Pelicanos is a gourmet Caribbean seafood restaurant located in the Zilara. It's situated by the swimming pools, but also has an oceanfront view.
Our group came here for an early lunch, as the Spice buffet was yet to be opened. We ordered guacamole (thicker tortilla chips with chunky guac); Shrimp Cocktail (shrimp with cocktail sauce made of orange juice and brandy; this seemed more like chopped up shrimp in a martini glass, in a cocktail sauce mixture); Vuelve a la Vida (octopus, shrimp, and crab in a spicy cocktail sauce; chopped up seafood in a cocktail sauce, served in a martini glass); Coconut Shrimp (deep-fried coconut shrimp with a spicy sweet and sour mango sauce; comes with 4 pieces; the sweet and sour mango sauce was forgettable, and the shrimp was a bit overfried); Fried Calamari (with a spicy marinara sauce; this had a super thin crispy batter, almost like fish taco-like batter; these were pretty delicious, and no need for the marinara sauce); Pescadillas (served with a salad and red sauce; I wasn't a fan of this, as this seemed like small mini flat enclosed tacos with mystery shredded meat inside); a Margherita pizza (from the stone oven; had tomato slices, tomato, and cheese; while the menu stated that there was basil pesto, this was not the case; however, the pizza came out piping hot and it was thin, crispy, and cheesy!); Seafood Casserole (with shrimp, fish, mussels, squid, and scallops, sauteed with white wine and tomato sauce; this seemed to be in soup form, and I didn't find it appetizing); Catch of the Day (came as 2 pieces of whole fried fish; served with salad and a mortar-made sauce; fish was fresh, delicate, and flaky); Grouper Fillet (grilled, butter and garlic); and, Shrimps al Ajillo (grilled shrimp with guajillo chili butter and rice, with a side of plantains; could have used more butter and garlic).
I also tried their Strawberry and Lime Mojitos, which it was more club soda than the flavors of the fruit. The smoothie cocktails seem to be more of a popular choice, such as the Mango Tango or the margaritas.
This open-air al fresco dining seems to be a favorite for those who want a sit-down casual fare, but I recommend in sticking with the buffet!
+Caribbean fare
+Fried Calamari
+Margherita pizza
+friendly service
+located by the pools read more