Creating Cuisine in Sayulita on the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

What does Sayulita in the Riviera Nayarit in Mexico have that continues to attract us? Located just north of Puerto Vallarta, it’s a world away from the “typical” tourist destination.

Is it because it’s a sleepy little fishing village with a laid-back, surfer vibe that satisfies our inner child of being free to explore the ocean, beach, and old-time Mexican culture?

Is it that it is a town that defies the temptation to become too commercialized, which in turn would destroy the warmth and charm of a hidden gem?

Is the beach sandy with long gentle surf with warm clear water?

We believe it is all of the above and that “Sayulita Good Vibes” is truly a state of mind that all visitors experience…and are continually drawn to.

Establish a base camp

This article focuses on eating… plain and simple… as almost everything you eat here is fresh, locally sourced and reasonably priced.

Sayulita is an epicurean delight with exceptional dining options, from “street food” to full gourmet restaurants.

We typically select the road less traveled and find vacation rentals that come with a well-equipped chef’s kitchen.

Once again, Sayulita Life (sayulitalife.com) becomes the reference site. They represent over 400 vacation rental options and we usually find the “perfect” place.

We love to cook and on this trip we attracted two other like-minded couples to join us. Looking for a place to share with three couples brings the price of more expensive properties into a much more reasonable price range as well.

A cornucopia of fresh ingredients

Sayulita and other surrounding towns have organized and scheduled many open-air farmers markets that emphasize organic options and offer local fruits and vegetables.

One of our favorite markets was a short drive south of Sayulita at the La Cruz Marina fish market on Banderas Bay, where you can buy fresh fish, shrimp, lobster, oysters, and assorted other seafood, all at great prices.

Fish markets have been a staple in Banderas Bay for generations, in fact, many of the restaurants, personal chefs, and caterers in the area purchase their seafood here every day.

Also, the Sunday market features handmade items made by the locals and indigenous tribes in the area… each vendor can only sell what they personally made… now that’s local pride.

Eat INSIDE…The Personal Chef Option

For a special treat, we hired three professional chefs on three different nights to share their talents and delight us with their regional cuisine from their respective heritages.

Justifying the decision to hire a personal chef for three couples who love to cook wasn’t difficult considering the alternatives.

Imagine if you’re dining in the comfort of your vacation rental, and all you have to do is enjoy the cooking demo (if you’d like), sip a refreshing beverage, and anticipate fabulous cuisine prepared just for you and your family. . taste preferences.

You don’t have to buy the ingredients, prepare them, plate them and, best of all… don’t clean up. It all happens like magic…and for less than the cost of a similar meal at an outdoor restaurant.

You owe it to yourself to try it at least once for a special date or event and you’re all on vacation… so make a memory!

Here are three unique chefs with their own style and specialties…all waiting for your call.

boss laura

We were introduced to Laura as our housekeeper at “Villa Sol Blau” and told that she is an excellent cook who has prepared meals for numerous guests.

What we discovered is that Laura uses family recipes combined with fresh local ingredients and treats her diners like “family” while lavishing the warmth and grace of her heritage…we enjoyed traditional food and Laura’s charming personality… “Mom” I was in the kitchen!

Laura prepared an authentic regional meal consisting of green chile enchiladas and traditional slow-cooked black beans, followed by chile relleno with poblana sauce and Mexican rice, all based on a family recipe. Her dessert Flan de ella was, of course, homemade and was as delicate as it was creamy.

Chef Sofia Silva Sanchez

We “found” Chef Sofía on the Sayulita Life site and she also has her own website (sayulitachef.com). After reading the glowing reviews, as well as her extensive menu options, we made a dinner date.

Sofia is a vibrant, effervescent and very personable person and as a chef her wide range of culinary skills extend from traditional Mexican cuisine to menus offering Italian, Indian, Moroccan, vegetarian and vegan options.

Their excellent reputation for desserts is definitely underrated!

The meal began with cucumber cups stuffed with shrimp ceviche, followed by a

organic vegetable salad topped with chipotle dressing. The main course was tender pieces of chicken baked in poblana sauce with Mexican rice and their dessert was homemade Key Lime Pie topped with strawberries and mint.

ChefDaniel Murillo

Chef Daniel is a consummate professional and cooks with flair…he literally lights up the room! You can say… Call!

Daniel owns the restaurant “Mexotix” in the neighboring town of San Pancho, which is a short drive north of Sayulita. He offers his catering and cooking services in Sayulita and we have enjoyed his exceptional “Mexican-Fusion with an Asian twist” style on numerous occasions. (sayulitalife.com/mexotik)

Chef Daniel works with his Sous Chef Juan to create amazing food. He started with sesame-crusted seared tuna served over tostini with cucumber noodles and alfalfa sprouts drizzled with balsamic reduction.

Followed with Empanadas handmade from scratch stuffed with shrimp sautéed in a Mexican citrus sauce and melted panela cheese.

With a little spark and fire, Daniel sautéed an octopus in an orange reduction with hibiscus and chipotle, served with grilled vegetables and coconut rice…tender and delicious.

Eat IN… Prepare a gastronomic experience yourself

The three couples put on some friendly competition and over the course of three nights it was game on! But our first stop was a trip to the La Cruz fish market followed by a visit to a variety of markets in town and one more stop at the excellent fish market just across the bridge into town.

We started with the Team Challenge: Jumbo Blue Shrimp cooked three ways.

A team prepared seared Mahi-Mahi with organic vegetables and avocados.

One team grilled two very large spiny lobsters with lots of melted butter on the side.

One team grilled two sushi-grade yellowtail tuna steaks weighing about two pounds each.

We all demonstrated our culinary skills, tasted exceptional wines from Chile and Mexico, and most of all, enjoyed the experience.

Summary

Creating cuisine in a village with a cadre of personal chefs, fresh seafood, organic farmer’s markets, and local vendors offering all the ingredients you need to create unforgettable dining experiences…all in a semi-tropical location…it’s just very special.

Sayulita’s “good vibes” is truly a state of mind that all visitors experience…and are continually drawn to!

Long live Mexico… Long live Sayulita!

After all, what’s the rush… get inspired…

© 2017 Inspired Travel Itineraries with Bob and Janice Kollar