I have been asked to write a little blurb on some of my latest dining
experiences in Puerto Vallarta. One can learn quite a bit about
cooking and ingredients by eating, tasting, then talking with chefs,
owners and managers of places where unusual dishes are presented.
May has become a Restaurant Festival for 4 years now. About 35 of the
top places in the entire area sign up for the event. The owner and
chef choose 3 choices from their regular menu for: appetizer/salad,
entr=E9e and dessert. If you go with 2 people, you can opt for one of
each of the three so can taste and share 9 of the kitchen's creations.
This works best for me since I write local reviews and edit for my
dining guide. These are not one shot offerings which you will never
see again which does my readers and me no good.
Most places choose the 269 peso dinner price not including gratuity. A
few still price the menu at 169 pesos. The value is huge since these
places often charge nearly that much for an entr=E9e. These spots must
be established and willing to share in advertising the event. It lasts
17 nights with some places continuing the festival a few days longer.
The purpose of this event is two-fold: One is to fill a few of the
empty chairs which one starts seeing in May after the high season
ends. Secondly, it encourages locals to visit at a discount. If they
are pleased, they will tell their visiting friends and return
themselves. It can be a very good business practice if the management
runs smoothly and makes one feel welcome. Good will can go very far in
a highly competitive field as dining throughout Puerto Vallarta.
For starters, one usually sees a soup, salad and other first course.
Main dishes are apt to include a meat, fish and maybe a vegetarian
dish. Desserts are whatever is the whim of the master of the kitchen,
where one can truly shine and bring smiles to the diners. At one place
where we went as a group, it was said we should have started with the
dessert course and stayed there for a couple hours. But one must watch
the waistline.
In addition to good food, one can enjoy evenings with friends, new and
old, and share laughter and pleasure. Consider adding the last 2 weeks
of May to your travel calendar.
Gary
San Francisco, CA./Puerto Vallarta, JAL.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Puerto_Vallarta_OldTown_SouthSide
My Vallarta Restaurant Guide:
www.cafepress.com/vallartaguide
www.lulu.com/content/132501
www.CasasDelMarPV.com/145.html
www.CasasDelMarPV.com/145-BahiaBonita-85-custom.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Puerto_Vallarta_Gay_Travel
"We had the dust of Mexico on our shoes and the love of Mexico in our
hearts..."
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764027. Dining Experiences Puerto Vallarta May 2008
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