This mouthwatering post was written by travel blogger and author Veronica James of the GypsyNesters. Their new book, Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All was released today.
We love Mexican food! Growing up in Colorado and California, we were weaned on refried beans and hot chilies, but what we found in Puerto Peñasco — an idyllic Sonoran fishing village on the Gulf of California — was decidedly different from our childhood memories. The fare in this seaside hideaway revolves around shrimp, shrimp and, even more shrimp.
Each day the boats return from the Sea of Cortez laden with the crustaceans, and the establishments along the waterfront cook up the day’s catch to the delight of residents and visitors alike.
The Point
The Point Restaurant in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, courtesy GypsyNesters
At the Point, an interesting establishment that is not so much on the water as IN the water, we started our tasting tour with a cold Pacifico and what the menu called a Mexican shrimp cocktail. Unlike the dish we’re accustomed to, cocktail sauce is not involved and the shrimp is not boiled. Instead the shrimp are “cooked” by marinated in lime juice, the same as ceviche. To properly pull this off, the shrimp must be exceedingly fresh, and since we could see the boats, we trusted they were. We rounded out our sunset snack with the Point’s chile relleno, a poblano pepper stuffed with shrimp and white cheese, which was also spot-on spicy, ooey-gooey, and muy, muy bueno.
Mary’s Sea Food Restaurant
Tacos at Mary’s Restaurant, carne asada and scallops with avacado, courtesy GypsyNesters
As a rule in tourist towns, locals avoid the places where travelers congregate. Not so at Mary’s Sea Food Restaurant. Located right in the thick of the tourist traps, this eatery is just too good – and too much of a bargain – for full-time denizens to resist. The lower level has the hustle and bustle of an active fish market and kitchen – all going down right in front of the customers – while the upstairs is an open air picnic-style feeding ground overlooking the blue Pacific water. Our Special Seafood Combo for two, a mix of breaded, grilled and garlic-laden shrimp and fish arrived arranged around salad on a gigantic platter. We briefly wondered how two people could possibly eat all of it – but only briefly.
The closest we came to north-of-the-border-like Mexican food was when we sampled the scallop tacos on a later visit to Mary’s. They may have looked familiar, but the taste was out of this world. If we had been wearing any socks they would have been knocked right off.
Lighthouse Restaurant
Queso frito at The Lighthouse Restaurant, courtesy GypsyNesters
At the Lighthouse Restaurant we gave something other than seafood a try; Queso Frito. This sliced Queso Chihuahua, a mild Monterrey Jack-like cheese, lightly fried and covered with salsa verde, was good enough to make us forget about shrimp for a while. But the real star at the Lighthouse came after dinner, Mexican Coffee. It’s not often that coffee is the highlight of a meal, but add tequila, Kahlua, and flame and viola… magic! With skill, flair, and daring, our waiter cascaded blazing liquid from one silver salsera to another and then into our cups, providing dinner and a show. Watch: A Flaming Waterfall of Mexican Coffee
Discovering Puerto Peñasco
We discovered Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, completely by accident while wandering around Arizona in our RV. In the little border town of Gringo Pass, a border patrol agent asked if we were heading down. We expressed our reservations at the prospect of driving into Mexico, but he assured us that, unlike some areas, this was perfectly safe, and a fantastic spot. He was right on both points.
There is a beautiful RV park with full services right on the beach, as well as all kinds of seaside rentals at very reasonable rates. If you drive, be sure to purchase Mexican auto insurance since US policies are not valid in Mexico. It is available at many places near the border.
Bio: Almost every couple faces a “now what?” moment as their last kid moves out of the house. There’s a big empty nest looming over this new and uncertain stage in their lives. David and Veronica James chose to look at this next phase of life as a beginning instead of an ending. Rather than staying put and facing the constant reminders of empty bedrooms and backseats, a plan began to develop to sell the nest and hit the highway. But could a homebody helicopter mom learn to let go of her heartstrings and house keys all at once? Along the way, they rediscovered the couple who fell in love years ago and chronicled their journey in their new book, Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All.
Feasting on just-caught Puerto Peñasco seafood is a post from: Santa Fe Travelers
The post Feasting on just-caught Puerto Peñasco seafood appeared first on Santa Fe Travelers.