Moving inland, it quickly became apparent that we had reached the Yucatecan motherlode, the full flower of the cuisine only sporadically glimpsed from menus on the Riviera Maya. Our first immersion came via the humble glories of the local cantina, namely La Negrita, a 100-plus-year-old institution which provides a wondrous, boozy vantage on the snackier side of the food culture. From its saloon doors to its warren of rooms and cluttered chockablock aesthetic, complete with bandana-draped bull’s head, the place is still awash in personality, even after its transition from a men’s only social club (as all cantinas once were) to a public watering hole. Here we finally sampled the local spin on Kibbe (in tiny, teardrop-shaped Kibbito form), along with sheetlets of Chicharron de Harina and Palomitos con Salsa (new to me). This being a cantina, all these snacks come for free, plopped down on your table with each new beer.
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The problem with beach towns, beyond the usual issues endemic to places with such a high volume of sandal-clad, towel-toting visitors, is that everyone goes home early. This is obviously not the case in larger maritime colonies, in which the nighttime population simply shifts, leaving behind ghost-town agglomerations near the shore but pockets of activity inland or wherever the hotels tend to be. In a place like Puerto Morelos, prized by visitors for its quiet, fishing-village vibe (in addition to some choice snorkeling opportunities) sunset signals an atmosphere of peaceful calm that, on certain quieter avenues, doubles as outright desolation. I did not come to Puerto Morelos to snorkel, restricted by an inherent distrust of seacraft and guided tour activities in general, although I did enjoy a few pleasant spots of offshore fish-spotting (including a ray the size of a medium-range coffee table). I did come to eat however, which creates a less-than-favorable situation upon attempting dinner at 8:30 and discovering everything is closed.
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The coded language of snacks, sandwiches and seasonings, in NYC and beyond.
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