Dining and travel go together well. Part of enjoying a local culture of a tourist destination is the tasting and enjoyment of their gastronomic delights. When in Mexico, do go beyond the common fare such as tacos and burritos. Mexican food is more than that. In fact, Mexican cuisine is among the most varied and has the most savory flavors in the world.
A myriad of flavors awaits the traveler with ingredients coming both from the land and from the sea. Upon your visit to Mexican restaurants, don't feel daunted when you see the menu. Here are some tips and suggestions
on what to eat in Mexico.
For appetizers, try the seafood plates such as oysters, shrimps, and octopus. For a spicier take on mixed seafood, try a la campechana, which is spiked with spicy salsa. Wash it down with a cocktail drink called vuelve a la vida. Another faved starter is the Ceviche or raw seafood marinated in lime juice.
Some highly suggested main course Mexican dishes to try would be the huachinango (snapper), camarones (shrimp), pulpo (octopus), langosta (lobster), and ostiones (oysters). You must try their camarones en chili chipotle, a complex dish which embodies the Mexican traditional cuisine or the machaca de camaron (shredded shrimp cooked in butter, chili, and tomatoes.
Do not neglect tasting their local fish which are flavorful enough even for meat lovers. These are dorado, robalo, and mojarra.
Most Mexicans love their seafood fried (frito); however, if you prefer grilled seafood in Mexico, just order it a la parilada or you can have it broiled,
brushed with aromatic garlic butter which they call al mojo de ajo.The Oriental influence in the Mexican culture resulted in the use of rice in many of their dishes. An example would be in their arroz (rice) dishes such as the arroz con pulpo al curry (rice and octopus curry).
It does not stop with shrimp and octopus dishes. There are other famous seafood dishes too. These are the mesquite-smoked swordfish or marlin which are quite popular in Los Cabos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, and Manzanillo. When in Puerto Vallarta, don't pass up the opportunity to try the skewered baby snapper which is traditionally cooked over very low flame served with a squirt of lime juice.
Enjoy!
Do check out these other attractions in Mexico
Morelia Mexico Travel Attractions
The Maya Route: A Historical Travel Experience
No time or budget to travel to Mexico, recreate these famous Mexican dishes at home. Check the selection of Mexican recipes HERE>
© Athena Goodlight 3/25/2013
