In 1976, Philippino-born Archie Alpenia left his job as chef at a Santa Barbara resort, packed his belongings into his Dodge van, and traveled to Mexico with his wife and children in order to “see how the rest of the world [was] living.” The family settled in nearby Quimixto. Archie met film director John Huston through a mutual friend, Von Rohr, who was the head of construction for Huston’s home in Caletas. After catering a few of Huston’s poker parties, Archie was invited by Huston to work as his personal chef, a job Archie excelled at until Huston returned to the U.S. in the mid-1980s.
Ten years after his arrival in Mexico, Archie fulfilled his dream of having his own restaurant when he opened Archie’s Wok, one of the first foreign restaurants in town. Archie passed away in 1993, but the restaurant continues to flourish today under the guidance of Archie’s wife Cyndi and their children Sergio and Kiyoki.
Archie’s has become famous for its southeast Asian cuisine prepared with fresh local ingredients such as cilantro, lemongrass, and chiles. The emphasis is Thai, but there are Philippino, Vietnamese, and Cambodian influences as well. A perfect example is the restaurant’s perennial best-selling spicy fried noodles, which feature a home-made curry, chicken and shrimp, and bean sprouts. Equally impressive is Archie’s atmosphere. It’s created by an eclectic mix of Asian decorations like bamboo, Buddhas, and paintings by Cathy Von Rohr, a long-time family friend. The back of the restaurant is an intimate open-air courtyard. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 7:30 – 10:30, you can enjoy original live jazz and latin music from d’Rachael, a harpist/flautist.
We asked Sergio, the chef at Archie’s Wok, what he thinks makes the restaurant special. His response: “I think a lot of our customers, especially customers that have been coming for years… there’s really a feeling of family. These are people I’ve known since I was a kid. It’s not every restaurant that you walk in and the owner hugs you and asks you about your family. It’s really close and personal. Then, [there’s] the ambiance. My mom and my sister have done a great job with the décor. I think it’s really unique. It has a nice settling, calming feeling to it. And finally, the food – it’s a little hard on my cooks because we prep almost everything every day. Everything’s really fresh and different.”
Archie’s Wok has become a Vallarta institution. The next time you’re in the mood for some delicious pan-Asian food, give Archie’s a try.
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