There are more and more complaints on social media that Los Cabos has become too expensive. At the same time, its reputation as a food lovers’ paradise has grown dramatically over the past few years. Gringo Gazette has decided that it is important to showcase local restaurants that provide good food and service at a reasonable price, from street food to fine dining.
Breakfast: George’s at La Marina Inn in La Playita
I wanted to meet friends from Shipwrecks on the East Cape for breakfast. Since Buzzard’s Bar and Grill closed, it is hard to find a reasonable place for breakfast on the East Cape. Most restaurants with breakfast are in hotels or more expensive like Flora Farms or Acre. We decided to meet at George’s at La Marina Inn in La Playita Across from El Ganzo Hotel. The dining room is outdoors beside the swimming pool and very pleasant.
The menu offers a good selection of both Mexican and American Breakfast choices. Select from Burritos, Chilaquiles, Huevos Ranchero, Enchiladas, Traditional Machaca or your favorite omelets, Eggs Benedict, pancakes, French Toast, or lighter items like Avocado Toast or a Fruit Bowl. We each ordered our favorite breakfast drink – coffee, orange juice, and a green drink while reviewing the menu. Claude decided on the Huevos Ranchero; Ethan, the Fisherman’s Breakfast and I chose the Eggs Benedict. The Fisherman’s Breakfast offers the choice of scrambled or poached eggs and the meat side of your choice and is served with hash browns.
We sat and chatted while waiting for our food and enjoyed the early morning sun. Our selections were served and everyone was quiet for a while as we dug into our breakfasts. Overall, the dishes were good (but not great). The hollandaise on the Eggs Benedict was a little thin. The service was very good, the atmosphere very pleasant and the prices very reasonable. Most of the items on the menu are under 200 pesos (or less than $10 US). The Eggs Benedict was the most expensive item on the menu at 289 pesos. Ethan had recently been there for dinner and was very pleased.
For more information about George’s at La Marina Inn in La Playita visit their website at https://lamarinainn.com/georges-restaurant/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/georgesatlamarinainn
Lunch: Shade at La Fortuna
La Fortuna has become the center of restaurants on the East Cape. Zai Sushi Surf Bar, Ozzy’s Beach Bar, Lateral La Fortuna, La Tiendita, Restaurante La Fortuna, and Shade Beach Bar and Grill. Shade opened three years ago as the second restaurant in the area. With a menu that includes appetizers – guacamole, ceviche, quesadillas, wings-, salads, tacos, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and specials – fajitas, fish, chicken, steaks – and desserts, you can get almost any style of food that you want. The outdoor restaurant has a bar, stage, fire pit with seats and a great view of the Sea of Cortez. With a path back and forth to the beach at La Fortuna, you can enjoy the sun, the sand, the water, and the food. Shade also has frequent live music and sometimes movies at night projected on a large screen.
Marcus, the owner greeted us and led us to the table that had been reserved with a view of the stage. The Lost Dogs of Zacatitos were performing the night with Josh Child on lead guitar and vocals, Herb Mullen on bass guitar and vocals and Chris on drums. They play a range of great rock, like the Grateful Dead, as well as their own original tunes.
After looking at the menu, we ordered some guacamole to start, which had tomatoes and onions mixed into the avocado as the base with a large plate of tortilla chips. Beth decided on a Margarita pizza. Shade has a wood-fired pizza oven, which makes great pizzas. I chose chicken fajitas with flour tortillas for my main course. Both were excellent and well-priced (costs are a little higher on the East Cape as everything must be brought out from San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas).
The service was great, the atmosphere pleasant, the music fun, and the view both during the day as the sun went down terrific.
For more information about Shade at La Fortuna Beach Bar and Grill visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SHADEatLaFortuna. For directions and contact information visit https://www.flowcode.com/page/shadeatlafortuna