Viva Ceviche!

On this trip, I (Peggy) imagined I would eat ceviche every day.  I called it my ceviche diet. Mexico has a very decent variety in all foods, but if one is eating on the Riviera Maya, one really wants to take advantage. Fish, shrimp, octopus, there is no end to possibilities. Certainly the pickling which is achieved with citrus and native jalapena pepper makes this rather tasty, but how can this wonderful dish be presented in competitive ways, proving that the preparer wants his or her dish to stand out?

On our first night together, Chip takes me to a place he found while traveling alone, trying to figure out whether he is ready to make Mexico his new home. The restaurant Buena Vida is located directly on the rocky Caribbean beach in Akumal. Probably what draws Chip here is the Jimmy Buffet atmosphere and Gringo presence. It’s Happy Hour. Food and drink are plentiful and well-priced. We share a ceviche featuring purple pulpo, (octopus) and finish every bite.

The next ceviche plunge, on the next day, is further up the coastal road at a restaurant called La Lunita.  Sitting at a table outside, we dig our toes into the sand and choose from a variety of offerings including Mediterranean, Peruvian and Asian versions.  We stick with the classic Yucatan mix offering shrimp and fish, tossed with black beans, yam, jicama, cucumber and serrano chili. Delicioso!

Later in the week, our ceviche caravan pulls into a restaurant tucked inside the jungle near Tulum, just off the Carretera Federal. Oscar and Lalo’s, one of the oldest eateries in the area, is well-marked by road signs along the highway linking Cancun to Belize. Expecting something like a Disney amusement park, we are pleasantly surprised that it is a cozy, quiet, family affair. Here, we choose a sampler offering 3 different varieties: shrimp with mango, traditional ceviche of fish, shrimp & octopus with serrano and octopus with green apple.  Yummy!

Finally, on our last day, Chip insists we stop by his favorite town with a lighthouse. Colorful, nicely appointed, full of restaurants, Puerto Morelos has a pier with many a nice sailboat which causes him no end of envy. We are early for lunch, but the large space, open air Los Pelicanos is willing to accommodate us.  The ceviche called “Vuelve a la Vida” (touted as a Little of Everything in English) is perfect.  Large & lovely.

Let the competition continue.

This article is referenced in the June 2021 edition of International Living magazine.