The Casual Restaurant Critic
You might agree or disagree with my opinions, but that's life, isn't it? And no, I get no commissions or kickbacks from any of the places favorably reviewed - I do this entirely for my own amusement aand your information.
Mani, Yucatan
"El Principe Tutul Xiu" The ever-popular and almost always right ( ha ha ) Casual Restaraunt Critic recently went on a gastronomic excursion to one of Yucatan's best Yucatecan restaurants, located in the 'heartland' of southern Yucatan - Mani, Yucatan.
This is the place where that religiously intolerant priest De Landa destroyed Mayan stone sculptures, most of the Mayan's religious idols and practically all of their writings, thereby dealing the study of Mayan history and religion a fatal blow. He also was responsable for the murder of hundreds if not thousands of Mayans who in his humble opinion were not good Christians and should burn literally for their silly beliefs in Chaac and all those ridiculous pagan gods. Afterwards, some history texts say he felt bad about it so he wrote everything he could remember and presented his work to the Spanish authorities of the period, so he is credited as a benefactor and some kind of hero without whom we would know nothing about the Mayans. In actual fact, he only wrote everything down in a lame attempt to save himself from condemnation when the Spanish courts decided he had become just a little overly zealous in his attempt to convert the locals to Christianity. He was, in modern terminology, just a little politically incorrect!
Is this history class or a restaurant review?
Sorry.
In downtown Mani, which is a typical Yucatecan provincial town about an hour and a half's drive from Merida and would go almost unnoticed if it weren't for De Landas' huge stone monastery in it's center (which you can visit), you will find a fabulous Yucatecan restaurant called El Principe Tutul Xiu, which Yucatecans and visitors from afar will drive to from miles around to have lunch at.
There are only a few items on the menu, such as it is, and they are all very authentic, and very tasty. The menu includes features Poc Chuc, their most famous dish, which is grilled sour-orange-marinated pork served with frijoles, grilled onions and extra spicy habanero chile salsa. The corn tortillas are handmade right there, fresh, thick and delicious, not like the tasteless, brittle play-dough tortillas you get from the supermarket or most restaurants in Merida these days. Relleno Negro and Blanco as well as Filete de Res, Filete de Pescado round out the menu so there is something for everyone. There are a couple of beers, and really great aguas y jugos naturales. Nothing like a ice-filled pitcher of fresh orange juice after bumping along dusty highways and byways for an hour. A little store out front sells the usual assortment of touristy trinkets like clothing, T-shirts (ugh), ceramic stuff painted in gaudy colors, and shoes. Another highlight: there's a cow parked across the street that unaccustomed city kids like to feed.
Definitely worth the time it takes to get there, and there are lots of interesting things to see along the way, no matter what route you take to get there. See below map for some ideas on how to get there.
click here to get a larger map of the area:
Option 1 - Via Uman-Muna-Ticul
This is the usual route taken by people on their way to Uxmal or to Ticul, where Meridas' first real touristy Yucatecan restaurant opened called Los Almendros. It has suffered from lack of interest maybe and there are now much better Yucatecan restaurants to be had elsewhere. In Uman watch out for the triciclos, the three wheeled bike taxis all over the place, and keep an eye out for the huge church. Other interesting stops along the way include the Hacienda Yaxcopoil, which is open to the public for guided visits. When you hit Muna, you will have arrived at Yucatans' only hill, which seems really exciting after all this flatness everywhere. Next stop is Uxmal if you're heading that way, or Ticul if you're still on the way to Mani. Before you get to Ticul, at San Jose Tipceh, you can buy fresh roasted delicious home-grown peanuts for a peso per handful. Ticul is famous for it's shoes, it's pottery and it's signs. Zapateria D'Glendy and other goodies await.
one of the places you can visit along the way is one of Yucatans' first restored haciendas
Option 2 - Via Kanasin - Acanceh - Mayapan
This is the route taken by the Casual Restaurant Critic on the latest excursion to Mani. According to my trusty SCT map I was on a highway, but then I was not. Apparently maps do not yet show the new highway being built all the way to ... Tekax?? Who knows where it will go but it is very smooth and very wide - it even has shoulders and real asphalt!!! Obviously, since it is not on the map, there is no way of knowing that it turns into sand, gravel and rocks just after Mayapan so be warned. It's a dusty, long slow drive with no apparent end in sight and no signs either. Mayapan by the way is a beautifully restored Mayan ruin and was at one time as important as Chichen Itza, that tourist-infested Disney World of pyramids. At the time of the Critic's visit, there was not one other person visiting the site. So after Mayapan, after the rocks, after Tekit, you'll hit then Mama, which is not how you will be feeling but the name of a uneventful little town. From there through Chumayel, Teabo and that Tipikal place (that's it's name, Tipikal). Et voila you're in Mani, ready to eat.
