La Palapa de Sabor
Located on Ignacio Zaragoza two blocks from the main street, La Palapa del Sabor now has a huge backyard of the property that provides a space for outdoor seating, a round palapa bar, an outdoor kitchen with wood-fired oven, a stage for entertainment, and a grass lawn for pets and families. We were completely surprised as we walked through the archway gate and back to the restaurant.
Painted in vibrant Mexican colors, the atmosphere is great. The sign at the front of the property announces pet friendly and so we brought Charlie, our Lhasa Apso with us for lunch. He immediate met and said hello to another dog. The server greeted us and told us to choose any table that we would like. He brought us menus and one specially for Charlie. The owner, Cristina came over to introduce herself and tell us about the menu. It is an extensive offering of Mexican food. Two of their specialties she said were the chicken mole, which used her mother’s mole recipe, and the Fish Tacos pastor, with their special sauce. We ordered our drinks and looked over the menu.
There were several appetizers, soups and salads, meats, chicken, fish, and shrimp all prepared in Mexican tradition. The other side of the menu offered a full range of special tacos, chilaquiles, some sandwiches and a hamburger. We decided to order some guacamole to start. Beth chose chicken fajitas for her main lunch course with flour tortillas, and I selected their special fish tacos al pastor.
Our appetizer came – a large platter with guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and tortilla chips. The guacamole was great with tomatoes, onions and lemon mixed in. The Pico de Gallo also had a unique flavor. A separate small bowl of spicy salsa was also served with the guacamole. We enjoyed it very much as we waited for our entrees. We also ordered a special lunch for Charlie.
The three fish tacos al pastor were served on blue corn tortillas. The tacos had long strips of fish prepared in a special sauce with lots of pineapple to add even more flavor. The chicken fajitas came on a large plate with lots of chicken, peppers, and onions. There was also a small bowl of guacamole and another salsa to add in building the fajitas with the flour tortillas. Both dishes were excellent and very reasonably priced.
Cristina came over to ask how we liked our food, which gave us the chance to ask more about the restaurant. The focus on pets was obvious. She explained that they held monthly clinics to spay and neuter cats and dogs and no cost as well as an afternoon dog park on Saturdays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. There was an adoption sign up at the back in an area that had stacks of dog crates. She explained that the group of women that meeting at a nearby table were planning the events to raise funds to support their efforts to help the pets and sheltered animals in Todos Santos. The restaurant also sells special dog treats and other items to support their efforts.
Cristina, a retired AeroMexico pilot (which her son is now too) is very organized and works to implement her vision of how to give back to the community.
We were very impressed with the location, the food, the service, and the owner’s commitment to the animals of Todos Santos. It is worth a trip for the food and the cause.
For more information about La Palapa del Sabor visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080684950673
Bonjour Madame
There is a strip of restaurants in Las Tunas in north Todos Santos on Calle Los Playitas that includes Poke Loko, Landia, Bajavaria Beer Garden and Bonjour Madame. Bonjour Madame is in Plaza Victor, right in the middle of this strip of restaurants. It is a bakery, French deli, and restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. The restaurant has seating both inside and outside.
I recently visited for breakfast while staying in the condo in Todos Santos. Walking into the indoor space, it is immediately obvious that is more than a restaurant. The display cases hold meats, prepared foods and salads, pastries, and freshly baked bread. There is also a cooler of beverages and a shelving display with glassware and pottery. I walked up to the counter on the kitchen side of the restaurant, where the menu was displayed. I selected the scrambled eggs with bacon and fresh orange juice and went outside to sit at one of the tables.
The freshly squeezed orange juice arrived. You could tell that it has just been squeezed to my order, with a little pulp still in the juices. It was great. When my breakfast plate was delivered, it included the scrambled eggs, bacon, and four small slices of fresh French bread. There was also a large pad of sweet butter. The scrambled eggs were among the best that I have ever had anywhere – fluffy and tasted like a little cheese had been blended in. The bacon was crisp. I slowly enjoyed my breakfast and even ordered a second orange juice. I was impressed.
Rumi Garden
Located at the top of the main road into Todos Santos from Cabo San Lucas, Rumi Garden is an organic restaurant with a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. The owner, Nina Chun first visited Todos Santos 17 years ago and fell in love with the town. While on a walk, she saw a lot where the building had burnt down. It intrigued her, and a man passing by told her the lot was for sale. Coming back to visit it again, she decided to buy the lot and build the restaurant of her dreams. For the first 14 yeas, it was a Chinese restaurant. Three years ago, it was reimagined as a special space guided by the poetry and philosophy of Rumi, a 13th century poet, theologian and Islamic scholar from Iran. Nina described how she wanted people to find her restaurant because of its feeling and philosophy. In fact, Rumi Garden is much more than a restaurant – a gathering space for the people of Todos Santos with a large library, a stage, and its philosophy written on the walls.
Nina brags that she has an open kitchen and that it is cleanest in town. Her ingredients are all organic and sourced locally. The menu offers appetizers, salads, soups, entrées and desserts based on dishes from Mexico, Thailand, Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Japan, Peru, Greece, France, Haiti, and China. It is truly unique and all organic.
It was our daughter’s first night in Todos Santos and being vegan, she chose the restaurants. To start we ordered guacamole. I ordered the Haitian Joumou Cream Soup made with butter nut squash and pumpkin. For main courses, our daughter chose the Chinese Dumplings stuffed with shitake mushrooms, onions, garlic, carrots, and ginger. My wife selected the Japanese Tempura Vegetables, and I ordered the French Coquettes stuffed with mashed potatoes and poblano peppers. We all tasted each other’s choices and we shared the brownie for dessert.
The flavors were all amazing. Nina was an incredible host and the atmosphere is unique. Virtually everything on the menu is under $200 mx. You don’t need to be vegan to love the food served at Rumi Garden. Open Friday to Tuesday from 12:30 to 8:30 pm.
For more information about Rumi Garden visit the website at https://www.rumigarden.com/site/ or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rumigarden