Hector's Bistro for Ladies Lunch

Yesterday we were off to centro and Hector's Bistro for lunch.  This is one of our old favorites and we always enjoy ourselves. On other occasions our large group has been put into one of their large rooms where they served groups.  The problem with that is that we then can't get individual checks which is a pain. So, this time I made a reservation and so did Ruth. Smaller groups at smaller tables.  We started out with 11 but ended up with nine.  On the bus just before 11:30 am and yesterday we were speedy and arrived just after 12 for our 12:30 reservation...no problem. 

Diane, Georgia, Ruth and Cathy with Marion still to come. 

Liz and Marilyn with Susie still to come.  I forgot my cellphone and Marilyn kindly loaned me hers so I could take photos. 

Lots of artwork on the walls in the restaurant and most of it is for sale from local artists. 

A quick history of this restaurant.

The bar.

Marilyn and her sangria.  She's hard to get a good photo of...this is a good one!

I had a nojito or a virgin mojito.  Very tasty. 

Marion has arrived. 

My sandwich.  An " Arm drip beef sandwich" so called I would guess because it is soaked in beef dip and will...drip down your arm.  Too much bread for me so I ate what I could.  The salad has arugula in it which I don't get...too bitter for me. 

Another big smile from Marilyn and she had a very good ham sandwich. 

Susie ordered mussels which she shared with the other table as she can never manage a whole lunch. Sandi has a cold and couldn't come which is unfortunate as she really wanted mussels for lunch.

Liz loves salmon and she said this was perfectly cooked and delicious. 

Not a great photo!  Marion looking at her risotto with suspicion. 

Diane had risotto as well and Ruth is sampling. 

Georgia and Ruth shared and order of octopus and salad.  They were planning to have one of the decadent desserts served here but....that didn't happen. 

I missed a photo of Cathy but she had the ham sandwich as well.

I think Ruth likes what she is eating!

Georgia and Ruth.  

Next time I'll remember my phone so I can take more photos.  It was an enjoyable lunch here at Hector's but then.... it always is!

 

Ride to Estacion Dimas

 

This weeks journey was to Estacion Dimas for lunch at Restaurant Pissis.  This has always been a favorite destination for a good lunch.  However, we are now faced with no easy access to our route as it is under repair.  The on ramp bridge to go north out of the Cerritos area of Mazatlan and/or connect with the free road or Mex 15 has been torn down and is in the process of being replaced at Mexican speed.  There is no easy alternative to head north.

You can see our rather convoluted route.  We could have gone north on the toll road or Mex 15D but in addition to a toll it's a boring ride.  

At this point we have gone north, east, south, north and now we're heading west to the free road.  The road is rough and this bike isn't the comfy Harley!

We used this crossover road at Marmol last year as well when the El Quelite bridge was taken out during a hurricane.  Always a little wrinkle!

Coming onto the free road and " why did the chicken cross the road?"

El Quelite to the right but not today. 

Up ahead Estacion Dimas. We've come in on highway 2 from Mex 15 to Dimas and it was rough and under repair today. 

Estacion Dimas is nice quiet, pretty little town. 

Our restaurant of choice.  We've been coming here for years and watched the children of the family who runs the restaurant grow up.  Always lots kids in here. 

While we sit I can watch the families on motos, backhoes, tractors, quads and even a mule go by.    We did chat to a Canadian couple who managed to find there way here from Estrella del Mar which is just south of Mazatlan.  Their destination was Las Labradas or the museum and petroglyphs about 16 km south on the toll road. I showed them the route on my phone as they were travelling without any data on their phone which in our minds is not a good thing.  They could have come north on the toll road to Las Labradas as there is an exit to it.  They seemed a bit shell shocked by the route we had just traveled. They did say they were taking the toll road back!

Chips and salsa. 

The clean up crew!

Eric and I both ordered pescado relleno or stuffed fish which came with rice, salad and tortillas. 

Lots of fish with shrimp, octopus, peppers and onions.  We've always enjoyed the food here but today it was all a bit flat.  The salsa had no zip and the fish wasn't spiced enough.  Maybe Mama wasn't cooking.  

As we were finishing up a whole crowd of children arrived with Gramma and a couple of women.  Two of the bigger boys were horsing around and fighting back and forth and promptly got a cuff in the back of the head and then they were separated!  Funny.  Maybe a birthday party?

The food here is much cheaper than Mazatlan and our large meals were only 180 pesos each. We split a Topo Chico which I hadn't tried before.  Carbonated mineral water. 

Heading back along highway 2 to Mex 15 and the whole area is agriculture.  Lots of water from the Piaxtla river and fertile soil.  

We were well tenderized and tired by the time we got home.  A good, but tiring trip.  

Ladies Lunch and Birthday for Connie at Alioli.

                     This week we were off to Alioli Bar and restaurant in the new Tres Islas City Centre in the very north end of the Golden Zone.  The centre has the Fresh Market Grocery store as well as numerous restaurants and businesses.  Today we picked a winner.  Cathy and I arrived on the bus and the rest of the ladies were already seated and a birthday party was happening.  Yesterday was Connie's birthday and Ruth was ready with party hats and a card.  Connie hates a fuss but it didn't matter because we were having a party.  Even a couple of the waiters had hats on. 

Once we were all seated with our drink orders the waiter delivered complimentary mimosas for everyone.  How nice was that!  Sandy the waitress took our picture but the sunlight interfered a bit. 

Georgia is perusing the menu.  It turned out that this restaurant does not start serving lunch until 1pm and we arrived at noon.  Decisions to be made. 

Diane. Four of us decided to order breakfast and five decided to wait for lunch.  

Another non alcoholic drink suggested by the waitress...tasty and refreshing.  I only mention the non alcoholic part so that you know it is possible to have a cocktail without alcohol if you wish. In

Above you will see the lunch and dinner menu although we ordered from the breakfast menu.  Very extensive and we four were a bit sorry we hadn't waited but, there is always a next time. 

Cathy ordered a shrimp omelet and she said it was really upscaled and delicious.  

Diane and I had eggs benedict and they are the best I've ever had. Served on salmon and a very tender biscuit with a dust of bacon and a salad.  A very good choice. 

Georgia had a Mexican plate with chilaquiles, refried beans etc.  Very large and she couldn't finish it. 

Isn't that an artfully presented plate. 

Cathy's omelette. 

A very large kitchen with lots of cooks.  I hope they get the business to warrant all the money that has been spent constructing this restaurant.  

Very tasteful.

Pat's seafood roll with rocks😁

This is Susie's shrimp roll and no that isn't edamame but rocks!  A rather unusual thing to put on the plate. 

Sandi ordered salmon and she said it was perfectly cooked.  

A pasta dish that Ruth and Connie shared along with a ....

beet salad. 

A nice photo of Cathy. 

Connie received a complimentary birthday dessert complete with a candle/ firework that she couldn't blow out!  The staff sang happy birthday as well. 

That's quite the birthday candle!

Connie had a great birthday lunch and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  Nice job Ruth for setting the birthday up.

I told the waitress how much we liked the restaurant and that I'd give them a good review on the Foodies Facebook site and she was very appreciative.  She asked if we'd return and I said we certainly would.  

Lots of staff who were well trained, polite and efficient.  Top notch food at a reasonable price in a very comfortable, tasteful setting....what more could you ask for.  Definitely a winner in our book! 

Lunch over and some of us decided to go to the Fresh Market grocery store that you can see on your left.  A small store with a huge variety of things you might not find anywhere else in Mazatlan and everything is fresh just like the name of the store says. Not a place to do your weekly shop but certainly good for those people who are here for a couple of weeks or a month or if you're looking for top notch produce. It is a market I'll visit occasionally.  The whole shopping center is high end and there are many, many restaurants and we'll be back to try other ones.  

A thoroughly enjoyable experience all round.