Best Restaurants in Playa del Carmen, Guest Review

Thank you Amy H. from Ohio for sharing your restaurant recommendations with us!

Amy recently stayed with us (“We had a great time – everything was up to our expectations and the breakfast perk at Indigo Beach Club was a great way to start the day… along with a mimosa”) and shared the following restaurant tips with us on the Best restaurants in Playa del Carmen:

One night we ate at El Ten. This was recommended by someone who lives in Playa. We each had a steak (their best cuts), that comes with salads, bread, and we ordered a bottle of wine for around $45. We gave them our VIP restaurant card from El Taj and they ended up giving us 18% off our bill. Calle 30 and 5th Ave.
Photos of El 10, Playa del Carmen
This photo of El 10 is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Another night we ate at Restaurant Sur. They had wonderful cuts of beef and overall service was surpurb. Sitting in the upper level was nice and private but you could still look over on 5th Ave and see all the action. 5th Ave and Calle 14.

One night we had a chef come to our condo and cook a traditional Mexican meal for us. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone… they were very professional and offered a lot of information about the food and culture. Their business is: Epicurean Chef Services at www.epicureanchefservices.com/

Side Note from Laura: Another Chef service I highly recommend is CosCo

Thanks, Amy!

If you’ve been a visitor in Playa, send me your suggestions for Best restaurants in Playa del Carmen at drlauraleli@gmail.com and we’ll put them into a blog.
 

Private Chef Services in Playa del Carmen

Private Chef Services

You can hire a private chef to prepare a special meal, or host a party

Private Chef Services in Playa del Carmen

We are happy to offer private chef services in Playa del Carmen.  Enjoy culinary cuisine in the privacy and convenience of your Condo. Enjoy the surroundings of your unit, on the terrace, by the pool, or the rooftop of your unit. The entire meal is prepared inside your unit using fresh food the chef brings with her. Our chef can also cater any size party and bring pre prepared delicacies. Our chef has an assortment of menus to choose from or they can prepare a menu as per your specifications.

Chef Services are available to those staying in El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, El Taj Beach, Maya Villa, and Villas Sacbe Condo Hotels.

The cost of Chef services cost are as follows:
1-6 guests $150.00 USD + groceries
7-10 guests $250.00 USD + groceries

Cos Cos Cooking School and Private Chef

We have several, highly talented chefs for hire for private parties and special occasions

For additional information on hiring a chef, or to check rates and availability of units, please email Matt or Laura at drlauraleli@gmail.com or call 312-560-3508

Mexico Ranked #2 Best Place in the World to Retire

Retire to Mexico and enjoy romantic, fun, beautiful lifestyle!!

Retire to Mexico and enjoy romantic, fun, beautiful lifestyle!!

Mexico is ranked #2 Best Placein the World  to Retire

 

 

For more than 30 years International Living Magazine has rated the top foreign countries of American retirees.  This year’s list is now out and Mexico has moved from #3 to #2.

What is the Ranking Based On?  37 critical data points including:

  • Real estate prices,
  • Cost of living,
  • Availability of high-quality healthcare,
  • Cost of healthcare,
  • Cimate,
  • Cultural events, activities and places,
  • Infrastructure
  • Safety/Stability

Best places to Retire

The top 20 list by rank:

1.  Ecuador                          6.  France                        11.  Chile                        16.  Brazil

2.  Mexico                        7.  Uruguay                     12.  Argentina               17.  Malaysia

3.  Panama                          8.  Costa Rica                  13.  Portugal                18.  Australia

4.  Spain                               9. Malta                           14.  Ireland                  19.  Belize

5.  New Zealand               10. Italy                              15.  Colombia              20.  Nicaragua

Note:  Ecuador has ranked #1 for 3 consecutive years

              Mexico has moved from #3 in 2010 to # 2 in 2011

What do they say about Mexico?  International Living says:

With its moon-lit fiestas, languid white-sand beaches, ancient colonial towns  set in the rugged Sierras…Mayan pyramids rising from the misty Yucatan jungle…little silver mining towns where the winding streets seem to run straight up into the clouds…weekly markets where just a few dollars can fill your shopping bag to the brim with fresh fruits and vegetables…fishing villages where the boats land in the morning with the giant grouper and snapper you’ll have for lunch, sautéed with garlic or simmered in a Diablo sauce that will make you call out for another ice-cold cerveza. Or buy the whole fish right off the boat for a few bucks (plus the 50 cents you pay the fisherman’s son to carry it home
for you) and cook it yourself.

It’s no wonder so many retirees are starting new lives in Mexico.

Whether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping, fishing, sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining, in Mexico has all of these activities, and more.

Stately Spanish Colonial cities in Mexico are steeped in tradition, and soaring baroque church spires overlook gracious squares. Here you can dine in elegant cafés, and browse upscale shops on the very spots where the heroes of the Revolution declared independence from Spain and forged a new country. For all these reasons, and many more, Mexico is one of the world’s top destinations for those dreaming of a relaxed and romantic new life abroad.

Wherever you go in Mexico, the people will charm you, the natural beauty will seduce you, and the remarkably affordable cost of living will entice you to stay. Whether your dream retreat is a graceful colonial home with lavish gardens, a simple beachfront bungalow where you can prop up your feet on the rail and watch the tide roll in, an expansive hacienda with enough acreage for horses to roam, or a cliffside villa with sunset views and cool, steady breezes, you are likely to find it in Mexico.

Slow down…and live the Mexican way

Whatever your motives for settling in Mexico—whether you hope to escape the  fast pace of life up north, enjoy a better lifestyle for less than you’d pay at home, or discover a safe haven where the crime rate is low and you can enjoy a “small-town” existence—you’re likely to find your quality of life improved in this country.

Things take longer, so you learn to slow down. Goods and services cost less, so you can afford the kind of luxuries only the very wealthy enjoy up north, like a maid, a cook, and a gardener.

If you’re looking for a simpler way of life in a place where you don’t have to give up the amenities to which they are accustomed, then no further than Mexico. With its close physical proximity to the U.S., Mexico enjoys many of the good roads, high-speed communications, and top-notch health care that you’d expect from its neighbor to the north. Those who relocate find it is easy to live and do business in Mexico. The paradox to its increasing modernity and its attractiveness is that things still move a bit slower in Mexico.

You can enjoy a relaxed and refreshing lifestyle, like something out of a 19th-century travelogue, and yet it isn’t half a world away.

beach, mexico retirement

You don't need to nap in a hammock when you retire in Mexico, but it is an option!

For additional information on visiting the Mayan Riviera, please contact Laura at drlauraleli@gmail.com

 

 

Things to Do In Playa – Co.Cos Cooking School, Catering and Chef Services

 

Co.Cos Cooking School, Catering, and Chef for a Day!

Guests often ask me about Things to Do in Playa, and I’m always looking for new businesses and services.  We tried Co.Cos this month and it was fabulous!!!  It’s a Cooking School, Catering Service, and offers private “Chef Services”!

Things to do in Playa, Cooking School in Playa

Cooking Classes, Catering, or hire a Chef for the day!

We did both a cooking class and hired Co.Cos to be our Chef for a small party we had.  The cooking class was fun and afterwards we ate what we made outside on the terrace of Co. Cos.  They are located between Calle 26 and 28, a couple of blocks North of Constituyente.  It’s as easy walk from Porto Playa and El Taj Ocean (the best properties in Playa)!

Best place to stay in Playa del Carmen

Porto Playa Condo Hotel is one of THE Best Places to Stay in Playa!

Best place to stay in Playa del Carmen

El Taj Ocean is the other Best Place to Stay in Playa

Coty Villarreal, the owner and head chef of Co.Cos, led our cooking class.  She is a chef who has travelled and lived in many places around the world.  Originally from Monterrey, she spend considerable time in Europe and Asia before returning back to Mexico and choosing to settle for Playa for three very good reasons:  1.  Beach, 2. Weather, and 3.  The international flavor that makes Playa,  Playa.  At any time you’ll find a mix of Americans and Canadians, but also French, Italian, German, Croatian, Asian, Australian, and South American!  Coty is charming, exotic, warm, friendly and enormously talented in the kitchen (and elsewhere).

Things to Do In Playa del Carmen

Every dish we made was delicious!

The kitchen/cooking area is stunning.  It was too funny to hear everyone say the same thing when they walked in Co.Cos: “This is how I want my kitchen to look!”

Things to do in Playa del Carmen

The smells and flavors were phenomenal

 

There’s no question that the cooking classes are very non-traditional.  Co.Cos offers  courses on Mexican traditional and contemporary dishes, Mediterranean and Asian.  If you’ve gone to any of the upcoming new restaurants in urban areas, you’ve seen this trend.  Contemporary dishes, or “fusion” has been increasingly influencing many chefs, and fantastic creations come out of the kitchens.   I find it to be an explosion of flavors and textures.

But as much as Co.Cos delivers exotic tastes from every country, they are in Mexico and, they of course include some very traditional wonders of Mexico.  Coty tells it best, “like every grandma, has some old, traditional recipes that cannot, must not, be forgotten, this is why Co.Cos offers both Mexican, Mediterranean, and exotic Asian dishes.”

Why Mediterranean?  Coty lived and cooked in various places in Europe for over 10 years learned how to make incredible food like the “grandma’s do”.  The best recipes made it to Co.Cos!

And last, but not least, Asian food… Thailand is like a bag of chips… once you try one, you can’t stop! Again, Coty tells it best, “I fell in love with this country and swore to myself I was coming back to learn how to cook…  And so I did. After that I traveled through southeast Asia and as a result, I do have a good knowledge of the real tastes and textures. It is difficult though to find the ingredients, but Mexico uses many similar fruits and vegetables so the result is quite good and accurate.“

Fun Things to do in Playa

Great for Couples, kids, and friends as well. Bon Appetite!

The Co.Cos team has 3 chefs. Chef Nacho specializes in Mexican food, Chef Hector in French and European flavors, and Coty in Asian and European Asian fusion. You can learn to make these dishes yourself at cooking school or use their catering services and experience personalized dinners with a personal chef.

We also went back for the cocktail & tapas course on Fridays (I call it  “Drinking School”!).  One of the things I loved most about Spain was the Tapas, small portions of great food!

Co.Cos has just added breakfast and lunch home delivery service for those who are interested.  I give it 5 Stars!!!!!!!!!!

Email Coty at info@CookInPlaya.com or call Coty at 52-984-803-0743 and mention you saw this blog!