Tag: Puerto Vallarta

La Esquina del Tomatillo

The Joint

Morelos 601
Downtown Puerto Vallarta

Phone: +52 322 22 29434
Web: http://www.eltomatillo.com.mx
Email: cheftomatillo@gmail.com

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Cliff

[c76phlickr initial=square id=5675500802] [c76phlickr initial=square id=5661320002]We first experienced this restaurant under its previous name, Xitomates, in 2009 or 2010. We tried to visit again this year, and show my parents what a swell restaurant we’d found for somewhat upscale Mexican food, but were surprised to find that its name had changed. We passed on it then, but returned a few days later to give it another shot, after noticing some similarities between what we’d had last time and the current menu offerings. We were not disappointed. If anything, the prices on the items seemed a little lower compared to what we remembered. Same great salsas, same friendly service. Really pleased it’s still going, even if under another name. Check this place out if you’d like to eat a nice meal downtown without the touristy Tex-Mex flavor or Marina sports bar atmosphere.

Sarah

[c76phlickr initial=square id=5661334566]
I was very disappointed when we first passed this place. All I could tell was that 1) this was where Xitomates used to be and that 2) this place wasn’t Xitomates. That said, we gave the place a shot on our last evening there and thank goodness we did. It was the same basic place – so much so that the container that they served the chips in still said Xitomates on the side. And the most important part – the exquisite salsas were the same. We split a mixed quesadilla appetizer (one pumpkin, one cheese and squash blossom and one huitlacoche) which was lovely and full of unusual flavors. My main course was a chile relleno filled with ratatouille. It was light (which goes down really well in the heat), but filling and the flavor was really fresh and intense. For dessert, we split a crème brûlée. We had high hopes for this; as Mexican flan is a thing of beauty, we assumed they would probably do other custards well, too. I love being right.

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Some Puerto Vallarta snaps

[c76phlickr id=5643147571]On our way to the airport to pick up our pal Rachel, we passed by this dude on the golf course.

[c76phlickr float=right id=5643731602]Then after some pool time, Rach took us out for dinner in the Marina. This photo is proof to her trainer that she still lifted some weights while on vacation.

[c76phlickr id=5657929346]Taking the bus downtown, we saw some sand sculptures in the making.

[c76phlickr id=5657849118 float=right]And then Rach flew home.

[c76phlickr id=5657968966 float=left]The sun acknowledged the excellent visit we had with her with these warm tones.

Puerto Vallarta 2010 wrap-up

The Newlyweds...well, two years ago
The Newlyweds...well, two years ago
Our favorite aspect of this trip was visiting my sister and brother-in-law for the first time since, well, he became my brother-in-law.


Was it just a fluke?
Or was it just a fluke?
We relied on their expertise for the whale-watching expedition, which I’m sure was the second highlight of the trip. They knew all the stuff necessary to guarantee an excellent whale-watching day: where to take the bus, how to pick a boat captain, and especially how to get those whales to jump out of the water as we approached them.

But after they headed home to crappy weather, we stuck around down here for another week,

  • soaking up the sun at the pool,
  • strolling up and down the beach,
  • observing the pelicans,
  • scouting around downtown and the local supermarket for good eats,
  • playing with camera gadgets (thanks Susie!),
  • and as is tradtional for a visit down here, OOHing and AHHing at the sunsets.

Here are some of our favorite shots of those activities:

       

Here are the rest of our favorite shots from this trip:

Stuff we (still) want(ed) to do (again) but which will have to wait until next time:

  • head over to Bucerias for Wednesday Night Tacos or just in general
  • check out the Botanical Gardens
  • watch baby turtles run down the beach after hatching
  • try various recommended resturants
  • Rent Segways® for zooming around the marina area
  • charter a sailboat and crew for a day sail around the bay

Some of these things are more fun or cost effective when you can split the cost more ways, or when someone who’s done it before can show you the ropes.

This has been an excellent trip, but we are dreading the return to reality. Planning our return always keeps us hopeful.


Two Vallartan slideshows

Two slideshows up in this post. I hope you enjoy them.

My sister and brother-in-law departed today, headed back home to cold parts of the world (though apparently not quite cold enough for winter sports, he lamented). It was great seeing them; we attended their wedding in December 2007 (after a previous visit to Puerto Valllarta) and hadn’t seen them since. We only overlapped with them for two full days (odd that we didn’t notice that at the time of ticket purchase), but we’re thankful for the time we had and their recommendations in the whale watching adventure.

Here are just a few shots of them, with me trying to get my candid artsiness on:

And here are the shots from our whale watching adventure. There are about 30 of them…Sarah and I tried to cut it down, but although these shots are not technically perfect, we’re already reliving the thrill by viewing them. We were lucky to get not only a glimpse of a whale, but a mother-calf combo at play.

Thar she breaches!

Yesterday we walked up to the airport and caught a bus North to Punta Mita. A little over an hour later, we found ourselves in a cute little tourist town not quite as overrun as Sayulita with beach bums and surfer types.

[c76phlickr id=4300004793]In town, Captain Tobi approached as we made our way toward the harbor and asked if we wanted to do some whale watching. Yes, indeedy! My favorite shot from the trip is pictured here. There are more however, and I’ll upload them when I can and make a slideshow out of them.

After the whale watching, we snagged lunch at a beachside restaurant. I had Camarones Ensilantrados — Shrimp in a garlic/butter/cilantro sauce. Yum!

Here’s Punta Mita in relation to Puerto Vallarta:

View Larger Map

poolside webcam

[c76phlickr id=4296414082] [c76phlickr id=4296414276]The connectivity down at the pool is great, but the screen visibility in
the sun is not. Fortunately, a towel remedies that nicely.

Today we stocked up at the grocery store on our favorites: chorizo,
Malibu, those lime-flavored coated “japones” peanuts, coconut yoghurt.
Tomorrow will probably be a whale watching expedition. Low-key stuff
today was a good idea given the monster travel day yesterday.

Puerto Vallarta, April 2009

We’re back from a great trip down to Puerto Vallarta to visit my parents and some of our best buds N&C. This was the first time we’ve ever been down there without flying through the USA to get there. We learned some stuff; I expect Sarah will post her observations later after we get a chance to deflate and unwind.

For now, here are the best pictures we took while there (slideshow below). You can click the button in the lower-right corner to play the slideshow in full screen mode if you like. N&C may have some good ones to share as well; perhaps we’ll be able to cross-post some of them.

¡Hasta luego!

Mañana volemos á Puerto Vallarta via Monaco y Amsterdam y México D.F. Vamos a gozar el tiempo y visitar mis padres, quien no hemos visto desde 2007, y el Narguito y su esposa, quien nos traen unos regalos del tipo soprano (mas o menos).

Regresamos cerca del fin de Abril. ¡Que tengan Uds. unos dos semanas buenas mientras que gastamos tiempo en la playa!