What is the worst place to eat?

[sefuchs]

We had maybe one of the best and one of the worst meals at the same place, same meal! Four of us went to Blu Bistro a few weeks after it first opened. The service was extremely slow (like took us 1 1/2 hours to eat), the waiter said bartender was "practicing" but I think half the crew was in training. They did have a decent menu & good cocktails.

Two of us had shrimp wrapped in bacon & filled with cheese that were fantastic, maybe the best I've ever had. My wife had a curry that was so flaming (spicy) hot it was not edible, even though she told them several time she did not want it hot. They did give her a new plate with a milder curry on the side which had a good flavor and was "okay".

The worst meal was some kind of pork fillet that my daughter had. It was some kind of deep fried thing that was raw in the middle and tough as leather. One bite was all that any of us could stomach.

I'll try Blu Bistro again but will probably need to go solo since I don't think I will get the wife to go back.

 

[mstevens]

(spicy) hot

Since spicy and hot are so completely different in meaning except in certain dialects of English, we're always careful to specify. To be fair, most waiters in tourist areas in Mexico probably know that when someone with an American accent says "hot" they probably mean "spicy", but it's always possible that you ran into one who thought you wanted it room-temperature.

 

[marcus8]

Aside from the chains which we don't go to at all, I'd say the worst has always been the Mission restaurants. Casa and La Mission have both been mediocre to poor in a half dozen visits through the years. I've always been sort of dragged into the place by friends who seem to like the food. Proof of the subjectivity of the subject I suppose ;-) I've always been happy with La Choza but will admit it seems to have lost some of it's local "sizzle" since the move to the new building. I miss the old palapa roof, but I still like the menu overall. But I avoid the Missions as much as friends will allow.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Aside from the chains which we don't go to at all, I'd say the worst has always been the Mission restaurants. . . .

I can't comment on the Missions, since I haven't eaten there, but I do recall my wife and I taking a look at their menu and running in the other direction. We pretty much rule out any place with fajitas outside of Texas. To us, that says "tourist restaurant."

 

[mstevens]

We pretty much rule out any place with fajitas outside of Texas.

They've become popular enough in Mexico that I don't think that rule necessarily applies any longer. I'm not saying I'd order the fajitas, but I wouldn't rule out a place based on their being on the menu. Arrachera is pretty much the same thing, and Mexican enough that there are entire chains of arrachera restaurants such as H.C. de Monterrey.

 

[Lorenzoid]

They've become popular enough in Mexico that I don't think that rule necessarily applies any longer. I'm not saying I'd order the fajitas, but I wouldn't rule out a place based on their being on the menu. Arrachera is pretty much the same thing, and Mexican enough that there are entire chains of arrachera restaurants such as H.C. de Monterrey.

First of all, judging from pics on the menu, it seems clear that those areTex-Mex style fajitas, aimed squarely at American visitors. What they serve is not arrachera. Arrachera is typically just meat and tortillas and isn't typically served at the table in a sizzling pan or with strips of bell peppers and onions. (I love a good arrachera. Where can I get a good arrachera in Coz?)

If what they served was in fact arrachera, and they just translated it as "fajitas," I could understand, though I also try to avoid places that blatantly have English-language menus out front. Again, that spells "tourist restaurant" to me--proceed with caution. This is something I take into account everywhere I travel, not just Cozumel.

Nevertheless, don't take what I said as a sweeping condemnation. I realize that in a place like Coz, if I were too strict about it, I would rule out a large number of restaurants from consideration and throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. I'm sure the inclusion of fajitas on a menu in an attempt to broaden appeal does not automatically mean everything on the menu is poor or dumbed down for supposed gringo palates. A restaurant could very well have a talented chef turning out other great dishes, but the restaurant owner insists on having a few gringo favorites on the menu. Still, like the restaurant here at home that serves "Chinese food and sushi," I think that trying to appease all palates is never a good sign. I take it as a sign that I am more likely to have a better experience elsewhere. Not necessarily, but more likely.

 

[cvchief]

I'll try Blu Bistro again but will probably need to go solo since I don't think I will get the wife to go back.

Let me know how that goes. We tried it to and it was terrible. I wanted to like it.

I do pretty well at Kondesa, but I always get the fresh fish in the pepitas or something. I find it fascinating to hear all the bad meal comments on various places. It is more interesting than "we love XXX"

 

[MMM]

(I love a good arrachera. Where can I get a good arrachera in Coz?)

There's a place on Ave. 5 near the cemetery. It used to be an HC Monterrery but I think they are operating with a different name now. You generally order the arranchara and whatever sides you want (grilled potatoes, jalapeno, onion as I recall). Comes with tortillas. My husband and I usually share one combo dish so it's pretty cheap...

 

[mstevens]

First of all, judging from pics on the menu, it seems clear that those areTex-Mex style fajitas, aimed squarely at American visitors. What they serve is not arrachera.

What Parilla Mission serves is absolutely arrachera, not fajitas. Back when they were located on 30 Av, locals lined up to buy it by the kilo. They also served a nice comida del dia. Parilla Mission was happy to serve tourists, but tourists weren't their target market. For Casa Mission and La Mission, tourists are definitely their target market. I'll note that after Wilma, The Mission restaurants stayed open to feed locals, many of whom couldn't cook - Parilla's large charcoal grill allowed them to. Now that they've moved to their location on the grounds of Casa Mission, their menu has changed a bit. When I take my friend and his family out to anywhere they want to go, it's usually Parilla Mission or Casa Mission.

I love a good arrachera. Where can I get a good arrachera in Coz?

Well, Parilla Mission has always been my favorite place for arrachera. There's still an arrachera restaurant where the H. D. de Monterrey was on 5a Av down near the cemetery. The name has changed and I'm not sure if it's a name change for the chain or if it's just for that location, but it's still specializing in arrachera.

 

[Lorenzoid]

What Parilla Mission serves is absolutely arrachera, not fajitas. Back when they were located on 30 Av, locals lined up to buy it by the kilo. They also served a nice comida del dia. Parilla Mission was happy to serve tourists, but tourists weren't their target market. For Casa Mission and La Mission, tourists are definitely their target market. I'll note that after Wilma, The Mission restaurants stayed open to feed locals, many of whom couldn't cook - Parilla's large charcoal grill allowed them to. Now that they've moved to their location on the grounds of Casa Mission, their menu has changed a bit. When I take my friend and his family out to anywhere they want to go, it's usually Parilla Mission or Casa Mission.

Well, Parilla Mission has always been my favorite place for arrachera. There's still an arrachera restaurant where the H. D. de Monterrey was on 5a Av down near the cemetery. The name has changed and I'm not sure if it's a name change for the chain or if it's just for that location, but it's still specializing in arrachera.

I wasn't even aware of Parilla Mission, just the other two, and only from having passed by them on the street when looking for someplace to eat. I do not claim to be a Coz restaurant expert--I have never done any advance research until I took interest in these recent threads--and I'm enjoying the discoveries. So, unlike the other two's menus, I see that Parilla Mission's menu indeed lists "arrachera" (by the kilo or half kilo) along with "fajitas de arrachera" (helpfully translated on the English side of the menu as "arrachera fajitas"). Menu looks good. I wish I could eat there right now, but our next trip is in October.