“She makes a special use of her own home grown cilantro and other spices, which lead to a delicate and savory meal.”
This restaurant is definitely a secret spot. Located directly behind Casa Bonita in Ixtapa, on Las Palomas right off of Las Golondrinas in Club de Golf. The restaurant is actually a bed and breakfast and the private home of Gabriela and Guillermo Braña, a wonderful Mexican couple who built their dream home and opened it as a bed and breakfast a few years ago.
You dine in their courtyard next to their beautiful pool, which is landscaped with flowering plants, including several types of cilantro, hence the name. Gabriela is the chef and her menu is a set dinner with a choice of four appetizers, three to four entrees and two to three desserts. Guillermo is your waiter and the atmosphere, though exclusive, is as if you are a guest at their table. It is always nice to chat with the owners of restaurants, and Gabriela and her husband are wonderful hosts.
Gabriela’s specialty is the fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisine. She makes a special use of her own home grown cilantro (leaves of the coriander plant) and other spices, which lead to a delicate and savory meal. She has some special ingredients flown in from Mexico City and the extra effort makes your dining experience very memorable. The appetizers are all equally delicious and we sampled all of them from the octopus (marinated in soy and served with delicate slices of cucumber), soup (a unique blend of zucchini and cilantro), and the most divine spring rolls you can imagine. There is also garden salad with mustard dressing.
Your entrees includes a choice of wild mushroom carbonera (or blue cheese) pasta, szechuan chicken, tuna steak or broiled tamarind pork ribs. But, perhaps, the best part of the meal is dessert. Blueberry cheesecake, chocolate mousse, tangerine mousse with blackberry coulis, mint chocolate mousse cake and different fruit parfaits, made fresh everyday with the personal touches of the chef. The blueberries are one of the special ingredients Gabriela has flown in from Mexico City, and to be honest, I had forgotten the succulent taste of blueberries. I was happy to be reminded.
The experience here is one of exclusivity and for this reservations are required. The maximum capacity is only 25, so make sure you book large parties well in advance. Al Cilantro is a welcome addition to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo’s dining scene and one you will not forget for a long time to come.
Buen Provecho
(Editor’s Note: Al Cilantro is no longer open)
-February 2000
