Top Mexican Foods! Great Eats in the Yucatán Peninsula!

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Mexican food is one of my favourite cuisines in the planet. It consists of one of my favourite dishes which is guacamole and my favourite hard liquor tequila. It’s no wonder that food adventure was part of the reason while I decided to go to Mexico this winter.

My food knowledge even expanded when I found out there another cuisine this area is known for that I am able to try as well. On top of Mexican cuisine, there’s also the cuisine abundant in this Maya region known as the Yucatecan Cuisine.

Yucatecan Cuisine

The place I visited in Mexico is the Yucatan Peninsula which is known for its Yucatecan Cuisine. It dates back to the Mayan Civilization so it heavily blended with the Mayan Cuisine. I keep saying Yucatan cuisine but I think they are the same thing.

There are many dishes known for this cuisine but these ones are the very popular ones. I had tried them while I was visiting Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula area. They became my absolute favourites and now I’m on a hunt for a Yucatecan restaurant in Toronto, Canada so I can relive my Mexico moments!

Cochinita Pibil

Cochinita Pibil is one of the most traditional food in the Yucatecan Cuisine. It is pork meat marinated with achiote, sweet pepper, tomato, onion, served with rice and beans. Achiote is a very common ingredients in Mayan cooking that makes their food rich in flavour. It adds a smoky and strong pepper taste to the dishes.

Pibil is a very old cooking method where the meat is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a barbecue pit underground. When it’s done, the meat is super tender and juicy. This pibil-ed meat is usually served with beans and rice. I got to eat cochinita pibil at thes amsazing hole in the wall restaurant off the centre of Valladolid named Eleganzza. Valladolid can be a bit touristy because it’s a stop in one of those Cancun tours. Places around the centre can be a bit high but this one is reasonably priced.

Pan de Cazon

Pan de Cazón is a very specific dish served with a stack of 4 corn tortillas stuffed with fried dogfish in black beans covered in tomato sauce. Dogfish is a type of fish commonly known as mud shark. There are many variations of this dish in Mexico but in Yucatan, it’s served with dogfish.

I am actually not a huge fan of saucy tomato dishes because they tend to be mooshy and sour but this one turned out to be really good. I ate this entre at one of the very famous culinary restaurant in Merida which also serves a museum for Mayan heritage. Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca is a gastronomical restaurant that puts Mayan and Mexican cuisine’s traditional methods with modern techniques. The corn tortillas maintained their crispy texture (no clue to how they did that, absolutely amazing!) and very flavourful tomato taste.

Papadzules

Traditional Yucatan dish served as an appetizer in restaurant and one of the oldest traditional food in the peninsula. Papdzules consists of corn torillas filled with boiled egg and smothers in traditional pumpkin seeds and tomato sauce. When I thought of eggs in dishes, I immediately think of breakfast food but this one is served any time of the day.

Also managed to get a handful of these at Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca. I really really like this dish of the mixed sauces of pumpkin and tomato sauce together. It is also very similar to enchiladas where the tortilla is rolled and tomato sauce on top.

Chaya

Chaya is a type of plant that grows in the peninsula. It is most commonly used in drinks. I definitely recommend you try chaya juice and it has two varieties: one with pineapple and one with lime. I know it’s the land of tequila and margarita but that’s all over Mexico. Definitely try chaya as it’s originally from here.

Mexican Cuisine

Of course, let’s not forget the Mexican food that I was able to enjoy while in this trip! With similar ingredients as Yucatecan cuisine but with a twist, these dishes are what you should get when you’re in Mexico.

Enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of my favourite Mexican food. They are rolled up tortillas and you can put whatever ingredients on it like eggs, meat, or beans. It is then drizzled in tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese. Mostly comes in three or four tortillas when you order at a restaurant or bake a whole tray at home. Yum!

I had the perfect enchiladas and Rincon Mexicano, one of the restaurant included in the All-Inclusive Hilton Resort where I stayed at in Playa del Carmen. The sauce, the tortilla, the chicken inside. Mucho Bueno!

Burritos

Burritos is a very popular Mexican food where various ingredients are put together in the centre of a big tortilla. Bigger than those used in enchiladas. The tortilla is then rolled over and mostly wrapped in an aluminum foil to maintain its shape. I would say this is enchiladas’ big brother but for single serve. All the flavours mixed together taste really good and you just hold the burrito until you finish is or else it’ll fall apart. I burrito-ed for lunch at Bacalar. It had really good local vegetables with falafel.

Tacos

I love that the dishes here use corn tortillas for their dishes like for their tacos and enchilada. In North America like Canada and the States, probably anywhere outside Mexico, they’re not common. Almost all restaurants will service you with flour tortilla and supermarket sell them too. I had it almost main toppings you can think of chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, and pork.

Guacamole

The most healthiest dish out of all mainly because it’s just mashed avocados is the guacamole. I freakin’ love guacamole! Like Holy Guac! My all time favourite Mexican food. I was really really happy to eat this in the land where it originated. Very affordable and deliciously made to eat as an appetizer on almost all my meals!

Churros

Let’s go to desserts! Number one dessert to try in Mexico is none other than churros! Churros are these fried dough that’s coated with sugar. They come in swirly forms, a foot long, and short ones. You can drizzle with variety of syrup like chocolate or maple and even condensed milk.

Flan

I am a number one custard fan so anything custard I will definitely eat. Flan, also described as caramel custard, is also a very popular dessert served here in Mexico. Filipinos also have this dessert so I grew up eating this. The soft texture creamy taste will definitely be a perfect finish for a course-menu.

Honourable Mention: McDonald’s Habanero Sandwich

Love love LOVE going to Mcdonald’s when I’m abroad. I also like going to Starbucks because there are some drinks that they would have that’s not in Canada nor the U.S. I scouted the menu and there’s a Habanera Ranch sandwich that I haven’t seen anywhere else so I’m thinking it’d have to be a Mexico special.