Restaurant Week is here! We look forward to this festival all year, and in celebration, PV Pulse chose four of the thirty-one participating restaurants at random: Si Señor, The River Cafe, Mezzogiorno, and Kaiser Maximilian. Over two weeks, we visited these four restaurants, wrote brief reviews, and posted them on this page.
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Don't just take our word - we want to hear about your Restaurant Week experiences, too. If you visited any of the participating Restaurant Week restaurants, write a brief review and we'll post it here along with ours. Send reviews to info@pvpulse.com.
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STAFF REVIEWS
Kaiser Maximilian
As soon as you walk into Kaiser Maximilian, you feel like you’ve been transported to a cozy European café. The owner has done a great job with the décor, which features big windows, chandeliers, and lots of dark wood.
An interesting thing to note about Kaiser Maximilian during Restaurant Week is that you’re not limited to only three choices per course like most of the other restaurants. We were pleasantly surprised that the special menu featured eight appetizer choices, ten entrée choices, and the entire regular dessert menu (ten choices).
For the appetizer, we first tried the raviolis. They were filled with fennel, prosciutto, and wild mushrooms, and smothered in a bold and creamy tarragon sauce. This dish was rich and delicious, and left us wanting more. We also tried the Caesar salad. The salad came with a few full leaves of Romaine lettuce, a slice of Parmesan cheese, an anchovy, and four crispy potato croutons. The dressing was mild but good.
Next were the entrees. First up was the beef tenderloin. The filet was thick and juicy, perfectly cooked (medium-rare), and served on top of two sauces: a green peppercorn sauce and hollandaise. Served on the side was a “red flannel hash,” which consisted of finely-diced potatoes, beets, and green beans. Our other entrée was the Zwiebelrostbraten, which is beef sirloin pounded flat and covered with Austrian onion rings. This was covered with a gravy that I would guess was made with red wine and onions. On the side, there were tender halved baby potatoes with butter and herbs.
For dessert, we tried the crème brûlée. It was some of the best we’ve ever had. Instead of being served in a small ramekin, it was served in a bigger, shallower bowl, which meant there was more surface area, and more crispy caramelized goodness. The other dessert we tried was actually two-in-one: a plate with Austrian apple pastry and Sacher choclate cake. In the apple pastry, the flaky crust with powdered sugar contrasted wonderfully against the apple filling. The chocolate cake was also good, and unbelievably dense – we certainly didn’t leave hungry!
Now, for the bad. If you read our review of Si Señor (see below), you’ll understand why we were careful about drinks this time around. When the waiter took our order, we simply asked for water. Halfway through the meal, we realized that we were being served Fiji. When the bill came, we were charged about $6 USD for the bottle. Now, don’t get me wrong – the waiter was great, and offered the perfect level of service throughout the meal. I realize that Kaiser Maximilian is a nice restaurant. And I realize that Fiji isn’t cheap. But when the whole purpose of Restaurant Week is to make Vallarta’s top restaurants more economical, something like this feels a bit like a trick.
Overall, our experience at Kaiser Maximilian was a pleasant one – rich and delicious food and great atmosphere.
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Mezzogiorno
I think this little restaurant is a hidden treasure. As we arrived, I thought, “Is this the right place?” It’s located all the way at the end of the street. It looks quite small and it’s hard to tell that it’s a restaurant; the front is covered with beautiful flowers and palms, but if I hadn’t noticed the sign I would have thought it was a private home.
Once we entered, we were enchanted with the cozy atmosphere. The dining room had a European cottage feel to it, with several large wood-framed arched windows that opened up to a view of the ocean in front of the tables. You’re so close, it looks like you’re on top of the ocean. There was seating outside on the deck or inside in the air-conditioning.
The staff was very professional and friendly, and there was plenty of help to go around. We were served good bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping while we looked over the menu.
I chose the Crostini di Gamberi al Limoncello – a bruschetta with shrimp, shallots, and limoncello – to start with. I thought this sounded like a nice alternative to the traditional bruschetta, and it was excellent! The shrimp was clean and perfectly cooked with a hint of lemony sweetness, and the presentation was appealing.
For my main course, I tried the Polpette al Brandy, which was ground beef and cured ham meatballs in a brandy sauce with capellini pasta. I found the meatballs to be tasty and juicy, and they completed the pasta sauce well. The result was a warm and satisfying meal.
For dessert, I picked the cheesecake. I was disappointed with this one – it was bland and granular. The sugar wasn’t mixed well in the cake, and you could feel it. I was lucky enough to steal a spoonful of my companion’s tiramisu, which was very good. I’d recommend that over the cheesecake any day.
All in all, I would recommend Mezzogiorno, and I will return to dine there again. With the spectacular views and great service in a quiet little restaurant, who needs cheesecake anyway?
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The River Cafe
I must say I love the idea of Restaurant Week; I think it’s a perfect way to encourage people to get out and try new restaurants without emptying their wallets.
The first thing I noticed about the River Café was that we were greeted and welcomed into the restaurant even before we reached the entrance. Nestled into the lush gardens alongside the Rio Cuale, this modern restaurant has a setting that showcases the true beauty of Old Town Vallarta. As we were escorted to our table overlooking the river’s edge, we walked past the stage where there was great live music being played. It wasn’t too soft and wasn’t too loud, which created an ambiance that still allowed conversation. There’s a nice bar area where you could sip on a cocktail while enjoying the show.
Our waiter was very attentive and helpful in making good suggestions to enhance our dining experience. It’s nice when you know you’re being taken care of without the getting the sense of hovering.
For my first course, I chose the grilled Thai chicken skewers. This arrived right away and was beautifully displayed with two skewers of chicken on top of a small bed of sprouts, surrounded by artfully drawn lines of different salsas beaming out from the skewers. The chicken itself was well-cooked and moist with a hint of peanut flavor. I really enjoyed trying the different salsas; one was your traditional peanut sauce with just the right hint of spice finishing with a bit of sweetness to please your palate. The second sauce was more of a soy sauce and ginger, and my favorite one was a thicker, darker, spicier blend that was sooo tasty!
For my main course I chose the filet mignon. I thought I knew steak and potatoes but I was surprised by this dish! My thick-cut steak was so tender you could cut it with a fork, which usually isn’t easy when you order it well-done. The mashed potatoes almost stole the show – they were creamy and delicious, blended with different herbs and garlic.
For dessert I had to try the crème brûlée, and it was creamy sweet perfection. With just the right texture and portion, I was fully satisfied with my dining experience.
This is definitely a restaurant I would recommend to anyone and I will absolutely be back to get my taste buds tickled.
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Si Señor
The first thing you'll notice when you walk into Si Señor is the atmosphere - the restaurant features high ceilings, warm colors, lots of natural light, and beautiful furniture, light fixtures, decorations, and oil paintings. There's also air conditioning, something that you begin to appreciate this time of year in PV.
Be sure to ask for the Restaurant Week menu - my companion and I were first given the regular menu.
I'm happy to report that the food was very good. As soon as we were seated, we were served a bowl of green, regular, and red chips with three salsas: a mild salsa verde, a medium tomato-based red salsa, and a spicy salsa verde. For the first course, I ordered the crab cake. I got two cakes deep-fried to perfection in a slightly smoky sauce. On the side there was an entire salad with lemon vinaigrette stuffed into a hollowed-out tomato. High points for presentation - I've never seen a salad served like this. My companion's appetizer was a fresh mussel dish with potatoes, peppers, and onions smothered in a very creamy, rich herb sauce.
Between the appetizer and the main course, we were treated to a song by a three-piece mariachi band, led by a very talented harp player. Their unique music was nice - upbeat but relaxing at the same time.
For the entree, my companion had the rancheros shrimp: jumbo shrimp, tomatoes, onions, and Poblano chiles in a very mild tomato sauce. This came with a side of rice and fresh steamed vegetables. My entree was the choice tenderloin beef filet. I must admit, this wasn't quite was I had expected; I was imagining a nice, thick steak, but instead it was thin cuts of beef you'd usually see in fajitas. Nevertheless, most of my misgivings disappeared after my first bite - the filet was tender, juicy, and covered with melted Chihuahua cheese. This dish also came with a side of rice and a side of beans. Both of our entrees were served with fresh, warm tortillas, some of which were a dark blue color, something you don't often see.
For dessert, I ordered the corn pie (pastel de elote) served á la mode. This was my first time trying corn pie, but I had heard rave reviews from others. It's a hard food to describe - the closest I can come is a sweet, corn-flavored cheesecake, but even that's not quite right. For me, the verdict is still out. It was good, but it was such an unfamiliar combination of flavors and textures, I think I need to try it again sometime. My companion got the tres leches ("Three Milks") cake, which was, on the other hand, unequivocally delicious. Beautifully presented with three round cakes sliding off each other, soaked in three milks (condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream), and topped with whipped cream and a strawberry sauce, the three milks cake was perfect - sweet but not too sweet.
The service was good; both the host and the waiter were very attentive.
One last note: be careful with your drink order! The drinks can be very expensive - my companion and I each ordered one of the night's special drink, called a Luz de Vallarta ("Light of Vallarta"). Together, these two drinks turned out to be $240 pesos, which was almost a third of the bill.
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READER REVIEWS
Archie's Wok, by Leza Luna Warkentin
I always like to crow about the fact that my birthday falls during Restaurant Week. I get a wonderful experience at my favourite restaurant, and my husband can add more money to my birthday gift (well, this is what I like to think). This year was no exception, so as soon as the babysitter showed up, we were off to Archie’s Wok, where we make our appearance every May 25.
Being a vegetarian, it is very difficult to take advantage of Restaurant Week, since almost all of the menus include a meat dish. To be honest, it is sometimes disappointing any time of the year to go out for an upscale dinner at many of our beautiful restaurants in town. There are very few options on the menu unless you eat your salad as a main course, or have the chef prepare pasta primavera (again). Not true with Archie’s Wok! There are always delicious and adventurous main courses for vegetarians, and we veggies are grateful!
It only takes a visit or two at Archie’s Wok to feel like a regular, and after years of paying regular visits, we now received a warm welcome from all the staff along with questions about how our kids are doing. We were pleased to see D’Rachel, the resident harpist, already onstage playing beautifully relaxing music that fits in perfectly with the calming decor.
We were immediately offered the Restaurant Week menus along with the regular menus, along with an explanation about the new menu and Restaurant Week. We ordered the East-West bruschetta, which sounds strange in the context of an Asian restaurant, but it worked as all their Asian fusion dishes do. It was on crisp French bread with capers, lime and cherry tomatoes. I heaped on their signature spicy cilantro-based salsa and it was even tastier.
For our main course, I chose the sesame-herb pesto with tofu and mushrooms. It was delicious. Who knew sesame and pesto pasta could be such a great combination? The tofu and the mushrooms picked up the flavours well. I often find pesto dishes much too salty, but this one worked well and I finished my plate. My husband chose the fish cakes with Asian slaw and Chinese black beans. The crispy slaw made a great pairing for the fish cakes. My husband, being Mexican, is always happy when the plate includes a nice serving of beans!
We both chose the flourless chocolate truffle cake with espresso and dark chocolate ganache. I am a girl who likes her chocolate, so this was an easy choice to make. It was the right decision. I do not know how the chef was able to pull off such a rich, fudgy cake without flour, but it really was the crowning touch of the meal.
I guess it’s safe to say I am not a particularly impartial food critic when it comes to Archie’s Wok. This comes as a result, however, of nearly 10 years of flawless service, incredible food and drink, and an ambience perfect for a relaxing night out. Restaurant Week or no, Archie’s always makes a dining experience unique, enjoyable, and worth the cost of a really good babysitter.
Trio, by Mike Heneghan
My wife Corrie and I were celebrating our anniversary, our first as residents of Vallarta, and we wanted to make it a special one. One that strayed from tacos or quesadillas. After hearing many suggestions and wandering down the narrow streets of town, we felt drawn to Trio and walked in. “Reservation, sir? No? Then have a seat at our bar.” Great.
And actually it was. There was a lone, sleek stool waiting for my bride, and while she sipped on a Merlot, we watched the hustle and flow of a very busy dining room. The gentle roar of friends talking, low pleasant music, and plenty of warm laughter made this a room you wanted to linger in. A trio—natch—of musicians plucked and strummed (not wandering, thankfully), one of whom reminded me of Bob Dylan multi-tasking musically, though here the pan flute stood in for Bob’s famous harmonica. Ten minutes later and we were seated.
Corrie and I decided we’d try different items and share, a hallowed tradition amongst seasoned dining couples like ourselves. To start, Corrie ordered the very mellow asparagus soup, while I was treated to risotto with rabbit. Both were tremendous and were much larger than we’d anticipated. This was true for our entrees as well: pork shank and a rich seafood paella. The final third of our meal we broke with form and ordered the same, neither of us being able to resist the warm chocolate cake with two dollops of butter pecan and vanilla ice cream.
As our attentive waiter brought our bill, my wife reached for her purse, which hung from a wooden stand with a slight, musical bow in it. Minor, and unimportant, but the kind of detail which shows that someone wanted Trio to be a special, comfortable place to share. And it was.
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