Elegant Ladies lunch at Agatha.

Time to head across the street to the bus. Yesterday we were on our way to the Agatha restaurant at the south end of Gaviotis in the Golden Zone. 

Across the dirt meridian to the bus.  Lots of digging to put in new lighting.

Off the bus and heading to the restaurant.

Pam and Helene and don't they look lovely in their dresses!  

Coming up to Agatha.  This is a very classy, upscale restaurant.  We have eaten here before and never been disappointed. 

We decided to have our lunch on the outdoor patio.  A bit noisier than inside but nice and breezy.

Linda, Jeannette and Marilyn perusing the menu.

This is part of the very extensive menu.  Interesting appetizers, seafood, sushi and much more. 

I decided to have a Limonjito which has lime and mint in it.  I would have had a mojito but it wasn't offered. 

Today we were two tables of five and this is Pam, Helene, Diane, Ruth and Bev.

No chips and salsa here.  Three different kinds of in house baked bread with a spice olive, garlic, olive oil tapenade.  Very delicious.  The chef or maitre d came out to explain the ingredients.  Everyone here is dressed professionally and perfectly trained.  None of that matters if the food isn't good but it is here!

Crab cakes were a hit today and Ruth and I shared an order.  Sitting on a salad with a very spicy sauce underneath.  Delicious. 

Jeannette and Marilyn with crab cakes and they ordered sides of fries or baked potatoes. 

Linda had crab cakes and yam fries.

Helene had a tasty risotto.

Bev joined us today and she had a burger.  So large that she cut it in half and took some home. 

Diane had the seared Ahi tuna with couscous and yogurt....yum, yum, yum.  I usually order the tuna but this day decided to try something different.  I may have to come back this winter and have the tuna!

Connie popped in after her game of cards to say hi.  She doesn't join us as she plays cards at Friends on Wednesdays but today she finished up early.

This is the second part of Ruth and I's shared lunch. A delicious sushi roll with tuna, salmon, cream cheese and avocado and this is my half.   I mucked up and ordered crab cakes when I was supposed to order the sushi roll but Ruth straightened it out.  It was also delicious! 

Price wise this is an not what I would call expensive except for the drinks.  A glass of wine is 150 pesos and mixed drinks about the same.  Since the meals are more important than the drinks, especially at lunch it is not a problem.  My lunch including my non alcoholic drink (90 pesos) 1/2 order of crab cakes, 1/2 order of sushi and a small extra shrimp sushi came to 320 pesos and about $24 Canadian with a 20 percent tip.  Very reasonable for excellent food and service.  Oh, by the way the ladies said Agatha also has the most beautiful and clean washroom they have ever seen!!

Next week Veintiocho in the Golden Zone. 

A trip to La Noria with Ian and Linda

 Yesterday we were off to La Noria for lunch.  A few days ago Ian and Linda's landlord Jose had company which included the owner of the now open El Aurileano restaurant in La Noria.  It is a hotel restaurant that has been under complete renovation over the past few years.  I understand that the property has been in the family for a very long time.  I do not know the owners name but when Ian and Linda met him he said  " come up and eat at my restaurant" so we did!

On the road at about 11am and here we are passing the agave fields that are processed into the tequila at the Osuna distillery.  

Gate to the La Martina restaurant where we ate two years ago.  If we weren't on a mission to go to La Noria this is where we would have gone to eat.  Next year! 

Welcome to La Noria!

Hmmm....looks like the cows are on their way home.

All by themselves walking very politely along the edge of the road.  No muss no fuss!

Staying on the sidewalk....how polite!

Coming into town.

The very colorful La Noria sign.

Wow it looks great.  Last time we were here two years ago it was under reconstruction.  

This is the leather shop beside the entrance to restaurant.  The owner died a year ago from covid but it is still open and in full operation.  Perhaps a relative?

This saddle greets you at the door.  Made by the leather shop next door I would guess.

The entrance to the restaurant. 

We started out with Pacifico....what a surprise!  The guys are much happier than they look.

Sitting at a table close to us was the owner who was drinking beer and tequila with his amigos.  He said hi as well as offering us a shot of Osuna tequila.  We declined.

All sorts of little treats before lunch and then....lunch.  We all had carnitas which is cooked pork that is then deep fried.  A little different than we've had before as the last carnitas were pulled porked that was deep fried.  Different here but very tasty along with delicious beans and guacamole.

Us gals!

The ceiling is amazing.   The restaurant is huge and there are rooms all around the top.  Very nicely done.  

A look out the back from the second floor where the rooms are around the perimeter.  We ate on the third floor which is all restaurant. 

Looking down to the ground floor restaurant.  They can seat a lot of people!

The food was very good,  prices very reasonable and the service was excellent.  We started out with a lovely young woman as a waitress but as soon as she realized we couldn't speak Spanish an English speaking waiter was brought in.  He wasn't completely fluent but they has a back up who helped him out.  

Time to hit the road.  We headed out of town.  This was the best I could do for a map and it's not very good.  My map point is old!  We went from home to La Noria and then around to El Recodo came out on highway 15 just north of Villa Union and then north and home.  All paved with some interesting little towns along the way.  Not a pretty drive and not one that we'd do again.  Bass fishing between La Noria in a man made lake with a dam.  

It was a good day but we were all exhausted when we got home.  

lunch at F.I.S.H.

 Yesterday were a small group of seven.  FISH doesn't open until noon and we arrived on the bus right on time.

Seated and ready to order drinks.

This is the lovely Helene who is joining us for the first time this year.  Helene and husband Hal were our neighbour's for many years in Las Jaibas.

Marie, Pat, Marilyn hiding and Linda in front.  Everyone but MarMabel started with clam chowder.  We have two Marilyn's who are sister in laws so hence the MarMabel which is her facebook name.

MarMabel had fish and yam fries. Yum...I almost ordered that.  A very generous four pieces and half went home.

The very delicious clam chowder.  Pat, Marilyn, Linda and I each also had a fish or shrimp taco and Marie had ceviche.  It seems I was a bit tired yesterday and missed taking  a bunch of photos!  The food was excellent and the service  was a bit slow but there was only one waiter working to start with.  Mazatlan seems to be struggling for staff just like everywhere else.

After lunch Linda and I were off to MegaSoriana and then the Gran Plaza. 

Next week Agatha for lunch...Helene's choice and a favorite restaurant.

First trip to Teacapan in two years and Otto's Japonesa restaurant is no more😪

 Yesterday we were off on our first road trip since the winter of 2020.  Frank and Sandi are off on a small holiday from their winter holiday and Frank kindly loaned us his Jeep.  Eric took them to the airport and will pick them up a week from Wednesday.  Where to go, where to go?  Well we have always enjoyed a trip to Teacapan and a Japanese lunch at Otto's restaurant and Ian and Linda were up to go with us.  

On the road and heading out of Mazatlan.  I have a new cell phone Samsung A52 and it's camera is very good.

Heading through Villa Union. 

South on the free road.

Downtown Escuinapa  and it was busy for a Monday morning. 

Hard to take pictures through a tinted window!  The inland waterways heading to Teacapan.

Lots of cattle grazing in the fields by the ocean.

Before we came through the gate into Teacapan we had a little look see at the houses down the road on the ocean side.  Not many people around and we only saw one gringo walking his dog.  This house was for sale but I'm really not sure what you'd do with yourself all winter.  

Here we are parked in front of Senor Wayne's for lunch.  Sadly when we went past Otto's restaurant it now looks derelict.  I did ask our waitress who spoke a bit of English if Otto had died but she said no.  It was unclear from her English and my very limited Spanish if he was actually still in Teacapan.  A very nice man and family and we hope they are okay.

This photo is from Feb 2010 on our first motorcycle trip to Teacapan with Sam and Rita.  Otto is on Eric's 1997 Harley heritage soft tail. Lookk at the grin on Otto's face!

Lots of fishing going on here and the frigate birds are soaring overhead.

Eric being a frigate bird....

.....and Ian too!

We were the only people in the restaurant and we got quite a few looks from the street.  There are never many gringos wandering around Teacapan and now there appears to be none but us.

Linda, Ian and Eric.  We did have a couple of young boys come by with buckets of fresh empanadas filled with bananas.  Ian gave one 50 pesos and said he actually didn't want one.  I took one and ate it later...it was delicious.  The boy said he didn't have cambio or change and I said the extra 40 pesos was a tip or propina.  He was surprised. 

My half eaten lunch.  I forgot to take pictures!  Ian and Linda had egg dishes and Eric and I had fried fish with rice, beans and salad.  Ian very kindly paid for our lunch and Eric paid for the gas.  Even Steven!

A big vegetable truck arrived and huge sacks of cucumbers, limes, potatoes etc. went into the restaurant so I guess they are really busy at some time.  This mother and little girl got what they needed. 

Panga coming in with fish and the frigates are circling. 

After lunch we went out to sit on the malecon wall and take some touristy pictures.  An absolutely beautiful day!

Ian. 

A very lime green iguana sunning himself.

Eric and I.

Ian and Linda.

Eric's chuckling about something!

The Jeep parked in front of Senor Wayne restaurant.  I think it was happy to get out of "Dodge" too!

Absolutely beautiful!

Time to head home. 

Bye bye Teacapan.  We'll be back next year...hopefully on the motorcycle.  It was almost 100 miles each way and we were all tired by the time we got home.  A really good day!