Eat Like Ushi

Ok so it isn't actually in Valladolid. It is in between cenote X'keken and Samula, which is pretty damn close to the Valladolid. After swimming in both, we needed some fuel before going back for another turn. It was a Sunday and so it seemed all the Mexicans were about with their large families sharing the water.

There's a few places to pick to eat here, although this looked like a good one with some ladies making the tortillas fresh, a young male manning the barbecue, and the family and children eating their lunches too.

The menu is pretty small, but nothing wrong with that.

- Poc chuc de puerco 65pesos - thin, not very tender, not much seasoning, plain. Quite disappointing meat overall;
- Huevos encamisados 65pesos - fresh corn tortillas were served with the food, but for this dish there is egg inside the two of them. Different.

They did however have the best hot salsa in all our trip (and you get hot sauce/salsa in every single place) with smoky chilli bits and flesh of perhaps aubergine (not entirely sure). That was hot but truly outstanding.

A bit of horchata and I was set.

I don't know if there is an actual name for the place but that's what is on the sign above the entrance and that's what comes up in Google. It's not the most original. But it does seem like a local place with an elderly male host who was only too happy to serve and cook for us.

- Enchilada mole 75pesos;
- Chile relleno pierno horno 75pesos - a green chilli stuffed with meat.

It was a simple meal and reasonably tasty. Local stuff I imagine.

I did a Google search for elotes whilst in Valladolid and incredibly this one popped up, which happens to be a permanent (I think) stall in the park.

True to the search, they do corn spiced with salt, chilli, lemon, mayo and cheese.

Not bad at all. Although I was disappointed during my entire trip to never find any other varieties of corn.

The highest regarded restaurant in Valladolid is set in an opulent hotel with a dining square that surrounds a central garden. It really is a nice setting to dine in and one of the more pleasant meals we had. It's obviously a more expensive menu, however I think it isn't just that they cater toward tourists, but moreso their dishes are finer and more modern versions of the standard Yucatan dishes.

Naturally the staff all speak English, even in response to my broken Spanish.

- Chile poblano del Marques (breaded chile poblano pepper filled with meat & holland cheese, served with Mayan soup) - as described and nice;
- Queso relleno estilo Valladolid (stuffed cheese Valladolid style) 210pesos - thick cheese layer (similar to graviera) which was quite salty, on top of soft shredded meat (turkey, pork). Served with olives, capers, almonds, raisins and chickpeas and in a medicinal soup. Very nice. There was also an ultra hot habanero which i nibbled the end of before realising it was a mistake and my face, tongue and legs went numb.

Tamales - I'd heard the word before I think from songs (Hot Tamale?) but never known what it was. It's a traditional dish of the Yucatan region consisting of some kind of dough that is steamed in leaves. The Airbnb host had recommended us to try this, and so naturally we had to. It is remarkably cheap 45pesos each.

How were they? Ok. Hyped up too much. Not really worth having again in my mind.

Pan de espelon (pork fried with tomato, beans, egg) was quite nice. The outside was a bit crusty but edible at least. Maculan (wrapped with leaf maculan, pumpkin seeds, white beans) was essentially vegetables wrapped in a leaf. The flavour was very plain and the whole dish mushy.

Not for me.