Our honeymoon 20 years ago was in Huatulco, Mexico, which at the time had only three resorts, Club Med, a Sheraton, and an all-inclusive, the Royal Maeva. After paying for the wedding ourselves, the idea of an all-inclusive was comforting. It was the perfect time and place to spend a week in paradise without having to pull out your wallet. Since then, we have drifted away from all-inclusives because we love to try the local food. We have discovered so many fantastic restaurants along the way.
Aside from our visits to Mexico, we tend not to visit Mexican restaurants when we travel, despite the fact that we love Mexican food. I’m not talking about made-for-Americans, bland Mexican food. I’m talking about food with well-developed flavors, the sauces that take hours to cook. After eating at Rick Bayless’s Topolobampo in Chicago, I have made the majority of the dishes out of “Mexican Kitchen.” We tend to avoid Mexican food in other countries, probably because we suspect that it won’t be that good.
When we first visited Anguilla in 2007, a friend suggested Picante. Given the recommendation, we thought we would give it a try. Since then, we visit at least twice a trip. The story of the restaurant is pretty appealing. Chloe and Theron Loizos left successful restaurant careers in Marin County, California to open Picante. The idea of a restaurant does not alone make it successful. The restaurant is a success because of the fantastic food and warm service. We felt right at home when we were offered a shot of something (my husband would probably remember) by Theron on our first visit, and he sat down with us at the table to share. The margaritas are delicious, but you should exercise a bit of care before you order too many pitchers. Thankfully, my husband was driving. The margaritas were REALLY good!
Be sure to round out your meal with the churros. They are crisp on the outside and warm inside, and served with a fabulous caramel sauce.
Love the boxes of Chiclets with the check!
Who knew you could find such a wonderful slice of Mexico in Anguilla?
For more information on Picante…
UPDATE: We returned to the island in November and December of 2014. Read our updated report here!