NO WAY JOSE! RESTAURANT & BAR - Puerto Vallarta

No Way José! located on the edge of Zona Romatica area on 5 de Febrero (first street to the left after crossing over the Rio Cuale from el centro). This area of Vallarta is the older, charming Puerto Vallarta. Zona Romantica is Vallarta's most energized neighborhood with the south side beach, restaurants, bars, lounges and beach side cafes.

The menu features contemporary Mexican cuisine with the freshest ingredients bursting with flavor & fine dining quality.

After a day at the pool and a late afternoon massage, I was too relaxed to spend any time in the kitchen preparing dinner. Instead, I headed down the hill from my condo to one of my favorites – No Way Jose! with its soothing jewel toned walls, linen covered tables accented with tiny vases of fresh flowers and of course, Julie's smile and Jose's laughter.

Daniel, as charming and friendly as always, ordered for me this evening. Why make a decision if I don’t have to? He even ordered my martinis for me, refreshing pomegranate martinis with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds at the bottom of the goblet. Great, spot-on service the entire evening.

He chose the Tortilla Soup ($4US) for me as my starter. The generous serving of the classic comfort food had slivers of guillo chilies, chunks of avocado, sour cream and ranchero cheese. The tortilla strips retained their firm texture to the very last spoonful. The tomato based soup with chicken stock, jalapenos, cilantro and a pinch of cumin will have you asking for more!

For dinner, I had the Flank Steak Don José ($11US) – perfectly charred and so tender I cut it with my fork, no knife necessary. The steak was generously surrounded by grilled peppers, onions, and thin slices of chorizo sausage. The sides of freshly made guacamole and refried beans plus warm flour tortillas completed this fantastic entrée. Suggestion… add thin strips of the cactus used in your infamous nopal soup to the grilled vegetables served with the flank steak.

After another superb dinner, I was asked to join the owners, Jose & Julie, and friends from the States at their table. After another martini, several shots of Jose’s favorite tequila and 2 hours of stories & laughter, I decided to call it quits. Aah, another perfect day in paradise! I wish my return in April was not so far away.

Mmm... Mmm... Mmm...

Link to prior No Way Jose! visit

No Way Jose! Restaurant.com

$

++++

&&&&

Entrée

$ 10

$$ 20

$$$ 30

$$$$ 40+

Staff

+ Stop bothering me!

++ Anyone here?

+++ Stopped when in the area.

++++ As needed and friendly.

+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall

& “One visit too many!”

&& “Convince me!”

&&& “I’ll be back!”

&&&& “Same table next week!”

NO WAY JOSE! RESTAURANT & BAR – Puerto Vallarta

No Way José! located on the edge of Zona Romatica area on 5 de Febrero (first street to the left after crossing over the Rio Cuale from el centro). This area of Vallarta is the older, charming Puerto Vallarta. Zona Romantica is Vallarta's most energized neighborhood with the south side beach, restaurants, bars, lounges and beach side cafes.

No Way José has arch accented walls of gold, maroon, and yellow jewel tones. The 11 tables covered in white and maroon linens are accented with tiny vases of fresh flowers. The cozy bar comfortably seats 5. The menu features contemporary Mexican cuisine with the freshest ingredients bursting with flavor & fine dining quality. The very friendly & sexy staff moves with ease within the small dining room.

My friends, Jose & Jesus, joined me at No Way Jose! for dinner. Of course, we started with a few rounds of margaritas, blended to perfection.

For my starter, I had 2 Guero chilies ($6US) stuffed with small pieces of shrimp, lightly breaded and quickly deep-fried. The chilies resting on baby greens and tomatoes are served with a light aioli sauce. The mild, plump, pale yellow chilies (also known as Santa Fe Grandes) left behind a nice bit of heat!

My choice for dinner was Xochimilco Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breast ($11US) - a whole chicken breast stuffed with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, bits of garlic and gouda cheese. The breast seared for color was sautéed to a juicy perfection. An unusual finishing of corn truffle sauce was generously drizzled over the chicken. The slightly sweet, earthy flavor of the corn truffle sauce was magnificent. Steamed, crunchy carrots and white onion tossed in a light garlic butter sauce and a small flower of mashed potatoes were the perfect accompaniments to the incredible chicken entrée.

Alejandro and Daniel “double teamed” our table, again providing excellent service – always with a smile!

Reservations are a must; had we not had a reservation, the wait for a table was over an hour. When I arrived I was greeted with a welcoming hug and smile from Julie. It's so good to be home!

Since my last visit in November, the 2^nd floor dining room has been added allowing 80 additional diners the opportunity to experience the incredible magic coming from Chef Montes' kitchen. Tonight, it was a full house!

Mmm... Mmm... Mmm...

Link to prior No Way Jose! visit

No Way Jose! Restaurant.com

$

++++

&&&&

Entrée

$ 10

$$ 20

$$$ 30

$$$$ 40+

Staff

+ Stop bothering me!

++ Anyone here?

+++ Stopped when in the area.

++++ As needed and friendly.

+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall

& “One visit too many!”

&& “Convince me!”

&&& “I’ll be back!”

&&&& “Same table next week!”

CHEEKY MONKEY DELI - St Paul

Cheeky Monkey Deli's wide, open space of bright, white tiles, red & glossy white walls, huge fireplace, chalkboard menus and an eclectic collection of “frame within a frame” artwork of Andy Warhol prints, comic book covers, record album covers and vintage black & white images welcomes you with open arms and huge smiles from the staff! There are no deep fryers hiding in the back making it very easy to enjoy the amazing aromas drifting from the kitchen, even after 14 months in business.

My friend, Beverly, was back in the City and we decided to return to one of our favorite casual evening eateries for breakfast. This was our first visit for breakfast BUT will not be the last!

Nick, our energetic and extremely friendly server, was spot-on with a recommendation - the seasonal quiche. Today, it was mushrooms, brie, and tidbits of roasted chicken in the fluffiest egg mixture. All this goodness was resting on a buttery homemade crust - the lightest and flakiest crust I have eaten in some time. Nick mentioned that they serve and incredible andouille sausage. He was right. The side of andouille sausage made locally in Cannon Falls MN has a snappy skin that explodes with flavor. The lean sausage was surprisingly juicy; I'd expect nothing less. The delicious dark roasted organic coffee from Equal Exchange was a never-ending mug of happiness.

Their slogan "Meat & Drink" is so fitting. Aah. . .another fantastic meal and a perfect way to start the day!

Mmm... Mmm... Mmm...

Link to prior Cheeky Monkey visit

CheekyMonkeyDeli.com

$

++++

&&&

Entrée

$ 10

$$ 20

$$$ 30

$$$$ 40+

Staff

+ Stop bothering me!

++ Anyone here?

+++ Stopped when in the area.

++++ As needed and friendly.

+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall

& “One visit too many!”

&& “Convince me!”

&&& “I’ll be back!”

&&&& “Same table next week!”