Pata Salada for Ladie's Lunch

 As I mentioned in last week's post it is Christmas holidays here in Mazatlan and they will not be over until Friday January 6th which means lots of national tourists are here in town and it's busy!  At the north end of Sabalo Cerritos is the Pata Salada restaurant which is located on the water.  We ate there last year and just about froze to death as the north wind was blowing.  Yesterday we had a south breeze and it was warm....very pleasant.  We were ten for lunch and although I tried to make a reservation I had no luck getting an answer. 

When a few of us arrived Georgia was already there.  The head waiter had given her his card for reservations and asked when we wanted to come!  I said " right now" and he had no problem seating us.  It is a two floor open air restaurant with plenty of room.  Many nationals were just finishing breakfast and we were ready for lunch.  We started by ordering drinks.  

Ruth and Georgia and everything is blue.  My phone camera sees only blue at this point. 

The waiter spoke some English and carefully took our names and drink orders.  We asked for separate checks.

A beautiful day and the people who come from inland want to swim!

Looking north toward Emerald bay.

These are mangadas...like a Pina Colada only mango.  Pat, Chantal and I all had one. Very good but one was enough. 

Chantal and her Mangada.  Chantal and her boyfriend Martine are here from Quebec and staying in Las Jaibas for four months.   

Very nice drink for 80 pesos!

Pam and Marion are checking the menu.  We were informed that the kitchen was not ready for hot lunch items until 12:45...no problem. 

Steffi and Aubrey checking the menu.  They are both in Las Jaibas as well.  Steffi is fluent in Spanish from her early years in Spain and work in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.  This turned out to be a big help with the waiter. 

Steffi's colorful drink.  Michelada de Tamarindo.  When she asked where the Tequila in it was they took it away and brought a drink back with tequila but no Tamarind.  It was all very confusing. 

The first drink ...very colorful. 

Steffi and I ordered the tuna rare with black sesame crusting.  Very good.

This photo was too blue and when I cleaned it up...it was blurry.  Chantal's chorreada. 

Sandi's shrimp. 

I am going to guess this is a ceviche.  Things were getting confusing with the meals at this point!

Georgia had octopus...I think.

Georgia with what appears to tuna. 

Pam's delicious tacos. Very good she said. 

Marion's tacos.  

Jeannette ended up with garlic shrimp instead of breaded even though we had been very clear.

Pat ended up with garlic fish filet again this should have been breaded.  I'd said "empanizado" which is breaded when she ordered but the waiter replied with something else.  He double checked our orders and still got it wrong.  

In the end the meals were all very good and the service was good.  Ambiance was lovely. 

This Mexican family had three cute little girls with them. 

Georgia contemplating the water with Lucy in her purse.  Lucy doesn't like to be left alone so she usually travels along.  She is 14 and doesn't make a peep so you don't know she's there.  The picture looked better in black and white don't you think?

Now for the entertainment.  Luckily we were just finished eating and were attempting to pay the bill.  This "banda" was loud.  Top volume and lots of horns.  Deafening and conversation was impossible.  Even the nationals were grimacing!!

Happy to have their picture taken!

When the bill came it was written on a slip of paper and was not individual as we had asked for and it was also just a total and the meals were not separately listed.  Steffi had been conversing with the waiter all along but this mistake still happened.  Then it got really confusing.  We all had to figure out our own totals off the menu and add it up.  Pay in cash with a tip and put it in the pot.  Pat and Chantal needed to use a credit card so they were left to finish up.  There was more than enough money in cash for the whole bill and then two meals were added on the credit cards.  They deducted their meals from the total and then they got a till slip.  In the end the waiter complained when they paid him that he didn't get enough of a tip and that we were cheap!  Chantal ended up paying extra and was put in an embarrassing position.  If the waiter had done what he'd been asked and given us separate bills none of this would have happened.  Plus the drink charges on the till slip were all ten pesos higher than what was shown on the menu which made it impossible to arrive at an accurate total and leave a tip accordingly.  Not a very good end to a good lunch experience.  Disappointing. 

It is a place we would recommend to eat at but that you should be careful with your bill. 

Marion, Pat, Chantal and Steffi heading up to the street.