Today we went to a really good restaurant with a fun and comfortable atmosphere in Pitillal.
Hello, again. My dad and I, and sometimes my mom comes along too, have been going out on the town to find some of the best not so well known cheap eats, mostly family-owned, restaurants that we can find. We go out almost every day, finding some new little place, or big place, to tell you about and review the food and prices.
So, I’ve called my dad crazy, boneheaded, bullheaded, weird, even hotheaded, but now I gotta add to the list. He’s stubborn. He’s used this same wallet of his for over 12 years, and refused to get a new one because they were too small, or weren’t real leather, or his wasn’t “dead” yet, even though it’s been falling apart for a couple years. Well, finally he decided to get a new one, though it had to be leather, so we went on a mission to find the perfect wallet. Where to? Pitillal!! There are lots of different leather shops there, so of course after looking for a little while we found one. Though, more interestingly, we found a new delicious restaurant to write about! It’s called Fonda y Cenaduria Ana Maria, and is located on Juárez 211 in Pitillal, and the longitude latitude location is 20.65232962659455, -105.21789938844283.
Ana Maria is a very traditional restaurant, with very traditional recipes, that people have enjoyed for decades, at least enough to keep this restaurant open and doing great for around 30 years! They have all kinds of Mexican food, and are very low-priced as well, and they have breakfasts such as pancakes or eggs to super filling lunches to tacos and arrieros! And everything sounds so good; it’s hard to choose! They also have a nice variety of drinks, though nothing alcoholic.
I got a strawberry what I thought was going to be smoothie, and an asada huarache. The “smoothie” turned out to be a milkshake, like, a real milkshake, made with ice cream! The flavor of ice cream vs. the flavor of the natural fruit or even of strawberry-flavored Nesquik is very different, and very obvious! Also, texture is a big thing that separates smoothies from milkshakes. My milkshake was super creamy, soft, and somehow light. Also, the top of it was dusted with cinnamon, which I thought was simply because the two flavors compliment each other very nicely, but it also gave the drink a subtle hint of spicy-ness and crisp-ness. But to be honest, any milkshake with cinnamon is like a match made in heaven.
Now, about my huarache. Before they brought us our food, they had brought us many different salsas, a salsa platter actually, with cucumbers and radishes. I found myself munching on vegetables dipped in the sauces, and let me tell you all of them were super unique, flavorful, decently mild, and overall just great. The huarache was really good on it’s own, though it did need more salt and pepper, or at least for Miss Puts a Whole Jar of Salt on Her Plate here. Either way, adding some salt really enhanced the flavor (not saying it was bad before,) and the combination of contrasting flavors between the bright salsas, the thick tortilla-like base, and the grilled meat full of charcoal-flavor and mere seasoning was impeccable. And you may be thinking how something so simple as an edible shoe was impeccable, aka flawless, aka perfect, but hey, I’m just telling the facts.
My dad ordered a liter of guanabana water and huevos rancheros, but he too was snacking on cucumbers and sauce before he got his food. Once he got it, he was so impatient to dig in he barely let me take a photo! Why? Well, because he was confused, because aside from the two big eggs on crunchy, corn flavored tostadas he got a serving of macaroni salad, warm rice with rajas and corn, refried beans, and mashed potatoes! Except, cold mashed potatoes. No, they weren’t not hot, they were cold, like refrigerated cold. I asked my dad if he was sure, and even tasted them to see for myself. I’ve never had purposefully cold mashed potatoes, but then I again I’ve never had mashed potatoes with even a similar flavor to these! They tasted exactly like potato salad, but the texture of mashed potatoes. All I can say is that they were really interesting, and really really good. The macaroni salad was cold too, and just as interesting, as it had what we think is Mexican oregano, instead of plain mayonnaise and crema like other places serve, and the rice and beans were great too, except they were hot. The eggs themselves were just fried eggs, as that is what huevos rancheros are, so there’s not much to say about them, but they were pretty good eggs!
Ana Maria looks very small, and kind of wonky from the outside, but don’t be fooled, as it’s a beautiful garden restaurant with separated sitting areas for groups to have privacy, whilst still enjoying the delicious food and feel of a restaurant. When you first walk in there are a few tables in a thin little area, so thin it feels like a corridor, but as you start walking down it you slowly start seeing the full picture; a beautiful park-looking setting with banana trees, plants, planters, and a couple palapas for shade. It feels so comfortable, and as if instead of being at a restaurant you’re hanging out in a park maybe, or a backyard full of fauna, yet you still get served by amazing staff with amazing manners and friendliness. At least, that’s how it made me feel. It made me and my dad comfortable, and we had such a good time. According to him, it’d be the perfect spot, if only they served beers, the love of his life.
Ana Maria's Phone Number: 322 403 5681
If you enjoyed this article, and would like to recommend a place that you know about, then please let me know. Or, if you are an owner yourself of a place that you would like to see written about, contact me.
And to see the rest of my food reviews go to the Dining Out section here in Vallarta Bay Times.