Pedro's Go Club

[terry]

Trying my first restaurant review. Please be gentle. Club Go is an upscale version of Pedro's which is now closed Friday to Sunday as he as at his new Club.

Address Emiliano Zapata 50 in upper Ajijic, just down the street from Min Wah. This is a home that Peter bought and refurbished. The club is on the top floor, so be prepared to negotiate three flights of steps to get to the dining room level. The setting is very nice with settees and couches a few small tables and a few larger equipale tables and chairs. Smokers and non- smokers are separated and it has a very nice and open view to the lake and the southside, although a couple of trees are going to encroach on the view soon, if they are not trimmed.

It is pretty much a cocktail and appetizer kind of place, although they do serve four entrees which differ each night, but the category is unchanged. Beef, pork, fish, and seafood are the four categories of the entrees Ranging in price from 110 to 140. No pork tonight, which brought us down to three entrees. I had the seafood, which tonight happened to be shrimp with some type of vegetable sauce and fresh veggies for 130. I was disappointed. I thought it a little high priced for the quantity and the shrimp were good, but no different that any place else that serves decent shrimp here.

Wish I had ordered two appetizers instead. They advertise that the appetizers are meant to share, but the three of us did not share and were hungry for dinner. I had the smoked salmon appetizer for 80 and it was delicious. Another ordered the mussels and got 6 and said they were delicious. I think they were 80 also. I thought the appetizer list pretty much from 60-100 and a list of 10 was sensational. They all sounded good. Next time, two appetizers and no entree for me.

The wine and liquor list are long and impressive and reasonably priced. 45 for a Tanqueray. Only premium brands of liquor offered. No Osso Negro, no Presidente, etc.

The ambience is special and unique, the service was very good and very helpful. Peter, as usual, comes out to check on his guests and inquire about the food, which I always find delightful in a chef or an owner, of which he is both.

Hours Friday 1 to 12:30 a.am. Sat and Sun 7- 12:30 a.m. Yes, one of the few spots around that has late hours for those of us still able to stay awake that late.

On a scale of one to ten. I would rate it between a 7 and an 8.

Hope I didn't leave anything out.

How did I do on my first restaurant review?

Terry

[Guest RevImmigrant]

Thanks for the information. I particularly appreciate the information about the 3 flights of stairs, obviously not accessible for those who can't nagivate stairs. As we say down yonder in Texas, "ya done good." Please submit further reviews of more restaurants you visit.

[newinajijic]

terry - Great and helpful review. I think Pedro shot himself in the foot having a restaurant 3 flights up. It should be on a one level because of the older folks here. He created a limited business situation.

[Guest Gringal]

Good review. You did leave out the parking situation, which friends tell me is not good. It may be easier at dinner, but they went for lunch and when the CocaCola truck headed up that street, it was crisis time.

Everybody had to move their cars and one fella backed into a tree in the process.

It's interesting to note that at Pedro's Gourmet on Ocampo, you can get a good lunch plate of shrimp for 55 pesosl, several styles.

All things considered, my good angel wishes Pedro well at his new place......but my bad self wishes he'd come on back down the hill to his old digs and be open weekends and Sunday brunch, too. I like his cookin' fine.

[solajijic]

Oh newinajijic, once again its doesn't suit your needs so it can't be workable and will fail.

There are plenty of "older" folks here who can negotiate 3 flights of stairs. Especially if there is a good time at the top. And there are a ever-increasing number of younger people here who won't give the stairs a second thought.

Not every place is for everybody.

As for parking, there is plenty on the lateral at the Carretera corner with Donas Donuts, and up and down the north south street. If you can manage the stairs the short walk up the hill should be doable too. I adore Pedro's resturant, especially his liver and onions and a cold cucumber and mint soup he makes that I could drink out of a glass until I bust. We are just lucky he didn't pull up stakes and move away after all.

[ajijiccharlie]

I hope that Peter will adjust his seasoning for diners who are willing to walk up the three flights. He told us that he downplays the spice in his Thai food because the older crowd at his Ocampo restaurant like relatively bland food. He should have a younger clientele at the new place, and that younger clientele should be more amenable to properly spiced Thai and Indian dishes.

[Guest petirroja]

Oh newinajijic, once again its doesn't suit your needs so it can't be workable and will fail.

There are plenty of "older" folks here who can negotiate 3 flights of stairs. Especially if there is a good time at the top. And there are a ever-increasing number of younger people here who won't give the stairs a second thought.

Not every place is for everybody.

As for parking, there is plenty on the lateral at the Carretera corner with Donas Donuts, and up and down the north south street. If you can manage the stairs the short walk up the hill should be doable too. I adore Pedro's resturant, especially his liver and onions and a cold cucumber and mint soup he makes that I could drink out of a glass until I bust. We are just lucky he didn't pull up stakes and move away after all.

Oh dear, John...you might be happy to know that GO is doing quite well. And not only are there many of us who can still negotiate stairs and want a viable evening dinner and drinks place, but Peter is targeting the increasingly young residents at Lakeside (as solajijc mentions) as well as the large Guadalajaran population that arrives en masse on the weekends. One of the laments of this particular population is that there has not been a selection of hip, trendy restaurants/bars open late into the evening...for a long time only a few bars existed (like Barco and Camaleon). Then 4 opened...GO followed...and 4 is opening Chili Bang in the old St. Peter's location. Don't forget that the Guadalajara crowd are used to eating and carousing until the wee hours.

[terry]

Good review. You did leave out the parking situation, which friends tell me is not good. It may be easier at dinner, but they went for lunch and when the CocaCola truck headed up that street, it was crisis time.

Everybody had to move their cars and one fella backed into a tree in the process.

It's interesting to note that at Pedro's Gourmet on Ocampo, you can get a good lunch plate of shrimp for 55 pesosl, several styles.

All things considered, my good angel wishes Pedro well at his new place......but my bad self wishes he'd come on back down the hill to his old digs and be open weekends and Sunday brunch, too. I like his cookin' fine.

Gringal, I tried to cover everything. Hey, I got kudos from John, the restaurant critic of Lakeside and then you bring up parking. Actually, it is not that bad. It is on street, but it is a Emiliano Zapata is a long street and we found easy parking at 7 on a Friday night within 100 feet of the door. The trek up the stairs is another story. We were winded. I think Peter is trying to attract a younger, more affluent crowd, as in Tapatioes, who are here in great numbers on the days that Go is open and the hours it is open. It is always a crisis when you get on these narrow sidestreets and confront a Coca Cola truck. Too funny.

[terry]

Oh newinajijic, once again its doesn't suit your needs so it can't be workable and will fail.

There are plenty of "older" folks here who can negotiate 3 flights of stairs. Especially if there is a good time at the top. And there are a ever-increasing number of younger people here who won't give the stairs a second thought.

Not every place is for everybody.

As for parking, there is plenty on the lateral at the Carretera corner with Donas Donuts, and up and down the north south street. If you can manage the stairs the short walk up the hill should be doable too. I adore Pedro's resturant, especially his liver and onions and a cold cucumber and mint soup he makes that I could drink out of a glass until I bust. We are just lucky he didn't pull up stakes and move away after all.

I love his liver and onions, too. When my cholesterol level is low enough, which is rare, I want bacon, too and pay a little extra. There are a lot of folks down here, unfortunately, who could not handle three flights of stairs to the covered mirador of a two story home and I think John has health issues, that prevent him from doing so. It was a fairly young crowd, most under 60 and some from GDL in their 20's and 30's, very gay-friendly, but not for those on a limited budget or with health issues that would present a problem to them climbing those three flights. Think Peter has figured out his target clientele pretty well. This guy is no dummy by any stretch. He is an astute and successful business person and he knows what he is doing.

[terry]

I hope that Peter will adjust his seasoning for diners who are willing to walk up the three flights. He told us that he downplays the spice in his Thai food because the older crowd at his Ocampo restaurant like relatively bland food. He should have a younger clientele at the new place, and that younger clientele should be more amenable to properly spiced Thai and Indian dishes.

No Thai food at GO, so your comment is a non-issue there.

[terry]

Oh dear, John...you might be happy to know that GO is doing quite well. And not only are there many of us who can still negotiate stairs and want a viable evening dinner and drinks place, but Peter is targeting the increasingly young residents at Lakeside (as solajijc mentions) as well as the large Guadalajaran population that arrives en masse on the weekends. One of the laments of this particular population is that there has not been a selection of hip, trendy restaurants/bars open late into the evening...for a long time only a few bars existed (like Barco and Camaleon). Then 4 opened...GO followed...and 4 is opening Chili Bang in the old St. Peter's location. Don't forget that the Guadalajara crowd are used to eating and carousing until the wee hours.

Agree with you 100%. Peter's target group is definitely not John's dinner group. I think that is why there are three flights of stairs. There was a purpose behind that decision.

[solajijic]

No kidding, you think?

Not every place is for everybody.

[Guest Gringal]

I mentioned the Coca Cola truck since it was a daytime problem that would not likely be encountered in the evening.

Before Pedro opened at GO, we were chatting with him at his other place about the potential target audience. He clearly wants the younger Tapatio crowd who have the legs to climb and the dinero to party late. I think "under 60" could be "under 40" as the hoped-for group.

As someone else said......he knows what he's about.

[tobyjug]

terry - Great and helpful review. I think Pedro shot himself in the foot having a restaurant 3 flights up. It should be on a one level because of the older folks here. He created a limited business situation.

I think he has shot himself opening a second restaurant, will the Ocampo place suffer??

[ajiblue]

Good question and applies to Number Four as well. Won`t it suffer if they open this new place? Its not like we have a lack of restaurants and bars an area with a limited population. Wish them both all the luck though.

[tigerlily]

Good question and applies to Number Four as well. Won`t it suffer if they open this new place? Its not like we have a lack of restaurants and bars an area with a limited population. Wish them both all the luck though.

Are you saying that Number 4 is opening another restaurant?

[Guest petirroja]

Yes, Four is opening Chili Bang in the old St. Peter's space on Hidalgo. It is to be more like a tapas bar...to be open late...again to meet the "need" of the late night crowd...locals and tapatios.

[newinajijic]

Yes, Four is opening Chili Bang in the old St. Peter's space on Hidalgo. It is to be more like a tapas bar...to be open late...again to meet the "need" of the late night crowd...locals and tapatios.

Is that supposed to be competition with Ole Ola and Tabarka? I've heard Ole ola is good, but pricey. You can bet 4's new place will be too based on No. 4 restaurant prices.

[terry]

Please stay on topic or start a new thread. Hmmm, where have I heard this before?

[terry]

Final answer. At least from me. Think Peter has a hit on his hands as soon as the word gets out to weekend Tapatioes. Right now he is loaded with us old gringos trying to navigate three flights of stairs and figuring out the limited menu and what the hell is going on. GO is clearly set up to cater to a niche market of young weekend, and affluent Tapitoes. By the time us old farts figure out it is not for us, unless we enjoy the young crowd, he will be swamped with his target crowd. Young, affluent and heavily gay. There is no way that he has shot himself in the foot as some of you have said. This man knows what he is doing, has been successful in his every endeavor and I think it will be a gold mine for him. Not that Peter needs more money. Me, I wish him the best on his new adventure in uncharted territory here in Ajijic.

[moderator-2]

John, I booted your last post. If you haven't eaten there, you really aren't contributing to a review thread. You made your point, no reason to beat it to death.

If no one else who has eaten there has a review, I'll close this topic shortly.

[slumdog]

The food is great, interesting, and varied... but it is absolutely no better than Pedro's Gourmet. And at the higher prices, it needs to be.

[bob k]

Disagree. With homemade deserts, a unique cheeseboard (hard to find in Ajijic) and interesting wines, puts it a step above Pedro's. This is not in anyway a knock on Pedro's as it is a very delightful rest. in its own right.

[slumdog]

Disagree. With homemade deserts, a unique cheeseboard (hard to find in Ajijic) and interesting wines

Not disagreeing with your point, but of the primary menu items (appetizers, main courses) Pedros's Gourmet is just as good. Keep in mind that he uses the same staff, the same chef, everything at both places... one of the reasons Gourmet is closed when Go is open. (And the chocolate mousse at Go is incredible.)

[k2tog]

Not disagreeing with your point, but of the primary menu items (appetizers, main courses) Pedros's Gourmet is just as good. Keep in mind that he uses the same staff, the same chef, everything at both places... one of the reasons Gourmet is closed when Go is open. (And the chocolate mousse at Go is incredible.)

Pedro, himself, does ALL the cooking at GO. Wally, his cook at Pedro's Gourmet is acting as his sous chef at GO. That to me makes a big difference and I'm a regular patron of both restaurants for different reasons and with different expectations.