DAC is hands down, without a doubt my all time favorite store in Playa del Carmen. And best of all it is a healthy and reasonably priced store. No they don’t sell shoes, clothes or perfumes. DAC is a fruit and vegetable market with a small but nice selection of organic items, a meat and dairy counter, international canned foods (mostly Italian and Asian), and several types of rice, couscous, quinoa, nuts, spices, dried chiles and dried fruit and beans, etc.

DAC is one of the most colorful places in Playa, many fruits and vegetables are displayed in crates on counters in the aisles and you can pick and choose what you want to buy. If you don’t see what you need, don’t be afraid to ask. Yes in Spanish! Delicate items like fresh herbs need a cool environment and the big storage cooling area is in the back of the store not accessible to the customers.

Here’s a few things to ask for in Spanish:

Basil – albahaca

Mint – menta local or hierbabuena (there is a difference but I don’t know what it is)

Coriander – cilantro (this is usually sitting in a wicker basket in the store)

Parsley – perejil (can be found next to the cilantro)

Dill – eneldo

Chives – cebollin

Sage – salvia

Outside, adjacent to DAC you will find their restaurant La Ceiba. Here you go for Mexican food and healthy salad choices at a reasonable price, anything from breakfast chilaquiles and huevos rancheros to lunch enchiladas rojas, burritos, great salads, grilled chicken, etc. The best thing you can get at La Ceiba in my opinion are the smoothies and fresh fruit juices. You can order them in or to go and they’re truly awesome. I love the Xama-ha, some mix of orange juice, strawberry, honey and ginger.

Once you start to get to know some people in Playa you’ll find you will run into almost anyone at DAC or La Ceiba. Some will be hung over from the night before and others will be fresh and awake just returning from a yoga class or on the way to the beach.  No matter what the activity , a fresh fruit juice gets or keeps them going. Well, it does for me.

DAC and La Ceiba are located on 30th avenue, between Avenida Constituyentes and Calle 20

Open Mon – Sat 7am – 8pm, Sun 7am – 2pm

It was a Friday after a long, tough week and Jurgen and I decided to treat ourselves to a new lunch experience.   To begin our search we made our way to the corner of 38^th Street at 5^th Avenue, a rapidly developing area with a very nice variety of eateries.  As we strolled around discussing our options, I recalled a recent comment from my sister about a delicious chicken dish at La Bodeguita del Medio.  I had enjoyed a mojito or two at their old location, but neither of us had eaten there.  So, La Bodeguita del Medio it was. 

We were the first to arrive, shortly after they opened at 12:30 pm and opted for a table outdoors in order to enjoy the beautiful day and to do a little people watching.  Our waiter quickly arrived to provide us with menus and to take our drink order.  Since it was a Friday afternoon and because we were treating ourselves, we each ordered a traditional mojito.   I forget how much I enjoy a cool, refreshing mojito.

Mojito - traditional Cuban cocktail made with white rum, sugar, sparkling water, lime and mint

Unfortunately, the Pollo Cubano dish that I was hoping to try was not yet available, but there were plenty of other options on the lunch menu that looked appealing.  We decided to share several items and placed our order for 2 different shrimp tacos as starters and a creole style shredded beef dish as an entrée.  As we sat, chatted and enjoyed our drinks, we were presented with a small taste of a lovely, rich shrimp consommé as a botana to accompany our beverage.   A botana is a small snack commonly served along with an alcoholic drink.  From 1 pm to 6 pm daily, La Bodeguita del Medio offers free botanas with purchase of cocktails or buckets of beer.   

Specials offered by La Bodeguito del Medio

 It wasn’t long and our shrimp taco starters were delivered to our table.  We ordered the Tacos Comandante ($38 pesos) and the Tacos Capeados Camaron ($35 pesos).  Each order came with 2 hot, yummy tacos. 

Tacos Comandante – grilled shrimp, melted cheese and purple onion

Tacos Capeados Camaron – large fried shrimp with purple cabbage and tamarind sauce

I thoroughly enjoyed both styles of tacos, but if I had to pick a favorite, my vote would decidedly go to the Tacos Capeados Camaron.  I am a big fan of both fried shrimp and tamarind sauce.  In fact, these shrimp tacos are now on my list of favorites.

Next to arrive was our main dish, Ropa Vieja ($95 pesos), a wonderful plate of shredded beef in a tomato based creole sauce accompanied by black beans and rice and fried plantains (plantanos fritos).  We both really enjoyed this filling, slightly spicy beef dish.   Jurgen even claimed that the rice and beans were some of the best he has ever eaten.  We both agreed that the fried plantains were a delicious addition.

Ropa Vieja – shredded beef in a mildly spicy creole sauce, black beans, rice and fried plantains

As we finished the very last morsel on our plate, both the day manager and the general manager stopped by to chat and to make sure that we enjoyed our meal.   Just to make sure we left happy, complimentary moxitos were delivered to our table.  The moxito is a new creation prepared by La Bodeguita del Medio in the same style as a mojito, using tequila instead of rum.  I enjoyed both the mojito and the moxito equally.  I believe that I would (happily) need to conduct additional taste tests in order to determine a favorite. 

The moxito, made in the style of a traditional mojito, using tequila instead of rum

Both Jurgen and I agreed that La Bodeguita del Medio was a great choice.  The atmosphere, service, food, drinks and value all came together to make for a very enjoyable lunch.  I still want to try the Pollo Cubano and will return some evening soon for what I anticipate to be another wonderful meal.  I also look forward to enjoying some live music as I conduct my very important mojito/moxito taste testing.

Open from 12:30 pm to 2:00 am daily, La Bodeguita del Medio is located on 5^th Avenue, between Calles 34 and 38.  They offer live music nightly (except Wednesdays) and, in my opinion, some of the best mojitos in town.  Don’t forget to ask for a pen to write your name on the wall, ceiling or where ever you can find some space.

For months I have seen Mama Mildred’s cart sitting near the corner of Calle 38 and 30^th Avenue.  We pass this corner frequently as we go about our daily obligations and nearly each time we pass I tell Jurgen that I would really like to stop and give it a try some day.  The shrimp empanada calls my name.  On Sunday we made a point to stop here on our way to the beach.

Mama Mildred La Cocina. She calls to me.

I’m not an expert on empanadas and I’m not completely clear on the difference between an Argentinian style empanada and those typically found here.  It would seem, based on my personal empanada taste tests, that the difference may be in the in the dough.  The Argentinian style empanadas that I’ve eaten seem to have a lighter, flakier dough than their Mexican cousins.  They have also been fatter, with more of the delicious filling.

Jurgen, waiting for our order of shrimp empanadas

We each ordered a shrimp empanada and a shared bottle of agua de jamaica.  In a matter of minutes we were presented with freshly made, hot and crispy empanadas.  Then (and this is probably my favorite part) the young man behind the counter explained the many different salsas available.  There were 7 or 8, including chimichurri, tamarind, mango, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, habanero and more.

Argentinian style shrimp empanadas; freshly made, piping hot and oh so good. Washed down with a refreshing agua de jamaica.

Our empanadas were wonderful, stuffed full with a very tasty, slightly spicy mixture of shrimp, tomato and mild peppers.  This gringa usually likes a little spice, but today I shied away from the more picante pepper based salsas and opted for the touch of sweetness of the tamarind and mango salsas.  Perfect.  The chimichurri sauce was delicious as well.  I could eat it by the spoonful. It only took a couple of bites before we both decided that one empanada would just not do and ordered another round.

From mild to knock-your-socks-off hot, I love the selection of homemade salsas!

For a grand total of $70 pesos (approximately $5.50 USD) we both left Mama Mildred’s completely sated AND with pesos left in our pockets.  We will, of course, be back to try the other menu items. Frequently.

Tasty AND inexpensive! This will surely become our go to spot for very yummy, cheap eats.

Mama Mildred La Cocina is a very cute, small white trailer located at the corner of Calle 38^th and 30^th Avenue.  Open daily from 7 am to 4 pm.  Provecho!

Our dog, Radar, was hoping for leftovers. There were none.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Chez Céline for some time now.   My neighbor raves over their croissants.  Another friend recently announced on Facebook that she had purchased a baguette, still warm from the oven.  Each time I pass, there is always a nice crowd enjoying the outdoor seating.   With all of the good reviews, it was time I see for myself.  Conveniently, I had two lunch meetings scheduled at Chez Céline within a week’s time.

On my first visit, I had a difficult time deciding what to order.  The longer I studied the menu, offering an assortment of sandwiches, salads, soup and quiche, the more difficult the choice became.  I finally decided on the roast beef sandwich – roast beef on a baguette with spinach and caramelized onions, served with a horseradish cream on the side.  What a great choice!  The bread was sooo fresh, the thinly sliced roast beef was moist and tender and the caramelized onions added a wonderful little touch of sweetness.  To drink, I had a refreshing limonada with ginger.

Yummy roast beef sandwich

Five days later I had the opportunity to enjoy another lunch at Chez Céline.  Deciding what to order was even more difficult.  I had enjoyed the roast beef sandwich so much; I wanted to order it again.  But there were still many other menu items that I wanted to try – the brie salad or sandwich, the quiche of the day, the onion soup – so many choices and all sounding so good.  I closed my eyes and put my finger on the menu.  The croque monsieur was my fortune.  This traditional French ham and cheese sandwich was wonderfully rich and filling.  A definite winner.

Cheese topped croque monsieur

Each of my lunches ended with a trip inside to purchase a fresh baguette to take home and to ogle the cases filled with the many other lovely breads and sweet treats that they offer.  With good food, attentive service and reasonable prices, Chez Céline has found a repeat customer in me.

An éclair to go, please

In addition to their lunch menu, Chez Céline also offers a daily lunch special (drink, quiche and desert for under $100 pesos), a menu of sweet or savory crepes, as well as a menu of appetizers with wine paring in the evenings – so much to try.  Chez Céline, located on the north end of 5^th Avenue at 34^th Street, is open from 8 am to 10 pm, Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday).  You can find Chez Céline on Facebook or visit their website.

I will order this salad with grilled vegetables and melty brie cheese on my next visit

For me, there’s nothing quite like spending a couple of hours sitting at the Tequila Barrel with a cold beer or three and watching the endless parade of people strolling down 5^th Avenue.

With a full menu of great, mostly Tex Mex, food like chicken wings, hamburgers, sandwiches and fajitas, deciding what to order becomes a difficult task – but do try the hot buffalo wings.  In the evenings, the party starts –ladies that dance on the bar get a free shot of tequila!

If drinking, eating and people watching weren’t enough, Tequila Barrel sets themselves apart from the many other bars by offering Live Sports Betting, with 20 TVs showing 14 different sports.  You can wager on many different sports including horse and dog races, football, boxing, hockey, and many more. Guests enjoy an open bar when betting on the horse or dog races.  For the golfers, they offer a ‘19^th Hole’ open bar promotion for after a tough day on the links.

The Tequila Barrel is located on 5^th Avenue between Calle 10 and 12.  Happy hour from 11 am to 5 pm, and specials like Ladies Night, Birthday Tuesdays and Pole Dancing contests.  You can find Tequila Barrel on the website, Facebook AND if you just can’t be there in person, you can watch the action on the webcam.

This post is long overdue. As a matter of fact I should have written about this restaurant at least 5 years ago and probably many times since because it is my all time favorite restaurant in Playa del Carmen. I must have eaten at John Gray’s Place every birthday, Christmas Eve and Valentines day since it opened in 2004. Because it is good, and when something is good you want it as often as you can. But it is pricy, so not really a restaurant you go to every week, unless you have really deep pockets, which I don´t.  And now all of this has changed. No my pockets have not gotten deeper but John Gray´s place has become more affordable. A lot more affordable. Really? Cheaper instead of more expensive? I’ll explain.

A few weeks ago John Gray introduced a weekly changing, fixed price menu. Lunch now costs 100 pesos which includes a soda, refillable iced tea, or a beer. Dinner costs 200 pesos and this includes an appetizer and a main course. The fixed menu changes often, some things will be added, others removed. The old menu has gone, you can only order of the new menu which has something for everyone including several of the all time favorites like the pate, fresh fish fillet with mango salsa and ” The Duck” made over.

I can hear you thinking: they must serve smaller portions. Absolutely not. Check out the picture of the rustic vegetable lasagna with Portobello mushrooms I had for lunch, does that look small to you?

or the Greek salad

So then the food on the fixed price menu must be of inferior quality. Are you kidding me? It is the same great food I´ve always enjoyed at John Gray´s Place. Maybe better because there is so much choice with the changing menu. And you get to try new stuff every time which is great if you’re like me because I´ve had lunch there 3 times and dinner once since the introduction of the fixed priced menu. So I guess the new strategy is working. Or at least, it is working for me.

Basically John Gray wants a lot of people to come to his restaurant to eat his wonderful food. His strategy is to make it more affordable. I think he´s on to something.

That's Tyra and me having lunch

John Gray’s Place is located in Calle Corazon between 5^th Avenue and Calle 14, Playa del Carmen

For reservations you can call 984-803-3689 or email JohnGraysPlace@gmail.com

Opening hours are lunch Monday-Sunday, 1:00pm – 6:00pm and dinner Monday-Sunday, 6:00pm – 11:00pm

by Susan de Lima

In the continual search of new and entertaining activies, Latido de Mexico partnered up with Playa Maya News to organize a beach bocce ball tournament. With the fantastic team at Canibal Royal www.canibalroyal.com who hosted the event we planned for several months to bring an accesible, fun activity for all to enjoy!

We wanted to know, “If we build it will they come?” Well, did they ever! With 16 teams total it was a sold out success with many spectators who came out to support and cheer on the teams.

The origin of bocce ball dates back to the Roman Empire with the name derived from the Italian word boccia which means balls. Since it’s inception, the game has been adapted and played in many countries, thus the many variations of names.
My first experience with the game was actually on a secluded beach outside of Puerto Vallerta where we spent the afternoon playing coconut bocce ball. We didn’t really know the rules but made it work with lopsided coconuts as our balls. We upgraded to actual beach bocce balls for our event of course!

With our fearless referees, Amy and Sol the event began. The intensity grew and so did the skill level as the day progressed. So much so there was standing room only for viewing! It came down to some very close games with our own Sharky and Mark taking the win!

Thanks to our wonderful prize sponsors: Catamaya Sailing , Waves Salon, Off the Vine, Diablito Cha Cha Cha, La Santanera, and Canibal Royal.
Special thanks to the volunteer referees and all the fantastic photos by Kat of Cateye Creations. To view all the photos go to Playa Maya News or Facebook.

What is next? Stay tuned for more fun events to come!

When I moved to Playa del Carmen more than 10 years ago there were only a few beach clubs to choose from. The places I used to hang out were first the Blue Parrot and later Costa del Mar (or El Pirata). Things have certainly changed for the better. We now have so many beach clubs it is hard to choose where to go. There’s Bad Boys, Fusion, Zenzi and El Faro / Wicky’s, Mamitas, KOOL, and Canibal Royal to name only a few.

The beach at Indigo

Since 2010 there’s also Indigo Beach Club, located on Calle 14 and the beach. There are many things good at Indigo: the location (around the corner from my house), the sun beds, chairs and umbrellas (comfortable), the music (during the day it is low key lounge music with some exceptions), the food (Asian / Mexican fusion with Mediterranean influences), and the service (most of the time).

Indigo restaurant terrace

Some things are exceptionally good like the breakfast buffet that is served on the weekends. It is an Italian style buffet that offers several types of (home-made) breads both sweet and savory, jams, cheeses, salamis, ham, olives, artichokes, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereals. You can also order a hot dish, ranging from the standard stuff, omelets and fried eggs, to the more adventurous like huevos a la Mexicana or chilaquiles (a typical Mexican comfort food breakfast dish). You can also try the Eggs Benedictine, perfectly cooked, served on a muffin. The price of the buffet is also very nice, 130 pesos with a coffee/tea and juice included. Not bad for a Saturday on the beach in Playa del Carmen.

Indigo Beach Club

What annoys me however, and this is certainly not limited to Indigo, is the lack of transparency regarding the cost of the beach chairs. The beaches and beach clubs are all public in Playa, with the exception of the all inclusive hotels in Playacar, and most of them will be happy to have your business but nobody is ever able to tell you how much you will have to pay to use one or more beach chairs for the day. It seems to depend on how much you consume, how many other clients they have, how well the “season” is going, and if they like you (or not). It can happen that one day the chairs are for free and the next day they show up on your bill. It has been like this in Playa for as long as I can remember and if there’s one thing I’ve learned while living here, is that you don’t try to change, what you can’t change. So I just go with the flow. Grudgingly.

All in all Indigo is a wonderful beach club and restaurant, I’ll continue going there and not just because it is so close to my house.

Indigo Beach Club at El Taj on the beach

Feel free to comment with your ‘Playa-beach-chair-rental-experiences’. I’d love to hear about it.

Indigo Beach Club on Calle 14 and the beach, open daily. For more information you can check out Indigo’s website or Facebook page.

I sat at the computer listening to it rain outside.   As often is the case on a rainy day, my mind went to food.  Not just any food, but comfort food.  In no mood to cook for myself, I checked the Facebook page for Mom’s Bar & Grill to see what was on the menu that night.  CHICKEN FRIED STEAK!  Perfect!  To a Texan, nothing says comfort food better than Chicken Fried Steak and mashed potatoes, smothered in gravy.

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30th Avenue and 4th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel

So to Mom’s Bar and Grill I went.  After (over) filling my need for comfort food, I stuck around to socialize a bit.  Mom’s Bar & Grill is the ‘Cheers’ in Playa del Carmen.  It is the rare occasion to belly up to the bar and not find a group of expats telling stories, or a couple of tourists or hotel guests to meet and chat with.  Maybe a game of pool or throwing darts suits your fancy or if you happen to visit Mom’s Bar on a Tuesday or Thursday you can join in on a friendly game of Texas Hold ‘Em poker.

My enormous serving of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and corn!

Mom’s Bar and Grill is located on the corner of 30^th Avenue and 4^th Street, upstairs at Mom’s Hotel.  In addition to being a full service bar, with great prices, Mom’s also offers a nightly dinner special.  The proprietor and chef at Mom’s Bar & Grill, Jurgen Janz , welcomes guests into his ‘living room’ Monday through Friday from 5 pm to 11 pm, with dinner served from 6 pm to 10 pm, or until the food runs out.   With a rotating menu of meals such as meatloaf, hickory smoked baby back ribs, bacon and portabella mushroom stuffed pork chops, just to name a few, you would swear they were cooked by mom herself.   The best part is that the prices won’t break the bank (half orders start at $50 pesos with full orders starting at $80 pesos).

Jurgen and his beautiful bartenders, Tanya and Yessica

So the next time you feel the need for comfort food in Playa del Carmen, check out Mom’s Bar & Grill…. where something good is always cooking.

Glad I saved room for the chocolate devil rum cake

By day, Bad Boys is a laid back beach club offering loungers, food and cool refreshing beverages.  But it is on Thursday and Saturday afternoons that the magic really happens and Bad Boys is transformed into a rocking good time.   Bad Boys, located on the beach between 4^th and 2^nd Streets (Calles) has become the place to be when JJ and the Nasty Bastards take the stage every Thursday and Saturday from 5 to 9 pm.

There is always a big crowd at Bad Boys Beach Bar on Thursdays and Saturdays

On a recent Thursday I found myself in need of some entertainment and naturally I decided a trip to Bad Boys was in order.   I was not to be disappointed this day.  I arrived around 6 pm and the festivities had already begun.  Every table was full and JJ and the Nasty Bastards were cranking out the tunes.

JJ and the Nasty Bastards perform every Thursday and Saturday from 5 to 9 pm

The house band at Bad Boys, JJ and the Nasty Bastards, plays a mix of popular cover tunes that will have you out on the dance floor (or dancing on the bar) and singing along with the band.  The band welcomes visiting musicians and vocalists to sit in during their third set.  From bagpipes to washboards, from well known recording artists to a drunken bachelorette partiers, I have seen some super talented (and some not so talented) people sit in with the band.   A highlight of this particular evening was the performance of blues singer, song writer and recording artist, Angela Strehli.  I have enjoyed seeing Angela perform at various venues back home in Texas and it was a special treat to see her on stage at one of my favorite places here in Playa del Carmen.

A group of Good Girls having a VERY good time at Bad Boys Beach Bar from left to right, Jana, Heather, Deb, Tyra, Kim, Judy and Karen

As usual, I totally enjoyed  my  evening at Bad Boys.   Good music, good drinks, good service, and good friends = GOOD TIME!