The arrayán is a fruit tree that is native to Jalisco state. Its aromatic, slightly sour fruit has traditionally been used to make popsicles, drinks, and candies.
Carmen Porras, the owner of El Arrayán restaurant, grew up in Mexico City. She has fond childhood memories of visiting her mother’s family in Guadalajara, where there was a field of arrayán trees. After attending Les Roches in Switzerland and working for the Four Seasons and Camino Real in Mexico City, Carmen moved here in 2000, and soon noticed a lack of high-quality Mexican food from different regions. She opened El El Arrayán restaurant in 2003 with the goal of filling that gap in Vallarta’s culinary scene.
She has definitely succeeded. In almost seven short years, El Arrayán has garnered some impressive accolades such as Virtual Vallarta’s “Best Mexican Restaurant” Readers’ Choice Award for five years running and AAA’s Three Diamond Award. It has also been named a Fodor’s Choice Restaurant, a “Must Do” by Frommer’s, and a “truly memorable experience” by Lonely Planet.
So what makes El Arrayán so special? The first thing is the food, of course! The restaurant focuses on “special occasion Mexican” – authentic specialties from various regions of the country that no one else in town is serving. A good example is El Arrayán’s signature dish, the duck carnitas: crispy duck cooked confit with a sauce made from arrayán, orange, and Guajillo chiles. Another perennial favorite is the cochinita pibil, a Yucatán classic consisting of boneless pork marinated in achiote and slow-cooked in banana leaves.
Carmen says, “We all grew up with Mexican food. Our parents were all really good eaters, and they appreciated Mexican food. We’re lucky in that sense.” That appreciation is apparent; everything at El Arrayán is prepared with fresh ingredients, right down to the tortillas, which are hand-made every day with fresh masa. Even the ice cream is homemade with 100% natural ingredients, such as organic vanilla beans, Mexican chocolate, and cajeta.
El Arrayán also has a unique drink menu, featuring an extensive wine list (many of them Mexican) as well as creative cocktails. The signature cocktail is the Arrayán Margarita, made with arrayán fruit, sweet and sour mix, and 100% agave reposado tequila. Also popular is “Katerina’s MoJo” – crushed basil leaves, vodka, grapefruit juice, and Fresca.
Enjoying all this great food and drink is easy considering El Arrayán’s friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Everything is colorful, from the giant Huichol yarn art on the walls, to the tables covered with traditional oil cloth, to the characteristic details of Mexican Sierra architecture: exposed brick, pink and yellow paint, and terracotta floors. Fittingly, the centerpiece of the restaurant’s open courtyard is a single arrayán tree.
CURRENT SPECIALS AND PROMOTIONS:
· 2 for 1 lime (traditional) margaritas
· 10% discount on all cash payments (does not apply with other promotions)
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