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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Grasshoppers With Mescal in Oaxaca

The patio at El Naranjo, which serves updated versions of classical Oaxacan cuisine.
The patio at El Naranjo, which serves updated versions of classical Oaxacan cuisine.

Grasshoppers With Mescal in Oaxaca





Published: September 5, 2004


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Marcela Taboada for The New York Times
A display of the moles in the rooftop dining area at Los Pacos.

Marcela Taboada for The New York Times
Marco Polo specializes in seafood in an outdoor setting.

My wife and I, dining with a friend, began by ordering a traditional botana Oaxaqueña, a shared platter of regional specialties that is popular for Sunday afternoon family dining. It held an array of spicy guacamole, light stringy cheese called quesillo and acidy salted queso fresco, fat chorizo, grilled salted beef called tasao, and fried pork skins. There was also a little chile relleno stuffed with meat and an enchilada filled with the thinly sliced pork tenderloin called cecina and covered in a rich red sauce. Served with fresh hand-made tortillas, the botana was a meal unto itself, but we also enjoyed a delightful array of organic lettuces and spinach with jicama and bacon tossed with hibiscus flower vinaigrette. My family has had no problem eating raw produce in these upscale restaurants. Taquitos de Santa Clara filled with picadillo Oaxaqueño made with shredded pork fillets came in a sultry, smoky mole coloradito better than I've ever tasted. From a whole menu page of chile rellenos, we chose the knockout green poblano stuffed with cheese, squash blossoms, and corn served with almond sauce. Chef Iliana features a different mole daily, with chicken or pork, but I had to try her everyday offering of black mole, made with more than 20 ingredients and always referred to as the "king of moles." It was sublime, deeply complex with spicy and sweet notes, bathing exceptionally tender and flavorful chicken.
The Choice Tables column on Sept. 5, about Oaxaca, Mexico, referred imprecisely to ingredients used in some outsize tortillas known as tlayudas. The tortillas themselves - as well as beans and salsa - were eaten in the Americas before Columbus; lard and cheese were not. The column also misstated the price of a bottle of Petite Sirah wine; it is $18.50, not $210. (The use of "$" in Mexico to signify pesos led to the misunderstanding.)