mayaflya
14th April 2007, 10:40 AM
Wednesday dawned with a light agenda. We had massage at 3 pm, dinner reservations at 7:30 pm at Hechizo, food in the fridge and no desire to fire up the Chevy until supper time. The only other guests at SOP, were our half nude house neighbors, M*** and C***. After our sunrise beach breakfast, we just put on the sunscreen and laid on the loungers all day.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/458804967_56ad3c35c0_o.jpg
M*** and C*** hung around Wednesday as well, and we exchanged pleasantries as we came and went, but by and large we felt that we had the place to ourselves again. We decided to swim out to the reef and try snorkeling a little before lunch. We wore diveskins to avoid sunburn, and had a pretty good time, but the wind was blowing all week and the water was a little rough out by the breakers. It was hard to keep position to look at the coral and fish. All in all, we were glad we tried it, but hope to do it again under better conditions.
We ate our San Francisco "fajitas" for lunch and adjourned to the beach loungers for siestas. I was still out there, when our masseuse, appeared. I helped her carry her table over to the shade of the palms outside our cabana where she set up for our “couples” massage.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/248/458862595_ac2ffc17b4_o.jpg
Last June, at Azulik, we booked the Maya Spa’s “Touch for Two” couples massage. This was an outstanding experience…where the masseuse worked with both of us…demonstrating and leading us in giving each other massages. We enjoyed this so much, that we bought a massage table that we use at home. You can buy a man a fish…or you can teach him to fish!
The wife and I took turns, about 30 minutes each, getting and helping give a short version of the Maya Spa massage. Our masseuse was very knowledgeable, skilled, and articulate, so it really was a "teaching" experience more than a relaxing massage. It was helpful to have that kind of input to add to our "homework", however. She charged $60 US for the hour.
After I helped her pack up, I was heading back into the cabana, when M*** invited us over for cocktails. We had about an hour before needing to dress for dinner, so we went over and had rum punch and daquiris in the living room of the main house.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/458849310_89132f7994_o.jpg
M*** and C*** are recently retired from the computer business, and had been vacationing at Tankah following a wedding at an AI in the area. They usually spend time in the Virgin Islands, and own a home there...he gave me a card in case we wanted to rent it someday. M*** is something of a renaissance man...computer guru, massage therapist (yes, really!), scuba instructor, and a nudist. You meet some interesting naked people! We really enjoyed socializing with this couple.
After cocktails we dressed and hopped in the car for the drive to Hechizo. It was dark, of course, but I had pretty good directions that Stefan, the owner had e-mailed me. It was farther up the beach road than I had been before, so I was glad that he had listed the names of the hotels I would pass. If you get to the Sian Kaan gate you have gone just a little too far.
The restaurant is located off the main road a short ways down a grassy palm lined drive. There are several tiny little parking spots and a footlit path leading towards the beach. You walk up this path, past the detached restrooms (nice, however) until you come to a large flagstone patio fronting an enclosed palapa. The entry foyer has an immense aquarium in the wall towards the dining area, and the dining room is about a half level down from the entry. It is oriented in an a semicircle around a landscaped courtyard (dining tables outside as well) with large operable window panels that can be lowered into the outside wall to open the dining room to the outdoors. You could hear, but not see the surf in the dark, so we must have been close to the beach. There were only about ten tables, and about half were occupied when we got there. We never saw a table "turn", but rather people stayed for an hour or two, and then left the table open. They have staggered "seatings" to avoid slamming the kitchen, and to make sure that Stefan has a chance to do his shtick with each set of diners. Even with the open tables, walk-ins were turned away.
We were seated by Stefan's wife, Hui (pronounced huey, like the duck) and she introduced our two servers. She said that Stefan would be out to give us the menu. She explained that the menu is oral, but that we should feel free to ask any questions we like, including price. I was a little shaky here, as I knew this place was reputed to be $$$ and I was wondering if the 2500 pesos in my pocket would suffice. I was reluctant to share my unease with the wife, or start asking about prices....It seemed like the message was, if you have to ask, you can't afford it...
The server brought out the wine list, and I was somewhat relieved to see that it had prices...and they weren't too bad (for a high end restaurant). We decided to hear the menu before ordering wine, and Stefan came out. He was a charming young man, and he very poetically described the dishes available that night. I decided on the sea bass special, and I'm drawing a blank on what the wife ordered, although it was also a seafood dish. We ordered a bottle of mid priced white wine for about $280 pesos. The dinner was really very good, the presentation very elegant and artistic. It was "Top Chef" rather than Rick Bayless, but that's not a criticism.
The thing I will never forget is the dessert. It was a chocolate coconut Creme brulee that was truly orgasmic. It's almost as if the dessert completely wiped my brain about the rest of the meal. The wife had an apple spice cake that was amazing as well. I tried a bite, and I'm not a spice cake guy, but it was as if music was playing in your head. The flavors never overwhelmed, but they kept dancing on your palate for a long time. Outstanding. The bill came to about $1500 pesos which I thought was very fair for the quality of the food service and atmosphere. A great meal. It was over half of our week's food budget, but no regrets.
Drive back to the cabana and bed...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/226/458804967_56ad3c35c0_o.jpg
M*** and C*** hung around Wednesday as well, and we exchanged pleasantries as we came and went, but by and large we felt that we had the place to ourselves again. We decided to swim out to the reef and try snorkeling a little before lunch. We wore diveskins to avoid sunburn, and had a pretty good time, but the wind was blowing all week and the water was a little rough out by the breakers. It was hard to keep position to look at the coral and fish. All in all, we were glad we tried it, but hope to do it again under better conditions.
We ate our San Francisco "fajitas" for lunch and adjourned to the beach loungers for siestas. I was still out there, when our masseuse, appeared. I helped her carry her table over to the shade of the palms outside our cabana where she set up for our “couples” massage.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/248/458862595_ac2ffc17b4_o.jpg
Last June, at Azulik, we booked the Maya Spa’s “Touch for Two” couples massage. This was an outstanding experience…where the masseuse worked with both of us…demonstrating and leading us in giving each other massages. We enjoyed this so much, that we bought a massage table that we use at home. You can buy a man a fish…or you can teach him to fish!
The wife and I took turns, about 30 minutes each, getting and helping give a short version of the Maya Spa massage. Our masseuse was very knowledgeable, skilled, and articulate, so it really was a "teaching" experience more than a relaxing massage. It was helpful to have that kind of input to add to our "homework", however. She charged $60 US for the hour.
After I helped her pack up, I was heading back into the cabana, when M*** invited us over for cocktails. We had about an hour before needing to dress for dinner, so we went over and had rum punch and daquiris in the living room of the main house.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/458849310_89132f7994_o.jpg
M*** and C*** are recently retired from the computer business, and had been vacationing at Tankah following a wedding at an AI in the area. They usually spend time in the Virgin Islands, and own a home there...he gave me a card in case we wanted to rent it someday. M*** is something of a renaissance man...computer guru, massage therapist (yes, really!), scuba instructor, and a nudist. You meet some interesting naked people! We really enjoyed socializing with this couple.
After cocktails we dressed and hopped in the car for the drive to Hechizo. It was dark, of course, but I had pretty good directions that Stefan, the owner had e-mailed me. It was farther up the beach road than I had been before, so I was glad that he had listed the names of the hotels I would pass. If you get to the Sian Kaan gate you have gone just a little too far.
The restaurant is located off the main road a short ways down a grassy palm lined drive. There are several tiny little parking spots and a footlit path leading towards the beach. You walk up this path, past the detached restrooms (nice, however) until you come to a large flagstone patio fronting an enclosed palapa. The entry foyer has an immense aquarium in the wall towards the dining area, and the dining room is about a half level down from the entry. It is oriented in an a semicircle around a landscaped courtyard (dining tables outside as well) with large operable window panels that can be lowered into the outside wall to open the dining room to the outdoors. You could hear, but not see the surf in the dark, so we must have been close to the beach. There were only about ten tables, and about half were occupied when we got there. We never saw a table "turn", but rather people stayed for an hour or two, and then left the table open. They have staggered "seatings" to avoid slamming the kitchen, and to make sure that Stefan has a chance to do his shtick with each set of diners. Even with the open tables, walk-ins were turned away.
We were seated by Stefan's wife, Hui (pronounced huey, like the duck) and she introduced our two servers. She said that Stefan would be out to give us the menu. She explained that the menu is oral, but that we should feel free to ask any questions we like, including price. I was a little shaky here, as I knew this place was reputed to be $$$ and I was wondering if the 2500 pesos in my pocket would suffice. I was reluctant to share my unease with the wife, or start asking about prices....It seemed like the message was, if you have to ask, you can't afford it...
The server brought out the wine list, and I was somewhat relieved to see that it had prices...and they weren't too bad (for a high end restaurant). We decided to hear the menu before ordering wine, and Stefan came out. He was a charming young man, and he very poetically described the dishes available that night. I decided on the sea bass special, and I'm drawing a blank on what the wife ordered, although it was also a seafood dish. We ordered a bottle of mid priced white wine for about $280 pesos. The dinner was really very good, the presentation very elegant and artistic. It was "Top Chef" rather than Rick Bayless, but that's not a criticism.
The thing I will never forget is the dessert. It was a chocolate coconut Creme brulee that was truly orgasmic. It's almost as if the dessert completely wiped my brain about the rest of the meal. The wife had an apple spice cake that was amazing as well. I tried a bite, and I'm not a spice cake guy, but it was as if music was playing in your head. The flavors never overwhelmed, but they kept dancing on your palate for a long time. Outstanding. The bill came to about $1500 pesos which I thought was very fair for the quality of the food service and atmosphere. A great meal. It was over half of our week's food budget, but no regrets.
Drive back to the cabana and bed...