A Taste of Vallarta
By Josef Kandoll W.
Some might chuckle at the idea that Puerto Vallarta has a local gastronomy. But no one would deny that this town has grown to become one of the major culinary destinations in all of Mexico. Having met Chef José Eusebio “Chevo” Cuevas Pérez some years ago at one of the gourmet festivals, I found him very helpful for his genuine interest in local cuisine. One of the key things he mentioned was that because the people who settled what’s now Puerto Vallarta primarily come from mountain towns, cuisine here can be an interesting combination of produce grown in that distinct climate, seafood and other varieties of fruits that proliferate here on the coast. The real local cuisine is what you find in private homes.
So let’s look at some of the specialties of Vallarta and the greater Banderas Bay area to see what locals consider local. Is it fine dining? Perhaps not in the strictest sense. But none the less enjoyable for all that. These are some of the things you must try:
Pescado Zarandeado
This method of preparing fish involves cutting open the fresh fish and charring it on an open flame or brazier alongside chiles, onions and tomatoes. When nearly cooked, the fish is “anointed” with butter and other sauces (family recipes vary greatly here), cooked for another 15 minutes, then bathed in the salsa mexicana prepared from tomatoes, onions and chiles. All along the Mexican Pacific coast, there are different versions of zarandeado. Try them all!
Burrita
Several local chefs claim the invention of the burrita, in contrast to the more common burrito, which is known throughout the country. The burrita looks similar, but is much larger with much more filling. The best version, and my personal favorite, is the one with a variety of seafood: shrimp, crab, octopus and marlin. Once it’s grilled to perfection, most burrita stands or restaurants serve it with two traditional sauces: a white one that looks like a runny mayonnaise and has quite a bite, and a green one that’s a little piquant, but smoother. Try both!
Coctel de camarón
The popular coctel de camarón is quite different from what’s served in other areas as shrimp cocktail, which is the literal translation. Here it is traditionally served in an open heavy glass sundae bowl. They may ask if you prefer the caldo (broth) hot, cold or lukewarm, but the latter is the most common method. Foreigners may be afraid of it not being hot enough, but it’s allowed to cool for serving this way. The popular cocktail comes with shrimp as well as mixed seafood (shrimp, octopus, scallops and sometimes mussels or clams) and you add your own combination of avocado, ketchup, hot sauce, salt and lemon. The irresistible concoction is accompanied by saltine crackers or crunchy tostadas.
Tacos al pastor
The traditional taco has so many local variations that many regions claim the taco al pastor as their own native son. The Vallarta variety cooks the pre-seasoned pork on a vertical spit topped by a chunk of pineapple. The adept chef will nip off bite-sized pieces of the cooked delicacy from the outside and just a taste of pineapple will fly through the air to land right inside the handheld taco. Flavor it with a variety of red and green sauces—some with quite a bite, others milder, still others with delicate flavors of onion in ginger sauce or cucumbers with chile. Add to your liking chopped onions, cilantro and a taste of lemon. Don’t be surprised when you decide to stay for seconds!
Back to Chef Chevo for a moment. Right next door to his restaurant (Chevo’s, Fco. I. Madero 179, El Pitillal, 293-5871), he’s building a cooking school. While his major focus will be fostering the study of true Mexican cuisine, he will also encourage students to try combinations of family recipes in modern methods that allow for preparing meals for commercial purposes while still retaining the flavor and authenticity of the original dish. With six other chefs, Chevo plans to visit homes in the mountain regions to begin cataloguing recipes.
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