Travel – Page 2 – Michael Wiggins

May 13, 2015

Tulum Dining Review: MamaMuu

MamaMuu was a place we passed several times, but hadn’t heard anything about ahead of time. It was walking distance from our hotel, though, and one night we decided to just walk to dinner rather than cab/drive somewhere. I’m so glad we went here, as this was one of our favorite meals and the ambience was nothing short of incredible. We were actually the first people in the restaurant, and at its peak there were only three other tables dining at the same time (which I hope doesn’t sound like a deterrent, I think the lack of crowd at this spot was really due to the lack of people in this specific area since it was low season).

Here’s the review:

Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill (again, a theme), wonderful staff that was very helpful with both recommendations as well as fuming the restaurant with a local remedy for bugs
Cons: Off the beaten path a bit (we were almost attacked by random dogs as we tried to walk back to our hotel – which prompted us to quickly retreat to hail a cab at a closer hotel)
Must Try: Mezcal Flight (mezcal is a local tequila-like liquor that is much more smooth and layered than what you typically think of as a tequila), anything grilled (my SO had grilled vegetables and a baked potato – both awesome; I opted for a “chicken relleno” – mushrooms/cheese wrapped up in a bacon-wrapped chicken breast – equally awesome)

The Mezcofago Mezcal Tasting Flight, $150 Pesos

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 13, 2015

Tulum Dining Review: Casa Banana

The outdoor kitchen and grill at Casa Banana

I’m a sucker for any grilled meat, so trying the Argentinian meat purveyors at Casa Banana was a no-brainer. I’ll keep this one short, as this was one of the less memorable meals (by comparison). One unique factoid about our experience here, though, was that we opted to get seated quicker by volunteering to sit blind with another couple. A cool experience, but kind of awkward. We didn’t feel pressured to include them in our meal, but having them there (speaking in another language, no less) kind of spoiled the meal.

Here’s the review:

Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill (still sensing a theme?)
Cons: A bit on the pricey side, does not take reservations, limited beer selection
Must Try: Appetizer sampler (specifically – the empanadas – absolutely incredible)

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 13, 2015

Tulum Dining Review: Posada Margherita

Yet another TIG recommendation, Posada Margherita is another spot that will definitely not disappoint. Not sure how the dinner crowd is, but if you head in for a late lunch you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting in. They have a beach front area too where you can lounge around and take in the scenes.

Here’s the review:

Pros: Huge portions, lots of great add-ons, relaxed and beautiful atmosphere
Cons: Juices are expensive, and you may very well start to fill up on all the other add-ons before your pasta dish comes
Must Try: Caprese Salad – served with Burrata and some incredibly fresh tomatos/greens (see below with the chef’s sampler breads/cheese tray)
Know Before You Go: There is a great beach in front of the restaurant that is available for use and relaxing by guests

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 12, 2015

Tulum Nightlife Highlight: Gitano

Upon completion of our dinner the first night in Tulum, we opted to try out another Meghan Markle TIG recommendation, Gitano. Known for being a Tulum hotspot/night club type atmosphere, we didn’t expect to stay long. But since we were in the middle of the week in off-season, we actually got a prime spot by the disco ball and ended up staying for a few drinks.

Here’s the review:

Pros: Great atmosphere, Disco ball(!) and good music
Cons: A bit cliché and can be less relaxing once the whole lot of tourists descends on the only real nightclub scene on more secluded beachfront roads
Must Try: Jungle Fever (cocktail with mezcal, chili, lime, cilantro)
Know Before You Go: If you ask nicely, you can sit anywhere you like (dancefloor couches included) even if you’re only having a cocktail

(Stardust cocktail – MEZCAL, DARK RUM, PINEAPPLE, PAPAYA,  HOUSE COCONUT CREAM)

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 12, 2015

Tulum Dining Review: Casa Jaguar

Our first night in Tulum, we took a page out of Meghan Markle’s Tig blog script, and tried Casa Jaguar. A very pleasant experience, and a wonderful welcome to Tulum, this spot embodies a lot of the elements of the style and topography indicative of Tulum. This spot is a “must” for any Tulum visitor, if only to have a drink or check out the spot.

Here’s the review:

Pros: Good ambience, good cocktails, cool outdoor firepit/grill, very friendly and accommodating staff
Cons: A bit pricey, cash only, limited beer selection
Must Try: Tuna Tostadas – an incredibly massive portion of tuna adorns each tostada, and they only cost ~180 Pesos ($12), a ridiculous price for such goodness
Know Before You Go: You can 100% get away with ordering many smaller plates rather than feeling obligated to get an entrée

Outdoor kitchen and brick oven at Casa Jaguar

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 11, 2015

Tulum Hotel Review: Rosa del Viento

For the first three days we were in Tulum, we opted for a beachfront resort back in the more peaceful Coba Sur/Boca Paila district where a lot of the extremely pricey hotels are found. The name of our resort was Rosa del Viento.

Here’s the review:

Location: The location is tucked away at the Southern-most end of the traditional Boca Paila district. This means that it’s probably a solid 20-25 minute drive from 307 and the beaches exit when you near Tulum Centro. This isn’t altogether a bad thing, but you may be fooled into thinking a place like this is much closer/”walking distance” to a lot of restaurants and such – which isn’t really the case. But cabs to most places will run 50-70 Pesos (a couple bucks), so the seclusion actually is quite nice in this case.
Facilities: The facilities are top-notch and the resort is laid out on pristine sand. The beach area, loaded with tiki huts, cabanas, day beds, and hammocks, ensures you always have a spot to park yourself. The views (both out towards the ocean as well as back in towards the property) are incredible, and are even a bit better when you consider that this resort is fairly secluded, so you don’t feel like you’re spilling over into other neighboring resorts.
Amenities: There aren’t too many amenities here (it’s Tulum – you really wouldn’t want to waste your time watching TV anyway), although the resort does have a great collection of games and a huge lot of subscriptions to all sorts of international trashy gossip mags (a favorite of my significant other – let’s just say she was thrilled).
Staff: The staff are super friendly and accommodating. We actually had to extend our stay while we were there and the staff was very helpful in setting up our room that we had to switch to for the final night. Some of the bartenders and servers go out of their way to try and earn a solid tip (e.g. bringing you free tequila shots, etc), but not in a way that feels pushy.
Rooms: The rooms are great, and the fact that there was AC is a huge plus for me (about half the resorts in this specific area are more “eco-resorts” which means they only have a fan and generally do not have AC at all, let alone electricity for most of the day).

Stunning view back into the resort from the ocean

Incredible shot from the restaurants out onto the beach, with cabanas & daybeds

One of the many daybeds, not a bad place to relax and soak up some sun

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 11, 2015

Playa Del Carmen Dining Review: Nikkori

On the second night, we were really craving raw fish, so we actually opted to go a bit more “local” local and dined at a sushi spot called Nikkori recommended by one of the staff members at Mahekal.

Here’s the review:

Pros: Good sushi, good portions, not infested with other tourists (which can be a huge blessing at times)
Cons: Not all items on menu are available, and there seems to be continued manifestation of language barriers that can make ordering complicated based upon extensive menu options (e.g. ordering a Sashmi versus a “Sashimi Special” which is supposed to come with ponzu and sliced serranos – something that is very difficult to describe in two different languages when it comes out different than expected)
Must Try: Tuna Cocktail
Know Before You Go: You should expect to be flexible if you’re ordering wine, as their menu versus what’s available may differ drastically

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 9, 2015

Playa Del Carmen Dining & Nightlife Review: Paxche/5th Ave/Kitxen

images — Yaxche – slightly touristy, but still completely Mayan

I’m going to try and focus on a lot of the meals we ate and give quick, simple tidbits about each. Starting in Playa Del Carmen, our first night we went to a highly-recommended spot called Yaxche, and explored the vibrate 5th Ave (“Avenida 5”) district.

Here’s the review for Paxche:

Pros: Good “authentic” Mayan food, good/spacious restaurant layout
Cons: A bit touristy, outside dining can get very sticky (this should have been obvious, but it was actually kind of deceiving upon entry)
Must Try: Duck Tacos (“Kuts Tacos”)
Know Before You Go: There are a lot of panhandlers and gimmicks in the area, so tread carefully before engaging in dialogue with any of the vendors (although – on a related note – Yaxche did have a guy taking photos of couples at their tables and came back around with your image on a tequila bottle with the date/name of restaurant… I told myself I’d pay up to $20 for a novelty item like that and ended up talking him down to 200 Pesos, so I was a happy camper even though I probably didn’t heed my own advice)

As far as Kitxen goes, we were very excited to find a spot that had local, live music. It was funny, too, that almost every other song was a cover of a catchy American tune (a nice touch that showed how much influence our music has internationally – and how much the people of the area enjoy catering to their main tourists). “Avenida 5” as a whole is a blast – tons of little shops and boutiques where you can get some great deals and practice your Spanish and negotiation skills.

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 8, 2015

Playa Del Carmen Dining Review: Mahekal

I wanted to also review the dining experience at our hotel (Mahekal) – where we had a meal plan that included breakfast and dinner (which we were able to switch out for lunch each day, a highly-recommended decision in my opinion).

Here’s the review:

Pros: Good/consistent food, convenient
Cons: Limited options around the property, and menu remains largely the same every day
Must Try: Breakfast quesadillas (hand made by onsite chef if/when available)
Know Before You Go: You can dine anywhere around the property for lunch and still get the lunch menu/free meal swap (instead of eating dinner, you trade out for lunch) – just be nice to the staff and they’ll help serve you wherever you like (by the beach, by the pool, etc)

Til Next Time,

Michael

May 7, 2015

Playa Del Carmen Hotel Review: Mahekal

On the first two days of the trip, we opted to stay somewhere a little more modernized and relaxed – as we knew the latter part of the trip had much more exploring and charm in store. Thus, we decided to stay at Mahekal, a fairly luxurious beachfront spot which seemed to have a lot of the things we were looking for in the area (which – as I’m sure you may believe if you’ve ever searched – is actually really difficult to triangulate and arrive at an option that meets “most” of your wants/needs in the area).

Here’s the review:

Location: The location is great, as it is actually within short walking distance of the bustling Fifth Avenue shopping/dining/entertainment district in Playa Del Carmen. But it also feels like a secluded oasis, as the grounds and beach scene make it seem like this could be the only such resort for miles. A HUGE plus is that the resort is right next to an Oxo (convenience store), which is great for necessities like personal hygiene items, water, or other beverages.
Facilities: The facilities are great, and the only downside may be the volume of seaweed on the beaches (very common to the area though). The beach area has tiki huts, cabanas, and suspended day beds. The views are incredible, and can be even nicer from your own room if you have an ocean view (pictures at the end of the post).
Amenities: The amenities are great as well, as they have several pools, bars, restaurants, and a clubhouse area loaded with TV’s, ping pong, and billiards. If you consider meal plans an amenity, theirs is great and flexible – allowing you to trade out meals if you prefer to dine in town for certain meals.
Staff: The staff are very friendly and helpful. The bartenders and servers will help provide you whatever you need wherever you are throughout the property. They are also helpful with nightlife/food recommendations throughout town.
Rooms: I was very impressed with the rooms, and a nice bonus is that each room gets two hammocks to suspend from your balcony/terrace seating area.

View from balcony out onto beach with palapa umbrellas and chairs

The room, very nice with an authentic palapa style roof

The infinity pool, which has its own bar and restaurant – the same area where breakfast is served

Til Next Time,

Michael