Ajijic Restaurants A Let Down

[Guest tko]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

[Guest Gringal]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience at Tango. I've eaten there many times and the food was always warm to hot, but "stuff happens". La Nueva Posada is a very nice place to stay....but the restaurant is "okay".

Try Roberto's on the West side. I think you'll be happier. Others may have more suggestions.

Generally speaking, the restaurants here are better than I expected for an area of this size. It's not the big city, after all.

Better luck!

[Hound Dog]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

Well, tko:

The restaurants at Lakeside are not "great" by anyone´s standard who has been over ten miles out of podunk although I do believe your experience at Tango was not the norm even though that restaurant isn´t great by any means. No one comes to this area for "great" restaurant food unless they grew up in Mattoon, Illinois. I don´t think of Greater Phoenix (Mesa) as a great restaurant town either but it´s certainly as good as Lakeside.

I had the same thing happen to me at the new restaurant Recoleta hereabouts. That steak, ordered blood rare, was not only seriously cold inside but tough as nails and it was supposed to be their top-of-the-line beef. I didn´t send it back so cannot compare the microwave experience with you. Took it home for my dog who loved it.

[Marley's Ghost]

Perhaps I’m in the minority (along with Gringal), but La Nueva Posada leaves me cold (insofar as the food is concerned). More or less OK on a good day to very substandard on a bad one.

Even so the setting is very nice.

Ajijic Tango usually has decent food, but the empanadas (a must in any faux Argentine restaurant) are sub-par (the pastry is tough and not flakey).

Along with other recommendations, give La Taverna a try. I had ravioli with a sage and butter sauce the other night, and Maria hit that dish right out of the park. A classic combination to be sure, but this was the best (or tied with the best) I’ve ever had.

I’ve not been through Matoon in over 50 years, but I pretty much agree with Hound Dog.

There are some very fine places in Guadalajara, but none (that I know about) that reach world class. On the other hand, their prices are well below what one would pay for equivalent food in most countries second cities.

[mexicanseahorse]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

If you are expecting gourmet dining here, you will be moving to the wrong place.

I believe other posters have pretty much summed up Nuevo Posada but defintely give Tango another shot. We have eaten there about 20 times and just love their vacio (flap steak) and always had an excellent meal except once. A friend was visiting from Florida and she ordered her meat medium well. It came out nearly raw and cold inside. It was sent back and came out medium rare. Sent it back again and it still came out medium rare. By this time, the other 4 at the table had finished eating and our friend just decided to take hers back to our house. I called the manager over and told him what happened. He apologized profusely and we all felt he was very sincere in what he had to say. A little while later, we asked for the bill and maybe expected a little reduction for our friend's experience. Our waitress came back to tell us that the manager had said there was to be no bill, all our meals were on the house. This was far more than was to ever be expected but certainly made us loyal customers.

[Hound Dog]

Well, tko:

The restaurants at Lakeside are not "great" by anyone´s standard who has been over ten miles out of podunk although I do believe your experience at Tango was not the norm even though that restaurant isn´t great by any means. No one comes to this area for "great" restaurant food unless they grew up in Matoon, Illinois. I don´t think of Greater Phoenix (Mesa) as a great restaurant town either but it´s certainly as good as Lakeside.

I had the same thing happen to me at the new restaurant Recoleta hereabouts. That steak, ordered blood rare, was not only seriously cold inside but tough as nails and it was supposed to be their top-of-the-line beef. I didn´t send it back so cannot compare the microwave experience with you. Took it home for my dog who loved it.

I have to say that despite my bad experience at Recoleta, I have not previously related that experience on the forums because I believe that any kitchen run by human beings makes mistakes so it has been my intention to give them another chance. However, the notion that Tango reheated the underdone rare steak in a microwave is inexcusable if true. Therefore, I would not have granted Tango excusable conduct under those circumstances if correctly relate to me.

You know, I have eaten many a Cheese Whopper in my day and I know that the management of my favorite Burger King franchise whether in San Cristóbal or Guadalajara or Birmingham or Chicago cannot assure me that that employee washed his/her hands after crapping nearby before manually preparing my hamburger sandwich. We, after all, live on this filthy planet and are susceptible to gut afflictions brought on by the behavior of others. However, when the chef, out of laziness or carelessness, reheats my expensive, underdone beefsteak in a microwave thereby assuming I am an imbecile, I take umbrage. If that is Ajijic Tango´s standard then I say a pox on them and all their lineage.

[/quote

[Guest tko]

I didn't realize that a single word like 'great' could take people in so many different directions. Amazing! In my OP I did not mention gourmet or world class dining.

Generally speaking, the restaurants here are better than I expected for an area of this size.

I agree. I had some really >>dare I say it??> GREAT food while there from many different places.

The restaurants at Lakeside are not "great" by anyone´s standard.

I ate at some that I thought were great.

I don´t think of Greater Phoenix (Mesa) as a great restaurant town either but it´s certainly as good as Lakeside.

I won't tell the 5 stars in the area what you think so they won't close their doors.

You know, I have eaten many a Cheese Whopper in my day and I know that the management of my favorite Burger King franchise whether in San Cristóbal or Guadalajara or Birmingham or Chicago cannot assure me that that employee washed his/her hands after crapping nearby before manually preparing my hamburger sandwich. We, after all, live on this filthy planet and are susceptible to gut afflictions brought on by the behavior of others.

Wow!! where did that come from and more to the point WHY??? Never mind..who really cares.

Thread over for me.

[malana]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

hello! you should try tabarka, el barco s sushis and la gasconade (french food always fresh)

[resort]

I just returned from a week at Lakeside. I had read on here how great certain restaurants were in the area. First night there I went to Tango in Ajijic just to get my meal "ice cold" in the middle. OK, no big deal, they could refire the meal. Getting it the second time it was obviously put in a microwave which did the meal no good whatever. Oh well, eat it, pay up & get the hell out of there. Second night I go to Nueva Posada and I'll be if the meal wasn't a half notch above luke warm. Same microwave results. I started to think that cold to luke warm food was the Mexican way..But, wait..I didn't order Mexican food at Tango. So, now I'm figuring it was just a fluke to hit 2 in a row as I didn't have that experience anywhere else I ate the rest of the week. In retrospect, I will give each place one more shot when I get moved down there and am hoping for better things. I really enjoyed eating at Los Telares and did so twice.

We go to Guad for excellent dining. Both gourmet and local cuisine. It takes many years to learn where to go to dine. When I was employed I ate in 4 and 5 star restraunts all over the world. I think you will find world class dining in Guad.

[Bisbee Gal]

I am glad you are not letting the rantings of any one person here sway your decisions.

On restaurants. We are happy to eat out in Ajijic 7 days a week, sometimes twice a day. Before moving to Bisbee in 2003, we spent the previous 30 years in the Washington DC metro area. We know good food and good restaurants.

Restaurants in Ajijic ran the full gamut, just like anywhere else. Some are inconsistent. Many restaurants here overreach with large menus, in an attempt to enlarge their patronage and please more palates, not a bad thing for their bottom line, but sometimes their kitchens can't pull off such a wide range of offerings. It took us awhile to figure out where to go for specific dishes, and what dishes to avoid at other places. There are some restaurants we enjoy immensely, but only for one or two of their dishes. Since we live here most of the year, we had the time to sort this out.

Sorry your first sojourn in the Ajijic restaurant world was disappointing. When you return, please feel free to PM us and we'd be happy to make specific recommendations and/or join you for dinner.

[Guest Gringal]

I am glad you are not letting the rantings of any one person here sway your decisions.

On restaurants. We are happy to eat out in Ajijic 7 days a week, sometimes twice a day. Before moving to Bisbee in 2003, we spent the previous 30 years in the Washington DC metro area. We know good food and good restaurants.

Restaurants in Ajijic ran the full gamut, just like anywhere else. Some are inconsistent. Many restaurants here overreach with large menus, in an attempt to enlarge their patronage and please more palates, not a bad thing for their bottom line, but sometimes their kitchens can't pull off such a wide range of offerings. It took us awhile to figure out where to go for specific dishes, and what dishes to avoid at other places. There are some restaurants we enjoy immensely, but only for one or two of their dishes. Since we live here most of the year, we had the time to sort this out.

Sorry your first sojourn in the Ajijic restaurant world was disappointing. When you return, please feel free to PM us and we'd be happy to make specific recommendations and/or join you for dinner.

However...restaurants succeed or fail on word of mouth. So, I'm all in favor of many people putting in their two cents. After a while on this and other forums, we know who is telling it straight and who is generally bloviating a bit. It's best to just average it out and go with the main flow to or away from certain places. Six people got a cold steak? One liked it? Guess where my money goes.

Welcome, and hope you enjoy the forum and its characters, as well as the eateries. They're all good.

[newinajijic]

tko - Don't judge Ajijic Tango by one bad experience as it is ONE of the BEST restaurants in Ajijic. It is the most popular and does the MOST business because of consistent quality and service.

Further, don't be swayed by a few. Look at the thread "Restaurant Poll is Closed" in this section. Ajijic Tango came out on top as the most popular restaurant voted on by members of this board.

[mexicanseahorse]

We go to Guad for excellent dining. Both gourmet and local cuisine. It takes many years to learn where to go to dine. When I was employed I ate in 4 and 5 star restraunts all over the world. I think you will find world class dining in Guad.

How about listing some of the restaurants in Guad and their locations. It would be appreciated.

[mexicanseahorse]

I am glad you are not letting the rantings of any one person here sway your decisions.

On restaurants. We are happy to eat out in Ajijic 7 days a week, sometimes twice a day. Before moving to Bisbee in 2003, we spent the previous 30 years in the Washington DC metro area. We know good food and good restaurants.

Restaurants in Ajijic ran the full gamut, just like anywhere else. Some are inconsistent. Many restaurants here overreach with large menus, in an attempt to enlarge their patronage and please more palates, not a bad thing for their bottom line, but sometimes their kitchens can't pull off such a wide range of offerings. It took us awhile to figure out where to go for specific dishes, and what dishes to avoid at other places. There are some restaurants we enjoy immensely, but only for one or two of their dishes. Since we live here most of the year, we had the time to sort this out.

Sorry your first sojourn in the Ajijic restaurant world was disappointing. When you return, please feel free to PM us and we'd be happy to make specific recommendations and/or join you for dinner.

I certainly hope you have a coupon book. Eating out that much, the money you could save would have to be in the thousands of pesos.

[VSOP]

Hey, Hound Dog . . . my neighbor moved here . . . Munngummers . . . recently, from 27 years in Ouagadougou and she wishes she had never left . . . Ouagadougou, that is.

[bonbon]

Wow!! where did that come from and more to the point WHY??? Never mind..who really cares.

Thread over for me.

In over our head are we tko? Maybe Mesa is where you should stay.

Absolutely agree, Hound Dog. TKO--I don't think Lakeside is for you. We are a beautiful, small fishing village on a beautiful lake in the mountains. We are so lucky to even have several good restaurants and lots of fresh veggies, fish and meat to be able to cook at home. We did't come here for the restaurants. I think you should reconsider your move here. You will complain about everything!! Good Luck

How would you know if lakeside is or is not for him? I'm sure the poster would not come here for restaurants either. He gave his two cents worth like everyone else. By the way, have you not noticed how popular the restaurant posts are? Such importance given to food.

WE ARE a beautiful, small FISHING village?? Did you buy share in this village? Lucky to have good restaurants. A matter of opinion.

And why should he consider his move here? Because you cannot stand complaints.

We are lucky indeed.

Jeez that is dense.

Bisbee and Gringal--IMHO Very smart input.

[mexicanseahorse]

I certainly hope you have a coupon book.

Tell me something, Peter, how many people have you run across in life who used coupon books, for God´s sake, to eat in decent restaurants? I can´t believe I even have to say that.

We are happy to eat out in Ajijic 7 days a week,

Imagine how happy you would be in Ouagadougoo.

How about listing some of the (gourmet) restaurants in Guad and their locations

Don´t worry about running out of ink.

You're right as usual, Hound Dog. There are no good restaurants here and no gourmet restaurants in Guad. After all, none seem to serve chittlins with mustard greens.

As for the coupon book, we had some of the finest restaurants in Lee County, Fl in the Entertainment Book including a couple of very famous ones on Sanibel Island. People used the coupons extensively to make these places a little more affordable.

Locally, some of the most popular restaurants have coupons in the Lakeside Coupon Book such as Armando's. Early Bird Cafe, Hacienda Ajijic, La Tasca, Los Telares, Manix, Ricki's, Secret Garden, 60's In Paradise, Tabarka, Vicky's Hideaway, Villa Del Arte, as well as about 70 other local eateries. Based on the books sold so far, there seem to be quite a few of us that have no problem using coupons to go out and eat and save money.

[don pedro]

ok awready. i know both dawg and tko and can tell you they will get along smashingly. tko is not interested in living in the "small fishing village" and it's "quaint" roads as he rides a hog. i didn't even have to influence him to choose chapala and it's equally fine eateries to move to.

the first day he was here he et a fine bbq'd arrachera purchased by me at soriana. i never order said dish in restaurants any more because it is the best bar none.

what was yer opinion of the hole in the wall tko?

[Guest tko]

Pedro. Your arrechera was indeed delicious! I do expect that again next time down..haha. Hole-in-the-wall was a great experience for me. First, if I had not discovered that the local gringos ate there, I would have walked past the place and never even considered eating there. BUT, I really enjoyed the food and could not believe the price. Will I eat there again? Absolutely.

[Shira]

TKO the two people on this board who have set themselves up as THE food critics are the most negative people on the board. Pay no attention to them. They like to see themselves in print.

Come on down. You are most welcome.

[Mainecoons]

To me it is all relative and I have never spent any significant time in a "burg" of this small size that comes even close to the decent quality and outstanding value of the restaurant food here. Nope, it sure isn't 5 star but it is easy to find a quite acceptable dining experience here that doesn't require a second mortgage.

Now my criteria include both ambiance (which is why I'm not fond of those noisy Carretera restaurants), service and food. Service is definitely a weak spot here, most of the restaurants don't seem to know how to train the wait staff.

I just got back from visiting my brother in San Clemente. Chinese dinner for four (yep it was pretty good, Dawg) cost over $100 with only two beers on the liquor tab. The service didn't impress.

By contrast, had a very fine salad, pizza and four beers at the italian place in Riberas yesterday for the whopping sum of 278 pesos including tip. That's about $23 U.S. give or take.

Agree with the suggestion to try Robertos, just make sure Roberto is there and the place isn't too busy.

[Guest tko]

Seems like some folks on here are very focused on food and it's very important to them based on comments like gourmet, world class, 5 star etc. or the lack thereof. Well, for me food is simple and falls into 1 of 2 catergories:

1. Man, that's some good eats

2. Well, it will sustain life

I really like being able to say #1 but if it falls into #2, my belly is still full and it's all good. Anything beyond that is of no importance to me. It just so happened by chance that the 2 stories I related in my OP fell into #2. No big deal as I will give them both another shot and go from there. Only difference will be I won't report my experience on here..ROTFLMAO...