During a long stay in Merida, it took some time before we discovered Calle 47 and its wealth of fancy restaurants. After a review of options, we noticed this lesser-traveled place with good online reviews and as a Gin lover, we decided to give it a go.
This was one of our really happy discoveries on our trip. While not a restaurant focused on local cuisine, it does have a menu that was interesting enough for us to attract us not just once, but two times.
First - the ambience can have pretty large variation. There is a large section of tables in a well-lit area that is more traditional dining, and there is a cool, dark bar vibe area where we were seated. It was here, in a room with a lighted sign of "God Save The Gin", that we ordered cocktails and what would be a delightful dining experience on both of our visits.
The interesting menu made choosing our dinners quite challenging, in a good way. Ultimately, over the course of our two visits, we went with a Crispy Chicken Bao, a Gin Tonic Salad w. Arrachera, Hibiscus Empanadas, and their Tabla 47 charcuterie options.
For cocktails, I had to go with a Gin & Tonic Happy hour special (quite the deal at M$77), and the Black Skull (gin, apple, chartreuse+). Their Hibiscus Fizz Mocktail also didn't disappoint.
The Crispy Chicken Bao entree was outstanding. More like the buns from a Peking Duck vs. a true Bao, these things were the best imaginable blend of textures and flavors, and was the thing we had to get on both trips.
The Tabla 47 was an absolute mound of serrano ham that couldn't be finished by two people with other appetizers. Great cheeses, too.
I was very happy with the Gin Tonic salad, though the steak add-on could have been a little more tender. I would still reorder it, though.
Service was great for us, and we even liked the music, played at what we would deem the optimal volume. Pricing was very reasonable for the experience, and a wonderful and literal palate cleanser on a Yucatecan-heavy trip so far.
I don't think this place has been discovered yet. Enjoy! read more