| Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Reviews |
| La Palapa International, Seafood 103 Pulpito, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 222-5225 |
Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Review:
La Palapa restaurant is probably my overall favorite in Puerto Vallarta. It's the total
package -- good food, great atmosphere, beautiful bar, beach front setting, and spectacular
sunsets and ocean views. I couldn't visit P.V. without having dinner here.
SETTING - Right on the beach on Playa los Muertos on the south edge of downtown. A
"palapa" is one of those big thatched umbrellas on a post that you see shading the tables on
some of the beaches.
FOOD - They call it "Contemporary Mexican", and the emphasis is on "contemporary". And
seafood. The cuisine is upscale and fairly pricey -- but where can you find an incredible setting
like this at home? I don't have a favorite entree -- I get something different every time.
The menu evolves, but I like the Lobster Taco, and the Smoked Scallops with Cascabel Pepper
as appetizers, and the Adobo Grilled Beef Filet and the Pepper Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with
Garlic Spinach over Cranberry Corn Galette and Shitaki Sauce (although oddly, on my recent
visit they substituted a chile-mustard rub for the pepper). They also serve breakfast and
lunch.
AMBIANCE - Romantic. There's a large, breezy open-air dining room that has a rustic beach
feel. There are also a dozen shaded tables on the beach in front, and many a couple or
foursome has enjoyed a quiet, candle-lit dinner there, where you can kick off your sandals and
wiggle your toes in the cool sand. This place has been around since the 1950's when it was
outside of town. It has grown as PV has grown. The service is smooth and leisurely, as most
people seem to want to make the evening last.
BAR - In my search for the perfect margarita, I found that La Palapa serves a very
sophisticated margarita on the rocks ... light on the citrus and heavy on the tequila. A fine
start to a fine dinner. A little expensive, but bonus points for the beautiful setting. Arrive
early if you want, and have a drink. And don't get in a hurry at dinner, because by 8:30, the
cool jazz or easy listening music will be drifting from the bar, through the dining area and out
to the beach tables. Stick around and have an after-dinner drink or a flaming coffee with
liqueur, listen to the music, and soak up some atmosphere.
RESERVATIONS - Suggested for larger parties, although I've never had a problem getting a
table. More information on the restaurant is available on their web site.
BOTTOM LINE - La Palapa is Puerto Vallarta at its best.
La Palapa restaurant is probably my overall favorite in Puerto Vallarta. It's the total
package -- good food, great atmosphere, beautiful bar, beach front setting, and spectacular
sunsets and ocean views. I couldn't visit P.V. without having dinner here.
SETTING - Right on the beach on Playa los Muertos on the south edge of downtown. A
"palapa" is one of those big thatched umbrellas on a post that you see shading the tables on
some of the beaches.
FOOD - They call it "Contemporary Mexican", and the emphasis is on "contemporary". And
seafood. The cuisine is upscale and fairly pricey -- but where can you find an incredible setting
like this at home? I don't have a favorite entree -- I get something different every time.
The menu evolves, but I like the Lobster Taco, and the Smoked Scallops with Cascabel Pepper
as appetizers, and the Adobo Grilled Beef Filet and the Pepper Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with
Garlic Spinach over Cranberry Corn Galette and Shitaki Sauce (although oddly, on my recent
visit they substituted a chile-mustard rub for the pepper). They also serve breakfast and
lunch.
AMBIANCE - Romantic. There's a large, breezy open-air dining room that has a rustic beach
feel. There are also a dozen shaded tables on the beach in front, and many a couple or
foursome has enjoyed a quiet, candle-lit dinner there, where you can kick off your sandals and
wiggle your toes in the cool sand. This place has been around since the 1950's when it was
outside of town. It has grown as PV has grown. The service is smooth and leisurely, as most
people seem to want to make the evening last.
BAR - In my search for the perfect margarita, I found that La Palapa serves a very
sophisticated margarita on the rocks ... light on the citrus and heavy on the tequila. A fine
start to a fine dinner. A little expensive, but bonus points for the beautiful setting. Arrive
early if you want, and have a drink. And don't get in a hurry at dinner, because by 8:30, the
cool jazz or easy listening music will be drifting from the bar, through the dining area and out
to the beach tables. Stick around and have an after-dinner drink or a flaming coffee with
liqueur, listen to the music, and soak up some atmosphere.
RESERVATIONS - Suggested for larger parties, although I've never had a problem getting a
table. More information on the restaurant is available on their web site.
BOTTOM LINE - La Palapa is Puerto Vallarta at its best.
