The Casual Restaurant Critic
and his Fussy Crew
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 and your information.

Spasso
Italianized from the German 'Spass' or fun, I guess

This month the Critic is back and without the neurotic Fussy Crew paid a long-overdue visit to that yuppie emporium called Spasso in Merida's Hyatt hotel. If you haven't been to the Hyatt recently, you should pay them a visit because their service and food are really quite good. Although the Fiesta Americana directly in front is much more imposing and appears more luxurious, something unpleasant must have happened to the chef they started out with because he was replaced by a jolly chubby chilango chef whose gastronomic creations are pretty mediocre for a hotel of that category. Service at the Fiesta's Sunday Brunch is always hurried and the hostesses can get downright ugly if you don't have a reservation and have the nerve to want to get in when the place is crowded. The Hyatt, on the other hand, has the nicest hostess and very pleasant service, with special attention paid to the kiddies, and the food, while not out of this world, is always good and the ongoing special events such as the recent Oaxacan cuisine and craft extravaganza where the Critic ate delicious (really) grilled grasshoppers for the first time, are a hit.

Spasso is basically a yuppie hangout, with all the trappings like the Back In Time (remember this is a local music category, like Jazz, Rock, Ska etc) band that insists on playing, in their well intentioned broken-english way, classic cliches like SteirGuey Tu Jevem and Jotel California. The clientele consists of the gente bonita that are too hip to go someplace more modest, and the food is .... good! The Contenti's-like menu consists of Italian appetizers, pastas and the occasional meat or chicken dish. I would recommend the mushrooms; they were very tasty, and the seafood pasta which was not only good, but also interestingly presented. There is complimentary pizza-crust bread a la Dominos 'Pantasticos' which was a little stale, served with what appears to be a homemade tomato pizza sauce for dipping. Service was alright, a little rushed, and a little more attentive of the potentially (but not necessarily, since we are in Merida) larger tip available at a large groups' table nearby. The kitchen was a little backed up due to the fact that many people had arrived at the same time, but they finally pushed our orders out.

Dinner, with two appetizers, two drinks, and two main courses was about 300 pesos ($27usd).


 
 
Casual Restaurant Critic Rating: 4

 
 




 
 

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