Chow time
19 November 2013 | Bercovich yard La Paz
Dan- nice
One of the things I enjoy most about La Paz is the really good food to be had here. This city seems to have a large concentration of really great restaurants for its size.
I enjoy cooking, and since no one has died or even fallen ill from my cooking, I consider myself to be a good cook. Not a chef by any means, but a decent cook. I rarely even bother here. The food is just so well prepared and inexpensive that I have a hard time justifying the effort.
Within walking distance of the temporary apartment we are at are several very good places
.
Las Brisas used to be just so-so. I am not sure of the personnel changes but they can make a fish dinner that is cooked perfectly- try the Mojo de Ajo!
Then there is Calypso's. Reportedly now owned by the person who owns the Coca-Cola franchise for Mexico, they make a great Italian style pizza. Most, if not all, pizza done here is that style- thin crust and light on the toppings, prepared in a wood fired oven for that crisp smoky flavor. Don't order the house mezcal though- very good, but very expensive.
OK, anyone down here has heard of Palermo's. Owned by Chef Jimmy Maddin of Valentino's of Las Vegas fame, this place is one of the most elegant eateries in La Paz. Looking out over the Malecon for a view of La Paz Bay and an interior that is polished and elegant, you know right away that the food is going to be special- and it does not disappoint. Italian with a little twist of Baja! The Sunday brunch is not to be missed. I have lost count of the number of fellow cruisers I have turned on to this place. On a Sunday morning it seems that a third of the customers are friends!
And the restaurant that drove me to write this entry Nim's. Nim's is a new restaurant in town and if the two times we have eaten here are any indication- one of the best places I have ever eaten. The first visit was for lunch, Kelly and I split the signature salad and a sliced rib-eye sandwich. I could easily have laid myself up there and eaten myself in a coma. It was wonderful. Last night we went for dinner, Kelly ordered the Vietnamese Pho (yes- real Pho!) and I the Pork Tenderloin.
Her Pho was made perfectly with fist sized shrimp and pork strips and large Udon noodles, while the tenderloin was cooked to order, wrapped with a thin layer of Serrano ham and served with a cauliflower puree that had the consistency of fluffed mashed potatoes. I cook a mean tenderloin, but the saory sauce and sprinkled pine nuts took this to another level. Oh, and we did splurge on a "brownie" for dessert, actually more of a volcano cake served just beautifully. The bill for dinner with a couple of Negra Modelo's and two glasses of a Baja Chardonnay? 565 pesos - about $45 usd.
We can't justify cooking in for that.
So- in conclusion- the food is great at the high end of dining here and the street food? That's another post, but it is amazing as well.