Myself and two friends decided to go on a Wednesday afternoon at about 2pm.  We arrived and were greeted by a shifty looking bouncer that told us to find a seat and as we walked in the door we were swarmed by waiters showing us to our table.  The place was pretty busy with local businessmen and seemed to have an abundance of waitstaff around, most of which spoke some english.
I asked for a lunch menu, but was told that is not how things work, they bring you what they have for lunch and you eat it.  Sounds good, takes a lot of pressure off of the selecting quality food in the strip joint.  We ordered drinks and waited while the food arrived.

Our table quickly filled up with plates of different things, some looking better than others.  I got the waiter to explain what they were and I translated for the non-spanish speaking guests.  We had an assortment of fried chicken, fried pork, french fries, coleslaw, chips and guacamole, tuna salad, pork in red salsa, beef a la mexicana, squid ceviche, pigs feet, and chile relleno.  A feast!

I was skeptical about how the food was going to be, I was happily suprised.  The ceviche was very good, though I am a fan of the local calimar.   The chile relleno was good as well, we fought over the last bits of this.  I liked the tuna salad, though it wasn’t exactly low fat.  Guacamole and chips are almost always good.  The fried goods really made everything worth it, good fried chicken is hard to find here and this was pretty good.  Somebody had to try the pigs feet, since I was writing the review I was elected: I’m not such a fan.

The serving method of all the food was interesting, there were no seperate plates passed out, so we all had forks and sort of attacked the various piles of food like animals.  My mother would have been appalled.  I kind of liked it the system, I thought it very appropiate for a place like this.

Ahh, am I missing something?  We arrived too early for dancers, we were told that the show began at 2:30.   Punctuality not being valued here like it is in other parts of the globe, not a soul showed up to take their clothes off until at least 3:15.  I am always amused by strip-clubs, they are entertaining, but in the case of Malibu there was nothing provacative about the show.  I guess this is one of those cultural type experiences, it was more fun to watch the reactions of the other people in the place than actually watch the majority of the dancers.

We stayed for three dancers and then paid the bill and left.  We only paid for the refrescos, $40 pesos each, we each had 2, so we got out of there for less than $100 pesos per person.  Not bad for an afternoon’s entertainment.  I found it interesting that we were given a receipt upon payment of the bill and then the bouncer required us to produce the receipt as we exited, maybe there is a two drink minimum or something.

Malibu is on the Federal Highway between Constituyentes and Juarez on the Ejido side.  Any taxi driver will know how to get there.  If you are not looking for food try someplace else, like Marlin Safari or Chilli Willy’s, because the show here wasn’t all that appetizing.

The place doesn’t look like much, in fact, we had walked by it possibly 100 times before our friends told us to meet them there for dinner. It’s just a small place with a couple tables on the sidewalk and a few more inside. It has a palapa roof and several of those jellyfish lights that are made from carved gourds.

We usually get the same thing every time we go there, but we have occasionally branched out and tried various pastas. All of the pastas we have tried have been good, but we really go for the pizza. (I once tried the grilled shrimp served with a salad and highly do NOT recommend that dish- I think it sat there cooling and waiting for my friend’s pizzas- ich).

We decided we should review Makkeroni, since we’re there so often the owner and waiter know us! We ordered our usual appetizer, the Caprese, which is a lovely fresh mozzarella and tomato dish topped with baby basil leaves and oregano. The Caprese is served with warm, relatively crusty (for Mexico) bread. Fresh mozzarella is one of the reasons we love this place, it tastes like home, and fresh mozzarella isn’t something one can just get anywhere.

We usually split a pizza, and this time was no different. We ordered a Pizza Vegetariana, which is large enough to feed two people, but probably not three, since the slices are not as doughy as pizza in the States. The pizzas are cooked in a brick oven and have the thin, cracker-like crusts that I associate with Mexican (rather than New Jersian) pizza, but probably has more to do with Playa having a large Italian expat community. The Vegetarian pizza comes with olives, onions, peppers, zucchini, and artichoke hearts, and probably whatever other veggies they happen to have on hand.

The restaurant doesn’t have much ambiance, but the food is so good and it’s close enough to our house, that we find ourselves at Makkeroni regularly. I noticed that they are now doing delivery, as well, so that may be our next adventure.

Stop by Makkeroni when you’re in the mood for something good. The pizzas are light, the pastas are filling. They also serve beer and wine, which is a plus.

La Floresta is a on the highway between Constituyentes and Juarez, on the Ejido side, so its not a normal tourist destination, but many Playa locals know about their good and inexpensive tacos.  We arrived at about noon, the place had not yet filled up, but there were a few full tables.  I have heard that Playa business deals are not complete until you have lunch at La Floresta, most of the patrons we saw were professionals of some sort.

We sat down and quickly were attended to by the waitress, who brought us chips and salsa and took our orders.  There is no wait time between the drink order and the food order, the menu is small and most people know what they want before coming.   The pico-de-gallo salsa that they bring out with the chips is really good, often I can eat a whole bowl of this before the meal comes.

We ordered shrimp tacos and crab tostadas, the meal came very quickly, so we dug in.  We topped the tacos with the spicy green sauce that sits on the table and some of the pico-de-gallo, watch out, the green is very hot.  The shrimp tacos come with three or four large pieces of deep fried shrimp on a corn tortilla, very tasty but probably not so good for you.  The crab tostadas were a little disappointing, sort of a crab and tomato sauce paste on top of a hard tostada shell.  The crab was a little bit fishy, not the best thing I have ever eaten there.

For the three of us lunch was under $150 pesos, $15 dollars.  I was pleased with my meal but I have had better meals at this restaraunt, I think the food is fresher when you come during busier hours.  Hans was not so pleased, he does not eat much seafood and wasn’t so happy with the shrimp tacos.  Allie said it was a good meal but she wouldn’t make a special trip to eat there again.  I will probably try La Floresta again, but it is more convenient for me because I am in that part of town more often.

Our friends had recommended Pummarola, and I had heard about it from at least three other friends as well, so we decided to check it out. This cozy Italian restaurant, with a good breeze, is located on Calle Flamingo (the street between Ave 1 and the beach) and 40th Street. It’s just a block away from Hotel Reef Shangri-La.

Once we had placed our drink orders, the waiter came over with a complimentary platter of meatballs and bread as an appetizer. We had also ordered some Mozzarella en Carroza (fried mozzarella) for the table, so that was delivered shortly thereafter. Both appetizers were appetizing, so I guess they did their job!

There were seven of us and most of us ordered pasta dishes. I got a mixed seafood dish that had mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a light tomato sauce served over spaghetti. It was delicious and was served in a little tin foil boat. Across the table a friend got a salad with steak on top. It looked fantastic and is now on my list of things to order the next time I am there. Hans ordered a Calzone, which came on its own wooden baking platter.

We were all stuffed after eating our main dishes, but that didn’t stop our waiter from bringing us a slice of Cajeta cake to share, on the house. It was a white cake with cajeta, or caramel/dulce de leche, between the layers. We probably could have devoured another three slices, but our waste lines were glad that we only shared one.

Part of the nice atmosphere is the ocean breeze, which is not always available at other restaurants more in town. This is a nice place for a romantic dinner, but I probably wouldn’t bring children. I’m not sure they would find anything on the menu that they would like, unless they’re spaghetti eaters.

This Italian restaurant is definitely off the beaten track, but still easily accessible for tourists who don’t have cars. I highly recommend you check this one out for yourselves.

When we got there this weekend we were starving, so we grabbed a couple lounge chairs under an umbrella and took a look at the menu. In the past I have had the ceviche mixto, a salad made of raw fish, shrimp and octopus that has been cured with lime juice and mixed with cilantro, tomatoes and onions. I love ceviche and they make some of the best. This time I was hungry for something a little heavier. Most of the items on the menu are Mexican dishes, but they did have some nice-sounding seafood options and more international-style foods as well.

I opted for the grilled fish tacos. My friend ordered the fried shrimp tacos and we each traded one. I was so hungry I dug in right away and then remembered to take a photo, so please note that they come three to an order, not two! The fish tacos were tasty. The fish was grilled with a flavorful, but not spicy, rub and then cubed. I got three tacos in corn tortillas (a new favorite of mine over flour ones). They were served with a side of refried black beans and guacamole. They also came with a tomato salsa on the side and some hot sauce.

The shrimp tacos came with a beautiful presentation. Each taco had three medium-sized lightly fried shrimp, a slice of avocado, some tomato salsa and a swirl of mayonnaise. They were good except for the mayonnaise being a little weird. They would have been perfect if they had used media crema or something with less mayonnaise flavor! Of course, we didn’t let a little mayo stand in the way of lunch.

We stayed on the beach long enough to be impressed with the service. Xpu Ha isn’t the most crowded beach (even on Sundays) and you’re pretty much guaranteed a spot with some shade and an attentive waiter. I sampled a Piña Colada, which was very weak. The flavor was good, even though I couldn’t taste any rum. I recommend ordering them stiff.

Later, Hans joined us after a dive and he was hungry for lunch. He ordered a cheeseburger and some guacamole. He reported that the cheeseburger was good. It came with shoestring french fries. The guacamole was delicious and highly recommended.

To get to La Playa Xpu Ha, head south on the Carretera Federal. On the left side of the road you will see a big sign for Bahía Divers. This is where you will turn in. You’ll need to make the u-turn at the Pemex station to get to the turn in. They charge you $25 pesos per person entry fee, but it’s refunded if you spend more than $100 pesos per person, just show them your food bill when you leave.

One of the things I love about living here is that coffee isn’t often made by the pot, so when I ordered a cafe americano it came with the espresso foam still in place. I love a fresh cafe americano, it’s something I’ll miss if I ever live in the States again. Café Corazón also takes the extra effort to make sure that any coffee drink that is served with foamed milk on top gets a heart drawn into or drizzles onto it.

There isn’t really a way to mess up fruit and yogurt, but some places do a better job than others and Café Corazón is one of them. They use an exotic blend of tropical fruits, not just your standard papaya, melon and apple. This isn’t surprising based on the variety of juices and smoothie ingredients they offer.

Hans also ordered a bagel with jam. Their bagel sandwiches looked awesome, as did their regular sandwiches. I will have to stop by again some time for lunch.

Café Corazón also has one of the best bulletin boards in town for finding what you need. Yesterday there were ads for apartments, roommates, a bicycle for sale, tourist-industry jobs, and yoga lessons. When I need something, it’s one of the places I stop to check first.

Café Corazón is located on 5th Avenue between 28th and 30th Streets. We did notice a “For Sale” sign in the window, so if you’re thinking of moving to Playa and want to run a cafe, you might want to give them a call!

There are real tables and there are smaller, sort of coffee table-sized, tables. You get to choose where you sit, we chose a real table. The seats were comfortable and we settled in and started watching the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics.

Our crew ordered quite a few appetizers: hummus, mushroom hummus, baba ganouj, olives and tomatoes, and tabbouleh. Let me tell you, the hummus was the best I’ve tried in Playa del Carmen. Of course, it’s only the third time I’ve eaten hummus out, but still, it was delicious.

I ordered a Syrian salad for dinner. It arrived looking pretty on a long, rectangular platter. It was topped with a sort-of sweet dressing and feta cheese with some sort of sweet-ish powder on top, possibly an allspice or nutmeg-based spice blend. The sweet versus salty mixture made for a very enjoyable salad. The croûtons were made from deep fried wedges of pita bread. Good salads are hard to find in Playa and this one was definitely delicious, though not exactly waste-line friendly.

Hans ordered lamb kabobs, which came with rice, vegetables and Tadzhiki sauce. He reported that they were very tasty. Solomon ordered beef kabobs, which were actually made from ground beef, instead of steak. He also reported that they were tasty.

I ordered a glass of wine, which at $60 pesos was one of the priciest glasses of wine I’ve had. I’ve been spoiled by $45 peso and under glasses lately, so I knew we were in for a pricey dinner when I saw what they wanted for a glass of wine!

All in all, it was a very good meal and we’ll probably be back, if only for the hummus and the good people-watching. I would have liked to have smoked a hookah with flavored tobacco, but no one in my crew was game for that. They did offer several flavors of tobacco on the menu and someone next to us was smoking one, which smelled delicious.

Gaia is not the cheapest eat in Playa, in fact, it was rather expensive, but it is conveniently located on 5th Avenue. If you’re not too full after dinner, head up to Coffee Cafe on 34th and 5th for coffee and dessert.

The dogs are just boiled, not fried with ham or bacon like I have found in many places around Mexico, but a simple boiled hotdog is more what I was looking for today. Hans tried his Pancho Villa hotdog with just catchup, I guess he didn’t want to try anything fancy. You really can’t go wrong with catchup. I ordered mine with catchup, mustard, mayo, onion, and pickle relish, I like stuff on my dogs. The kid serving the hotdogs really wanted to load on the condiments, I had to give pretty specific directions in order to get more hotdog than topping.

I was pretty pleased with the outcome of the hotdogs, they were nice and tender, not overdone. They were also a good temperature, not too hot, not too cold. We both ordered our meals with a Fanta. There is really not much else I can say about a hotdog stand, I would eat there again if it was convienient, though I don’t know if I am ever going to say to myself, “I really need a Pancho Villa hotdog.”

Hot Dogs Pancho Villa is located on Constituyentes between 5th and 10th, next to A’Cacoa. The prices there are more or less what you would expect for a business downtown, we paid $30 pesos each hotdog and $20 pesos for drinks.

Hans wanted me to put this picture on the review, I hardly ever put pictures of me anywhere on my posts.

The atmosphere is very elegant. We loved the modern design and the fact that all their tables are open air. Each table had a little fish bowl with a beta inside as a table decoration (that were later traded out for little lanterns as the sun started to set). The chairs were comfortable and the table settings were unique and had a very Eastern feel.

We decided to start with the Edamame (soy beans) as an appetizer, which they offered steamed or sautéed. We opted for our familiar favorite, steamed. We have had mixed success with ordering Edamame in Mexico. It often comes over-cooked and soggy, which makes it very difficult to eat. At Tsuba, it arrived lightly steamed and seasoned with a little bit of salt.

Hans ordered the Chicken Teriyaki, which he reported was awesome. It has made it onto his list of items that he will crave in the future. It came on top of a mound of white rice and was nice and fresh. I ordered two sushi rolls, a tuna roll and a vegetable roll (futomaki). My tuna roll was a little fishy (but this seems to be the norm here) but the futomaki roll was delicious. It came with sweetened carrots inside and was served with a sweet glaze drizzled over the rolls.

This was plenty of food for us. All in all, the food was great, the service and atmosphere were nice and we will definitely be going back. Tsuba has worked it’s way into our rotation of restaurants that we will frequent. Hans reports that he will be craving the Chicken Teriyaki soon.

Tsuba Sushi is located on 5th Avenue and 34th Street, next to Coffee Cafe and Las Palapas Hotel.

One of the best parts about Los Bisquets Bisquets Obregón is that it has parking, which makes it so much easier to patronize than other restaurants in Playa del Carmen. We pulled in and had our choice of spots.

There is something familiar about the inside of the restaurant. It feels like a diner in the US. That’s a comforting feeling for those of us who spent lots of time in New Jersey diners. The only thing that is different is the menu, it’s mostly Mexican specialties. Of course they have some diner regulars like hot cakes, eggs, omelets and bacon.

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try their namesake, bisquets (or biscuits for you English-speakers). I can be a hard critic with biscuits, after all, I toyed with the idea of opening a Southern-themed coffee shop/restaurant in New Jersey and I perfected my biscuit-making skills for that endeavor. However, I have learned that in Mexico it’s best to approach familiar foods with an open mind for their interpretation here, much like a Chinese person might feel eating Chinese food in the states. Surprisingly enough, they were a pretty close approximation. They reminded me of Hardee’s biscuits, only heavier and buttery-er.

I could have probably made a meal out of one biscuit, since they’re heavy, but I’m not known to stop at “enough,” so I also ordered a fruit plate. Hans and Solomon both had hot cakes with bacon, and Solomon had a couple fried eggs on the side. Everything came much as you would imagine it in the US (this is nothing to be taken for granted here). The only exception was that Solomon’s eggs were served on top of his pancakes and we had to ask for another plate.

I love that I can get a good fruit plate, usually served with yogurt, almost anywhere in Playa del Carmen and it is always made with yummy tropical fruits. It’s pretty hard to mess up fruit with yogurt, so it was as I anticipated.

The menu items for dinner and lunch look awesome. They had some small tostados with pork on the menu that I’m definitely going to have to check out some other time. There’s something nice and familiar about the decor, so I’m sure we’ll be back when we’re missing that diner experience.

Los Bisquets Bisquets Obregón is also a great place for kids. They offer highchairs and they even had one of those play rooms like you see in McDonalds with the whole jungle gym/ball room.

Los Bisquets Bisquets Obregón is located on Avenida Constituyentes at the corner of Calle 20.