Paradise in Puerto Vallarta

Hot spot of fantastic eats, what to do and see

by Wendy S. Liu

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is more than just a standard cruise ship destination traveling to the infamous Señor Frog's for infinite swigs of the obligatory jello tequila shots. No longer is the art of inebriation and cheap tacos de rigueur in Mexico. Aside from Taylor and Burton's Hollywood glamour which pinned Puerto Vallarta on the map, this energetic and blossoming city while maintaining its original Mexican charm is a hot spot for luxury living, fine dining, and second home to many foreigners and expats, thanks to its warm winter climate, affordable living, and the offerings of a carefree lifestyle in the Mexican Pacific Riviera.

For modern luxury with all the hedonic staples, stay at the ultra private beachfront Four Seasons Resort in Punta de Mita, a master planned community 26 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. These 1,500 acres of land is comprised of luxury resorts including the St. Regis, Norman's championship and Nicklaus' signature golf courses, private villas, assorted beach and sport clubs, wellness and spa centers, a yacht pier, and a small commercial village.

If total seclusion is on the agenda and money not being an issue and you want to authentically experience the lifestyle of the truly rich and famous with no other guests except yourself and your entourage, for $15,000 a day or $20,000 during high season, you can rent the über exclusive Palmasola, a 25,000 sqft. private luxury villa uniquely designed in curves without square corners equipped with 12 in-house staff members inclusive a world class Michelin trained private chef, Peter Lodes, one of the original proprietor/chef of Trio. Established and privileged guests have been head of states, high profile celebrities, and shaker and movers of the entrepreneurial world. Needless to say, high class amenities and diligence to refinement and service are paramount.

For sophisticated old world charm and beauty, check in at Hacienda San Angel perched hillside above the Guadalupe Church. This exquisite 20 room boutique hotel is beautifully appointed where you'll feel like a Mexican royalty during your stay. Do no depart without visiting the hotel's lovely restaurant serving Mexican infused international cuisine for a romantic candle light dinner overlooking the gorgeous city view. After dinner, try to snag a vacant bed by the poolside where you can lounge, digest, and spoon feed your sweetheart the Grand Marnier crème brûlée and sip Kahula coffee while playing footsie.

If character and seclusion without spending mucho bucks and straying from conventional hotel type is what you seek, go stay at the enchanting private retreat at Jardin del Mar situated between Bucerias and La Cruz de la Huanacaxtle. This grand hacienda is right on the beach with a handful of units in different configurations available for rent. Private relaxation and secluded from the hustle and bustle is what you'll get.

Looking for a home away from home? There are many upgraded private Mexican homes renting out their spacious guest house with a Palapa (thatched roof) and a private bathroom. Staying at a home is the best way to discover the culture and live as the locals do. The owner can share with you a wealth of information about real life Mexico.

Lastly, if adventure is not on your plate and pampering and no brainer is more your cup of tea, the Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort is your answer. In Nuevo Vallarta where modern hotel and resort are popping up like Mexican jumping beans, the "Grand All Inclusive" has been recognized and awarded as the best and most excellent. Leave the Pesos in your room and go live a blissful life without a care in the world.

Even if you are not a guest, you should reserve an appointment at the world class Grand Velas Spa, a most elegant and harmonious oasis. Prior to your treatment, a beautiful spa attendant will guide and instruct you to spa’s signature hydrotherapy ritual, a series of water treatment. First stop is the sauna with your water bottle spray, followed by a quick cold pressure shower, then you enter the most elegant marble steam room which reminds me of a ancient Goddess temple with eucalyptus inhalation, pressure shower again to cool off, the warm and cold plunge lagoon is next, followed by a hot whirlpool, and then finished by a foot bath. Hydrate yourself with the refreshing green chlorophyll or the delicious sweet red Jamaica flower drink while you lounge on a chaise with cucumber rounds on your eyes and a warm fragrant neck pillow drifting you to bliss land.

Hungry? A plate of oatmeal cookies await. For a memorable experience in which you will not find back at home, chose a treatment from the Huichol Collection which incorporates ancient ceremonious rituals and natural Mexican ingredients. The Prehistoric Massage Tukipa is 80 minutes of massage using warm Mexican obsidian stone and regional oil. The therapist starts the procession with a flower foot bath, and then shakes a rain stick making a soothing sound to start the ceremony of your treatment.

Here you feel like a Mexican princess or prince to be coronate. Deliberate arrangement of stones and flowers on the massage bed continue the appearance of the ritual. As you remove the stones, disrobe, and crawl onto the massage bed, you are asked to shake the rain stick when the therapist may enter and soon you partake in a slice of ancient heaven. The staff's professionalism and the spa's attention to each detail were flawless and impeccable; not one thing was overlooked. The personal catering was first rate where your comfort and wellness is numero uno. Don't forget to grab some star shaped candles, mini bags of nuts and dried fruits, and skin care samples on your way out.

Puerto Vallarta's upcoming fifth year of Restaurant Week indicates a prominent fine dining scene. The city lacks ethnic cuisine but fine Mexican and European flavor abounds. If you're in town, be sure to sample this city's many fine culinary talents besides the local street food or the typical tourist trappings.

Puerto Vallarta's respected and favorite European restaurant hands down is Trio for its consistent flavorful and delicious unpretentious food; many restaurateurs have concurred. German born and highly trained Michelin chefs, Bernhard Güth and Peter Lodes, opened this 4 level restaurant in 1997. Mr. Lodes left to work as a private chef and Swedish chef Ulf Henriksson is continuing the tradition of serving excellent "Mediterranean Food Cooked with Love".

According to Güth, to warm the appetite, the Sweet corn soup with peppercorn is served first. It is a delicious vegetable soup bursting with flavor. When was the last time you can actually taste and decipher each sweet vegetable in all its glory? The must try Lebanese salad is baked beet slices with parsley and marinated goat cheese. It is bold and tasty with the beet puree thick as ketchup and flavored with mint and cumin. It’s a standard dish done everywhere but always a winner with fresh ingredients and good flavor.

The Seafood antipasto on grilled eggplant & spicy vegetable sauce is fresh and delish. The sauce is made from raw vegetables and spices giving it that interesting contrast with the seafood. If you're a homemade pasta lover, the silky Ricotta spinach ravioli with sun dried tomato coulis and Veal ravioli with green and white asparagus with sauce provencial are not to be missed. The flavor and combination of ingredients are balanced and flawless.

For entree, go for the sumptuous Pan seared sea bass with mushroom crust, leaf spinach and red wine butter sauce. To end the perfect meal, indulge your sweet tooth with the Bread and butter pudding with white chocolate ice cream and also the baked apple.

Fans of Trio who want to experience a different kind of cuisine should try the chefs' second restaurant, Vitea. This ocean front bistro is the ideal spot to enjoy the sun set and people watch on the Malecon. While you sip a cocktail, try the Goat cheese crostini with orange and mint sauce: a powerful punch of shower gel like fragrance and impact. The bread rolls with three different kind of dipping sauce were fantastic.

The Malecon in Puerto Vallarta is equivalent to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This boardwalk of people by the ocean is a mandatory stroll. Go to Stefano and Paolo’s La Dolce Vita, the popular Italian eatery with always a long wait on the dynamic Ave. Diaz Ordaz.

Go upstairs and sit by the terrace which is the prime location to check out the parade of pimped out cars, the lit cruise ships and the Pirate Party Boat with its firework display and see Puerto Vallarta's night life below as you enjoy appetizers of paper thin Carpaccio di polipo (octopus) with arugula and an authentic Antipasto Italiano. The Linguini, zucchini and shrimp dish is absolutely delicious with its just perfect delicate white sauce. Not on the menu, request the chef to make you a linguini with smoked salmon bits with its tasty and spicy white sauce of lemon and spices. For red sauce lover, try the Seafood diabolo pasta. If you crave more substance, order Paolo's creation of the Luna, a moon shaped pizza with mozzarella and blue cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms, and sliced eggplants.

Want fine traditional and regional Mexican cuisine with a twist other than street taco and Tex Mex? El Arrayan is a must visit when in Puerto Vallarta. Entering the pink restaurant you encounter more color inside with art, wall, chair and tablecloth in kaleidoscope. Arrayan is a small sweet and tart fruit and in the middle of the restaurant's indoor courtyard stands this fruit tree. The owner, Carmen Porras, used to work for Trio and had the idea of opening her own when she realized there needs to exist fine Mexican food when she was constantly asked where to find one. Before you delight in a very special meal, relax with El Arrayan margarita, made from the fruit which is the restaurant's namesake. It is a cloudy drink that is light and delicious.

For starters, must try is the Jamaica flower quesadilla, meaty in texture and slightly sour due to the plum colored hibiscus. Not adventurous enough? Try my favorite which is the Chaputines taco. They are unique, flavorful, crunchy, delicious crickets from Oaxaca! Never mind that you're eating fried grubs, this is seriously good food. Just think pure protein.

Still want a challenge? Try the Yucatan style pig's feet taco. What else can I say besides the delicious pineapple and chili salsa that creates a savory and sweet sensation? If you can't stomach the above mentioned dishes, try the Ceviche colima, a scallop ceviche which is a bit different than the usual fish or shrimp. The Nopales tiernos is also very light and appetizing. Spoon some of this in a tortilla to make a taco of Nopale cactus and Mexican Panela cheese.

For soup lovers, the Pozole de camaron is a light broth of shrimp, fish, and chunky hominy corn kernels. The signature dish is the Duck carnita; it is a third of a whole roasted duck with roasted potatoes. Make room for dessert because the homemade Tamarind sorbet is refreshing and yummy. For a slightly heartier dessert, go for the Pumpkin, a candied baked squash with vanilla bean ice cream. Muy Bien!

Still need the Mexican fix? Another absolute visit is the Cafe El Repollo Rojo or The Red Cabbage Cafe. Out in Boonville and God knows where on the Rio Cuale....the trek is definitely worth it, I assure you. As your taxi drops you off in front of this nondescript totally sketchy area, a young Mexican boy opens your taxi door. You already feel like a small time VIP. A man stands behind a half door gate and asks for your name before he opens the bottom gate and lets you enter the restaurant.

You discover Frida Kahlo's shrine inside a jewel box of checkered floor, hand made tables, and the owner, Lola Bravo's favorite things all over the different colorful walls. Not only is the place a feast for the eye but especially for the palate. Besides a vegetarian and an international menu offering an American, Italian, and Russian dish, the Mexican menu is delightful. Unique to the cafe is the Spinach salad; it's a small plate of hand chopped parboiled spinach flavored with garlic and olive oil. It resembles think pesto. Served with garlic bread, this is a savory appetizer to begin your meal.

The absolutely must-go-for-it is Frida's Dinner. This set menu is what Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo served at their parties. A glass of tequila starts the meal. The Cream of peanut soup was the opening course of Diego and Kahlo's Christmas dinner. This different and tasty opaque tan soup is made from chicken consommé, garlic, and peanuts.

The pièce de résistance is the Chiles en nogada which is a celebratory party dish that is an explosion of flavor in the mouth...a dynamite of tastiness. Nogada is walnut and this dish was originally created by the nuns of the Puebla for the Emperor Iturbide. This dish is served cold and spicy with a walnut and pomegranate sauce. One bite is a definite "wow". This complex dish with many ingredients is truly spectacular and no wonders it is a food served during festivities and celebrations.

Main course is a choice of Chicken mole or Pollo pipian. Go for the spicy mole where 25 different ingredients were used in the creation of this special chocolate colored sauce. Dessert is flan and a choice of red or white wine to accompany your festive dinner.

Another consistent restaurant with authentic Austrian food is Kaiser Maxmillian in the area of Olas Altas. The owner, Andrea, wears his Austrian shirt and jacket every evening to add to the ambience of old Europe. Sit at the sidewalk cafe and enjoy local musician’s serenade as you dine.

The soup is the best: White wine soup with cinnamon croutons and sabayon and the Red cabbage cream soup with roasted duck crust potato dumpling. Another excellent tasty dish is the Raviolis with fennel filling, prosciutto, wild mushrooms and tarragon sauce. For an entree combining ingredients that work, try the Seared diver scallops, butternut squash puree, salad of apples and pine nuts, jamon Serrano, and truffle sauce.

I brought along two Germans as my dining mate that evening to verify the authenticity and I was told that the Roasted leg of veal, the Wienerschnitzel (breaded pork loin) and the Zwiebelrostbraten (pounded beef loin) and the Spätzle (hand made egg noodle dumplings) were the real McCoy. That's a good sign.

Also in Olas Altas, on Playa Muertos, for a most tropical and sensual dining experience, visit La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta's first restaurant back in 1954. You must get a table right on the beach with sand beneath your feet with surrounding tiki torches and candle lights. Your server will come out with a stand plopped in the sand where you can hang your purse. The Poblano and black bean soup with chorizo bread is a half green and half black soup. Try the Pan seared snapper, green asparagus, chorizo, zucchini blossom tempura, soy and sherry sauce. Finish off with the Cheesecake with passion fruit sauce. I recommend this place to luxuriate in an intimate setting to reacquaint with your lover, enjoy live relaxing music, and relish the proximity of the ocean with its soothing breaks. Don't forget to bring a light sweater; you are after all...sitting right on the sandy beach!

Another restaurant in this vicinity is Archie's Wok, very popular for its historical background and locals love the tasty Asian comfort food. Archie, from Philippine, was first introduced to legendary film director, John Houston, where he catered parties at Elizabeth Taylor's home in Gringo Gulch. This eventually led him to become the private chef for Houston in his retirement hideaway at Playa Caletas. After Houston's death, Archie opened in 1986 the first Asian fast food take out with a couple of tables in Puerto Vallarta called Archie's Wok and Deli.

After his father's death, the son, Sergio, runs Archie's Wok, now a full restaurant. Two beverages to recommend: the refreshing and pleasant Ginger ice tea which is lemonade based and the Jamaica flower ice tea. Popular dishes among guests are the Calamari fried in a light beer batter, Lumpia which are Filipino eggrolls, the sweet and tangy Spicy shrimp and coconut soup, the tasty BBQ pork rib lets hoi sin style which are perfect in its mini size, the light and healthy Sizzling fish in banana leaves with pineapple relish, the Drunken noodles has an unusual flavor with shrimp and squid, and the generous sized Chiang Mai shrimp which should definitely be eaten with rice. Try to get a table inside the courtyard where you can enjoy the harpist pluck her magic and savor exotic Asia.

If beach and sand is too much since you've had it all day, but still looking for prime view, visit Marina Vallarta's Porto Bello, an Italian restaurant. Sit at the outdoor covered patio to enjoy the marina while listening to live music. As a hardcore spicy eater, I've met my match. If you don't mind major "fuego", go ahead and slather the diced Jalapeno, Habanero and Serrano pepper in olive oil on your bread. This is one powerful punch of flavor and kick.

To cool off the mouth, the Cozze alla Malfitane is really good Mediterranean mussels and so is the Carpaccio di Manzo, beef carpaccio. For main course, the Vitello tornato, marinated veal with light tuna fish sauce and black truffle is molto bene. Two yummy desserts: the Crespella ai cioccolato, chocolate crepes with Bailey's chocolate mousse and the crispy and tasty Philo crepes filled with fruits and Amaretto sauce. Total delish.

Last but not least is Puerto Vallarta's most famous and celebrated restaurant, French chef, Thierry Blouet's swanky Café des Artistes. This is the place where you go for a special occasion, take a date that you really dig, or at least come in for a drink to check out the alluring surrounding. Get a table either outside the enchanting outdoor garden where you're in the midst of a lush tropical jungle with a canopy of greens overhanging or if you have a party of 8, you must reserve the magical private room with hundreds of glass balls hanging. The space is truly schnazzy.

For real foodies, go to the more refined Cocina de Autor, a different section of the restaurant where only a prix fixe gourmet tasting menu with wine pairing is served. Make sure to get one of the handfuls of tables up on the terrace rooftop as it is a romantic al fresco with bamboo trees and dangling white orchids covering the sky...don't be alarm when the occasional flower falls on your table. Mine landed perfectly next to my Veuve Cliquot champagne and the second time on my lap.

To start off the culinary adventure, compliment of the chef, three mini creations were served on a stone slab. The 3 hours six course dinner was presented with one word regarding service: Stellar. Mucho gracias to Raul Montiel and Bernardo Silva for their service was highly attentive and their being courteous and caring. Oscar award for best service!

The dessert presentation is consistent of Blouet himself, a showman. On a big mirror tray flamboyantly displays a sugar sculpture, the desserts, fancy fruit cutting, a candle light and written in chocolate "Welcome to Cafe des Artistes" or whatever special occasion you're celebrating. Don't forget to bring your camera...

After you fill your tummy, you must also fill your suitcase. For a store where you can find something delightfully Mexican for yourself and as gifts of good quality, Sarafina is your one stop shopping. This 3 room colorful Mexican boutique houses clothing for women and children, jewelry and fashion accessories, kitchen and home ware, art work, handicraft, and fun gift items.

There is a lot to see as every corner, wall, and floor space is a showcase. Pay attention to the hand embroidered tablecloth or blanket and the hand painted many gift and household items. This place is really fun and is not easy to walk away empty handed.

Next two stores down is Cielito Linda, for the avant garde jewelry collector. This is not your typical silver jewelry store invading every street corner. This upscale store sells pieces from Jewelry designers all over the world. Elegant, funky, conservative or extravagant, you're surely to find something that suits your particular taste. I bought a big handmade red ceramic heart with many bits of turquoise pieces attached by gold wiring hung on a very long thin leather strap with charms dangling at both end. It’s funky, fun, and made from real organic material.

Speaking of leather, Rolling Stones Leather is the choice store for exotic leather such as sting ray, eel, shark, buffalo, crocodile, and etc. Clothing and accessories can be made to order. Here Gene Simmons, Lou Gosset Jr, Chuck Norris and the biker crowd has shopped. You get the picture.

Looking for authentic Mexican traditional art? The Huichol Collection Gallery houses all things Huichol, an indigenous ethnic group from western central Mexico. Their art is highly colorful, elaborate and even psychedelic with its bright neon colors. Majority of pieces are based on bead art and yarn painting. No monochromatic here and those preferring Zen need not enter. The salesperson will explain to you the symbolism and story behind the design and pieces.

If heavy pottery, over sized sombreros, and tequila is too troublesome to carry back home yet you're still searching for something Mexican, try sweets, a perpetual crowd pleaser. At Con Orgullo Azteca, this candy shop sells Tamarind with chili, the Cocadas de Leche which is coconut, sweet milk with honey, and for your boozer friends or better yet, yourself, the Borrachitos, "drunken candy", which is a sugar jelly roll filled with tequila is an interesting find.

No vacation is complete without some kind of a hot spot for dancing. At a corner across from the Malecon is where Buddha Bar meets Palm Beach. The Asian inspired Mandala is an exciting discotheque catered more to the younger crowds with 3 floors including a sleek all white lounges on the roof top. The general crowd gyrates to techno and pop music on the neon dance floor under a giant disco ball and its smaller reflective siblings while a pair of giant Buddha figures stares down. A bouncer approves if you may ascend the roof top with its beautiful people enjoying Latin pop music on a smaller dance floor and getting a view from high above of the Malecon.

For a sleeker and sexy vibe, not far away from Mandala is the restaurant lounge club Z’Tai. Its appeal is its modern zen clubby lounge where you can hide in its dark mysterious ambience or be seen at its big dance floor. Both clubs offer dining and of course drinking!

For the active traveler who wants to explore and discover, Vallarta Adventures is the premier company catering to all your excursions and the weekend warrior in you. Diving, expedition, whale watching, swim with the dolphins, and cultural tours just to name a few are yours for the choosing. Highlight is the boat ride to the island of Las Caletas, former jungle hideaway of film director, John Houston.

A Vegas style production of "Rhythms of the Night” is an exotic and mystic show of dance, music and performance. A backdrop of flickering torches, swaying palms and the view and sound of the ocean as you dine under candle light is your scene as you enjoy your intimate buffet dinner. Once you have arrived on the island, guaranteed you wish you had missed your boat and didn't have to go back home. I wouldn’t mind being a castaway on this lush tropical island.

On that note, take a water taxi to the picturesque quaint village of Yalapa. Visit a hilly Mexican village, chill on the beach, kayak and snorkel, or better yet...walk up to the top to discover a majestic rocky waterfall for an exhilarating skinny dip.

Do something spontaneous and rent a boat from a private owner from any marina who will sail you to secluded bays and islands. Negotiate beforehand the price and hours before you agree to the private tour.

For a real Mexican sport experience, check out the Corrida de Toros, the bullfight in Puerto Vallarta where the three stage bloody spectacle is both cruel and fascinating. Depending on your ethics, you either cheer for the bulls or the toreo, picador, and banderillero. The matadors are young handsome men flagrantly dressed in their costume in which after the fight, they all come out near the exit for spectators get some photo ops. Fights are every Wednesday from November to April at 5pm at the Toros Plaza across from the Maritime Terminal.

Back to civilization for some culture, October to April is Puerto Vallarta's Art Walk in which art galleries open their doors to showcase artists every Wednesday from 6-9 PM. Go browse and admire the innovation and creativity that resides in Mexican artists. Life is an art form. The obvious affluence blended in a third world country makes for a perfect travel destination. High style living, adventure in spirit, or bohemian at heart, it is easy to design the kind of experience you want in Mexico.

Puerto Vallarta offers up to date luxury resort living that we Americans enjoy and are accustomed to yet the country still retains its original rustic and ethnic roots. The dichotomy of the contrast is stark and fascinating. This is why we love Mexico…and if doing nothing is what the heart desires, than soul search at an isolated beach and contemplate life in front of a bonfire.

www.Fourseasons.com/Puntamita

www.Palmasola.net

www.Haciendasanangel.com

www.Jardindelmar-pv.com

www.Vallarta.Grandvelas.com

www.Kaisermaxmillian.com

www.Lapalapapv.com

Archie’s Wok
Francisco Rodriguez 130
Puerto Vallarta 48330 Mexico
52 322 22 2 0411

www.Portobellovallarta.com

www.Cafedesartistes.com

www.Cielitolindomexico.com

Rolling Stones
Paseo Diaz Ordaz 802
Puerto Vallarta 48380 Mexico
52 322 22 3 1769

Huichol Collection Gallery
Morelos 490
Puerto Vallarta 48300 Mexico
52 322 22 3 2141

Con Argullo Azteca
Ave. Juarez 1449
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Mandala
640 Paseo Diaz Ordaz 640
Puerto Vallarta 18380 Mexico

www.Ztai.com

www.Vallarta-adventures.com

Corrida de Toros
Toros Plaza across from Maritime Terminal
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Photos by: Wendy S. Liu