Holy cow. Where to begin?
Wife N and I are staying here at Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla. We're playing the field so to speak, and heading to a different one of the 13 property restaurants each day/night we're here.
We'd heard great things about this place, and came here with high expectations.
We started with an order of two appetizers: the Octopus Carpaccio (Apple, arugula, mint, citrus and green bell pepper vinaigrette) and a Hummus plate with Lamb Kafta, Pita, babaghanouj and olive oil.
While we were awaiting our apps, they served fresh-baked bread with two butters: paprika butter and cumin butter. Wife liked the paprika but I was very partial to the cumin butter. Super floral and perfumed--I've never thought of infusing butter with cumin but it worked so well I'm ready to go home and grind some cumin up myself.
The appetizers arrived.
Okay, if the appetizers are any indication of the quality of the food to come, this place is going to be fabulous. I've never had an octopus carpaccio, let alone one like this. Octopus was perfectly steamed, not over at all but tender, with a slight crisp but wasn't rubbery at all--perfect. The other flavors on the plate complemented it perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing. The hummus plate was awesome. The lamb kafta (meatball on a stick, so to speak) was the best I've ever had, and I've eaten at Mediterranean places in L.A.--the lamb was so tender and flavorful. It just melted in my mouth. The hummus was as good as I've ever made at home, and better than I've had anywhere else. It's not like a decent hummus is particularly difficult to make, but these guys just nailed it.
A glass of white wine for Wife N and red for me. House wine. Both were perfectly fine.
The dinner arrived.
Wife had the Duck in Hibiscus flower and Cardamom sauce with mille feuille (of potato) and grilled corn with vegetables. Maybe it's the wrong time of year, but there was no grilled corn. Menu fail, but I won't fault them too much--the dish was excellent. The flavors were spot on; Wife N loved the duck, though I thought it was a bit over--it was medium at the core but medium-well outside. She thought it was just fine.
My dish was Turbot (fish) with a Mussels beurre blanc, vegetables with saffron and eggplant, couscous with a yogurt sauce. The beurre blanc had congealed slightly and was darker than I'd expect, but all flavors were there. A single staff of asparagus adorned the cous cous and a decorative smear of tangy yogurt complemented the plate. Flavors were all spot on. Couscous is...couscous (sidebar: I've never been a couscous fan but I ate it all anyway as I'm a glutton for punishment and hate wasting a speck of food). Wife said it was good couscous. On this one, I'd go with her opinion.
Desserts: Wife N had the Domo de Chocolate with mascarpone and a chai tea sauce. Presented as a beautiful round ball, the server then pours the hot chai sauce over and the ball melts, opening to produce the mousse within, bathed in a luscious tan sauce. It was awesome.
My dessert: I ordered the Pear Confit with Vanilla, Hibiscus flower and Cinnamon essence, perfumed with poached roses and a quennelle of lemon sorbet.
Glancing at my Yelp status, I've written somewhere around 240 reviews over the past 7 years. In all that time, never once have I been presented with a dessert that elicited so much emotion that I wept. Yes, you read correctly. I had a dessert so good I was crying over it. I don't know what Heaven looks, tastes, or smells like. But if they're serving this dessert there I'll be just fine thank you very much.
In all, one of the best meals I've had, definitely up there in my top-20. Paradisus Guests: this restaurant is included. You'd best make your reservation now. read more