We visited Mérida on a road trip around the Yucatán to explore Mayan sites and colonial towns. The feeling is tropical, with palm trees and balmy weather year-round and it's a beautiful city. Home to almost 1 million people, at its heart is the elegant colonial cathedral on a lively town square in the large centro historico. There are also some grand late 19th century mansions on the Paseo de Montejo, which were built thanks to a boom from the production of rope from the agave plant (a bit like the ostrich boom that funded the volstruispaleise in Oudtshoorn). The most beautiful buildings are now owned by banks and the occasional Starbucks. It's a pity, but in their defence, the buildings are beautifully maintained.
It's a wonderful place for the local fabrics, the guayabera tunics and the famous miniature scenes of skeletons impersonating the living in all sorts of everyday settings, so we spent hours working up an appetite by wandering among the brightly-painted houses and shops.
El Marlin Azul was recommended by our guide book. It's only open for lunch and even in daylight we almost walked right past it. The entrance was covered by a thick blue canvas curtain and when we peered into the small dark interior, it looked absolutely packed. As we were retreating to the street, one of the staff beckoned us back in and squeezed us into a narrow booth that had just been cleared. The décor is very simple: turquoise-painted, slightly grimy walls and a stained-glass marlin skylight. Seating is at two short rows of booths or a counter (topped with the ubiquitous bottles of waterless hand cleaner). But the food!
As you will have guessed, El Marlin Azul specialises in seafood. We tried the shrimp fajitas (sizzling prawns on a hotplate - build your own taco with guacamole and salsa), the mixed as well as the shrimp cebiches, and the mojo de ajo (prawns drenched in a garlic and parsley butter sauce). Service was quick, but by the time the first dish arrived, we realised that we had been a little ambitious in our order. Platters were absolutely enormous (and cheap, even for Mexico) and the flavour was wonderfully fresh. Ingredients were simple - the freshest fish, garlic, coriander and other herbs, lime - exactly as it should be. We stuffed ourselves!
Of course, this restaurant is not really "off the beaten track". It's in the heart of the city and features in many guide books. But it makes no concessions to the tourist trade and I think we were the only non-mexicans there on that day, so it felt like a discovery, even if it wasn't. If you are ever in Mérida and enjoy good seafood, you know where to go for lunch.
El Marlin Azul is on Calle 62 between 57 and 59, Mérida 97000, Mexico.
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| Mansion on Paseo de Montejo |
El Marlin Azul was recommended by our guide book. It's only open for lunch and even in daylight we almost walked right past it. The entrance was covered by a thick blue canvas curtain and when we peered into the small dark interior, it looked absolutely packed. As we were retreating to the street, one of the staff beckoned us back in and squeezed us into a narrow booth that had just been cleared. The décor is very simple: turquoise-painted, slightly grimy walls and a stained-glass marlin skylight. Seating is at two short rows of booths or a counter (topped with the ubiquitous bottles of waterless hand cleaner). But the food!
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| Waiting for the feast |
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| Cebiche |
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| Shrimp fajitas. Mojo de ajo in the background. |
El Marlin Azul is on Calle 62 between 57 and 59, Mérida 97000, Mexico.
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