone. A shrimp dish that is warm and creamy. It was almost like a dip but it was so amazing we were eating by the spoonful. This recipe is an old family recipe from Chile and I must say that I am in love with the chefs grandmother. This dish was one of the very best things I have eaten in Tulum and will be going back for it again.

For our main dish we ordered the arrachera steak that was stuffed with panela cheese and and chaya. Chaya is a local leafy vegetable much like spinach but even better. The steak was an amazing cut, very little fat and full of flavor. Served over baby potatoes and with a delicious sauce this was a welcome piece of meat.

The manager had recommended the octopus for an entree as Eric, the head chef cooks it perfectly. While I am not normally the biggest fan of octopus (usually because it is so tough and chewy) we decided to give it a shot. I could not have been happier. From the plating to the flavors this was the best octopus I have ever eaten. It was served with rice in a corn husk and a spread of beans and their amazing guacamole. We could tell from the moment that we cut into it that it was perfectly cooked. It was amazing.

There were several times that our waiter was prepared to clear the plates but we warned him that it was too good and that he might lose a finger! hahaha it was such an amazing meal. We literally ate for 3 hours. It was amazing. The food was accompanied by a beautiful bottle of white wine. We ordered the house wine and we were very happy with it. The wine list had several bottles that I know and love so it would be hard to find one that was not great!

Now- we are 2 ladies out on Valentine's Day so there was NO WAY that we were not going to get dessert. The perfect end to this amazing meal was a dense chocolate cake served with a coconut ice cream that was to die for. The cake was more like a mouse and melted in your mouth,

The other dessert was a pastry shell filled with fresh strawberries and served with vanilla ice cream. Both desserts also had a sauce made of a jamaica (hibiscus flowers) reduction that complimented the desserts beautifully.

The details and attention to service at Altamar Tulum made for an absolutely killer dining experience and I cannot wait to go back for more. They are also doing some great events such as oyster Wednesdays and lobster Saturday. In their 2nd floor lounge that over looks the main avenue they have a daily happy hour called Daily Sunset. 2x1 drinks and FREE APPATIZERS!!!!!! Cannot beat that.

You will not be disapointed with your experience at this wonderful Tulum restaurant.

Tacos El Wero, Tulum Pueblo *** - NOW MONTERREY MEXICAN GRILL!!!)

**** These guys have a brand new location on the main Avenue of Tulum across from the ADO bus station!!   They are now called Monterrey Mexican Grill and are now serving a wonderful dinner menu. ***

I am often asked, "where are the best tacos in Tulum?" This is a very hard question to answer. The tacos around Tulum are all generally the same and made up of the same basic ingredients. Or are they???

I like different taco places for different things. But I have recently found a new taco places that satisfies the whole family in 1 stop. The new Taco El Wero in Tulum. Located just next to the Fruiteria Pool just 2 blocks off the main avenue. To get to this great spot simply make a left at the first glorietta (or roundabout) at the entrance of the main avenue. Rocca and Scotia bank are on the left corner.

The first thing that I loved about this spot was the fresh made FLOUR tortillas. Everything around here is corn tortillas which are awesome but fresh FLOUR tortillas. These are as worth it as fresh corn. And even better- rare around here. Remember how I said that tacos in Tulum are pretty much the same? Well, here is 1 spot where Tacos El Wero stands out.

The place is brightly painted and easy to find. Decorated with murals, near completion depicting the owners home state of Nuevo Leon. This young family from Monterrey really understands what to serve up to its hungry clientele. The options on the menu range from carne asada to chorizo and eggs, chicharon and Tinga. There are also a number of basics that are perfect for kids, picky eaters or simple snacks.

For this meal I had 1 carne asada, 1 Tinga - made of a shredded chicken, and a bean and cheese quesadilla as well as some fried bean quesadillas all made with their amazing fresh flour tortillas.

The Carne Asada was my favorite. The meat was thick and juicy. It was also not fatty which I liked. There are some taco stands that have very fatty meat- partly because that is what a lot of people like for their tacos. This meat was wonderful. In addition to the quality of the meat itself was the beautiful sauce that covered the meat. This taco was amazing. Especially with all the fixings..... ohhh baby!!!! the Tinga is also a fav. The meat is moist and full of flavor.

Now it was time to dress my little babies for lunch! The condiments, all displayed in classic molcajetes, range between a red jalapeno based salsa and a Serrano paste salsa with the traditional shredded cabbage and tomatoes. Both salsas had a bite but were full of spices and flavor. I heard another diner say to her friend, "they should bottle these salsas and sell them." I could not agree more. Especially the thick Serrano paste salsa. It was great. I am not sure if my husband would ever be able to kiss me again but I could eat a bottle of that alone.

Great location...CHECK!!!

Good quality ingredients and tasty food... CHECK!!!

Next is the price.... This is important here in Tulum- well everywhere I guess. The prices at Tacos El Wero are great. Only 7 pesos for a taco and only 7 pesos for a drink!!!! That is a great deal. Especially for the amount of meat that you get in your taco. Plus they have a killer deal 5 tacos vapor and a drink for only 30 pesos!!!! WOW! That is great!

This is a place that satisfies the whole family! Come by and check out this great spot for the whole family. Or grab a big order to go and take it down to the beach or to your favorite cenote. These guys will fill up your bag with plenty of fixings for that perfect lunch.

This is one of those spots that is perfect for the whole family. Food that satisfies everyone, salsa that make you sweat and prices that you can smile about. See you at Tacos El Wero. Open Monday thru Saturday 8-3!!!!

Ginger- Stunning food in Tulum Pueblo ***

Gourmet food in Tulum might not be what you would expect but it is what you can find. For my 5 year wedding anniversary we wanted to go a special dinner in Tulum. My husband and I have always loved food and the fancier the better. Well, I had wanted to go to Ginger since first moving to Tulum but had not gotten the chance in their first location. I was thrilled when I heard that it had reopened.

First I must say that I started my perfect evening with a great massage from my wonderful HEALER Friend Gina. And it was amazing. you can read more about it HERE.

Ginger is located just 1 block off the main avenue at the first round-a-bout- and it is a beautiful restaurant. A wide open space with clean lines and vibrant décor- this restaurant in Tulum would be easily at home in San Francisco or New York. Before I even get to the great food- one of the things that I love about Ginger is their support of local artists and musicians. With expositions for local photographers and artists- the local talent of Tulum creates an amazing space at Ginger.

Just the other day I heard that a very talented musician, Tasha was playing there and I have seen a number of facebook notes of great stuff happening at Ginger. They also have a ladies night and this place makes every lady feel like a queen and 2 for 1 drinks- is just icing on the cake. I am hoping they get on the calendar soon so I can know about all of the great things they are doing. I do not want to miss anything at this wonderful restaurant in Tulum.


I went to this spot a while back with a girlfriend of mine that was visiting and we had the amazing salad with goat cheese and strawberries. It was well- amazing. We also had the tropical civiche. Although not the traditional civiche which I love too- this one used more tropical fruits and was the perfect sweetness to work with the fish.

For this special night- we got all dressed up and headed to Ginger. I was very excited. This was my husbands first time seeing the location and he remarked how easily this could be in SF. I totally agree.
To start we ordered the Goat Cheese Tart. Something I had my eye on since the last time I was here. Although, I admit, it was hard not to get the fresa salad again. We also ordered a bottle or red wine that we had not yet tried.


Before the appetizer came, they brought us some bread and this amazing marinated oil. I am not sure what is in this oil- but it is great. We can tell that there are chilies and garlic and many other wonderful spices- but not exactly sure what. Knowing that the food was going to be amazing- we made sure not to fill up on bread- I do not care how good the oil is- the food is worth the wait.



The tart was as good as it sounded. It was perfect with the wine that we had chosen and we were off to a good start. While we waited for our entrées we enjoyed looking at the artwork on the walls. I love it when restaurants feature local artists and have it for sale. I have found some of my favorite artwork at restaurants on my travels. And here you are going to find amazing pieces of art for a great price and what more perfect memento of your vacation then a piece of art.

For our meals, I ordered pasta with shrimp sautéed in garlic and chili. It was perfect. I love shrimp and many times when I order the it the shrimp gets over cooked. That is not good. The chef at Ginger was amazing. The food was cooked perfectly with just the right blend of spices. And there was a great amount of shrimp in my dish. It is never fun to fish for fish on your plate.

My husband ordered the Filet Mignonin a red wine sauce. He was a little reluctant at first because sometimes a cut of meat is on the menu but it is not what is on your plate. Plus the price for this was great. But we had great confidence in this restaurant and we were proven right. The cut of meat was wonderful. It was in fact a filet mignon and was cooked perfectly. And such a thick cut is easy to do wrong. The sauce was also amazing and complimented the meat perfectly


We would have ordered dessert here but 1 thing my husband and I do on our dates is restaurant hop for courses. So dessert was going to be in town. But I cannot wait to go back and try 1 of the desserts. If the rest of the food in any indication – it will be amazing. I always love it when a chef comes out to talk to a table. Especially when the restaurant is quite. It really takes your dining experience to another level and I think it shows that the restaurant and the chef genuinely care how you like the food and want to know your opinion.

I have not even gotten to the best part.

When we got our bill we were floored. We ordered a nice bottle of red wine, an appetizer, and 2 nice entrees and our bill was like 800 pesos! I could not believe it. A great prices and for the food you are getting!!!! WOW!!!! This is a spot to try. And what is great is that it is not a place that needs to be fancy. We were and did not feel out of place. I came here with a girlfriend the other day in jeans and a t-shirt and easily fit in. It really is perfect for all occasions.

While you are in Tulum, or if you live here- you really need to check thi

The Cottage Restaurant, Tulum ***

When I saw this new restaurant first start to open I got really excited. The photos of the food that had been taken was amazing and I could not wait to get inside and see the real thing.

The Cottage Restaurant has a nice outdoor seating area featuring a large bar prominently displaying the wide array of beers available. With numerous examples of brew from Mexico, Argentina as well as the USA and Europe proudly drawing me in side, I sat and watch people enjoy their food.

As this was an unexpected stop, I was not ready for a full meal. But I cannot wait. All the food was beautifully presented and you could smell the fresh ingredients. It was wonderful.

As this is a perfect place to people watch- I would imagine this a perfect place to have lunch. Great food specials are offered throughout the day during certain times. Dishes as low as 47 pesos to only 80 pesos for fajitas!

They also offer free Wi-Fi which is always wonderful. Between that and the 2 x 1 Happy hour- I just found a perfect place to stop off in town and check my email.

Another amazing draw for me to The Cottage Restaurant was the aroma of this incredible espresso bar featuring independently grown coffee from Chiapas! From plant to cup! Cafe "Yajalon"

I am so looking forward to eating a full dinner here. I will be there Friday night with a friend and will report all that I find out.

El Mariachi, Tulum Pueblo ***

El Mariachi's in Tulum Pueblo is a great restaurant with good local dishes at a great price. Funny enough, this was actually the very first place we ever heard of in Tulum. Were looking for a launrymat and the directions were "right next to El Mariachi." It was the very first place we ever ate at in our new little town.



Located right on the main avenue of Tulum it was very easy to find. The first thing we saw was a huge platter of fish being served above a large flame and it smelt delicious!!!. We ordered some traditional favorites and dug in. The beers were cold and the salsa was spicy. It was perfect.



We have had many other good times at El Mariachi's since that night. Some of the most recent favorites being World Cup 2010. We watched the Mexico game there and look forward to watching the quarter-semi and Finals there as well.



The plates are very large at El Mariachi's. This was my husband's favorite part. The food was good and there was a lot of it. There are some very plentiful breakfast items. The Chiliquilles is a favorite of mine and my kids.



This is one of the spots that is absolutely slamming with locals in the evenings. From 11:00 p.m. till close (5 am) this place has 2x1 beers. Talk about some happy hours. Especially when you think about the fact that so many of us work until the late evening- El Mariachi is the best place to go.



There are times they will have 10 peso tacos but as you can imagine... these do not last long.



There is also a nice garden area in the back of the restaurant. it opens up onto a nice little courtyard.

Don Cafeto's in Tulum ***

This is one of the most well known restaurants in Tulum town.  I love walking by this place (especially in the morning) because without fail I will see some of the people that I know.  There is always a great group of people that come to this restaurant and it is not hard to see why. 

The restaurant is very clean and nice and serves up great portions of food for a great price.  I come here most often for breakfast.  There are so many wonderful things on the menu but I usually get the huevos motulenos.  This is sort of like Huevos rancheros but with ham and peas and black beans.  It is wonderful.  It is served with the traditional friend plantain and is just great. 

The people watching is great here as well.  I love coming by the restaurant in the evenings as well because they have a very talented keyboard player and the music is great to listen too.  They are also very wonderful to kids here.  My kids have joined in with the key board player on more then 1 occasion and everyone is so supportive of my little budding musicains.

24 Hour Tortas - Late night eats in Tulum ***

There are not a lot of spots to grab some really good grub after a late night of having a good time with friends. Luckily there is the always tasty- 24 Hour Torta place. There are actually a few. One is at the entrance to town and has a big sign that says “Big Sandwich” I have not eaten there but my husband has and he said that is was very good.

But the one at the end of town – I have eaten here a few times. And let me tell you that it is fantastic. Tortas are a like a taco on a bread roll. They are very good and come in as many combinations at tacos do. They are little more expensive than your regular taco but then again- they will you up a lot more too. I wish I knew the name of this place but all it says anywhere is TORTAS!

There were many options and all were good. We got a few of the pollo (chicken) and a few of the milanesa (a breaded and friend beef.) Both had black beans lettuce, onions, tomato, cheese and loads of meat. They are a great snack for kids and they are the perfect thing to get after a late night of drinking and not eating as much as you needed to!

Cafe Kujaku-*** Great Jappenesse Food and Amazing Coffee ***

We ate at a fantastic little spot the other day. It was right in the middle of town across from Le Nave. I have been watching this building go up over the last few months and it really is a nice looking building. The cafe is called Cafe Kujaku.

It looks as thought there is a jewelry store underneath and I am not sure about the hotel it is attached to. But the cafe was delightful. The spiral stair case could be difficult for some to maneuver but it does add to the charm. There might be additional access from another direction but I am not sure.


Once on the 2nd level you have a very nice few of the main avenue below. I really love restaurants, cafes and bars that are on the 2nd floor and more and more of them are popping up.


My husband got a tea which came beautifully served with all the fixings. My daughters favorite food is sushi so that is what we got. We also got a very nice fried rice. The food is a little pricey compared to other spots in town but the ingredients were very fresh and tasted great.

They have wi-fi which is really nice. I could see this being on of my favorite spots to grab a snack and work on the balcony. The couple that was running it were wonderful and attentive. I cannot wait to go back and try more.

Sushill-Out in Tulum now delivers

I was so excited the other day when I went to my local corner store to pick up my fresh tortillas and saw a little flyer promoting Sushill-Out's new delivery service. As a person from downtown San Francisco, the idea of different types of food that can be delivered to me is just wonderful.

When I first moved here, Sushill-Out was located on one of my favorite little streets in Tulum. On it there was an Italian restaurant (Dolci Sapori) French- Le Bistro - Sushill-Out- clearly sushi- and Elements- a great fresh cafe. Sushill-Out has moved over towards the center of town on the main avenue 1 block before the main plaza. - The location is wonderful.

Their grand opening had some wonderful artwork from a local artist and some great music provided by a local dj. The atmosphere is fun and hip. Luis and Erika have put a lot of care and detail into this new location and I know that it is going to do well.

With 2 kids and no car- getting around sometimes can be hard and although I love the location- the ambiance really gets destroyed by a 5 and 6 year old. Although it is funny because sushi is one of my daughters all time FAVORITE foods. I remember one time we were picking up my mom up at the airport in SF - and my daughter looks up at me and says "I am hungry mommy and I really want some sushi." This provided quite the giggle to the people around given that Lena was barely 5! So there she sat while my mom pulled up trying to master her chopsticks. So see- if you are one of those people who says- eeeeeewwww Sushi- and have not even tried it... try to be more open to it... a 4 year old was.

So Lena could not be more thrilled that we can now order the sushi to come to our house. When we are out of food at the house and I tell the kids we need to go to the store... their response is "we could get sushi at the house."

Yes...Yes we can!!!! Thank you Sushill-Out. I will get their number and post it soon!!!