Guadalajara

On our way to Puerto Vallarta we decided to spend 3 nights in Guadalajara, which isn't exactly a tourist destination but Lana had spent 9 months there after college with a boyfriend attending medical school. It's changed tremendously. There was no help from LTH on restaurant or food recommendations so I figured I should start a thread for anyone finding themselves there for business or pleasure. Prices in general are pretty low, especially considering the strength of the dollar. We were there over the Xmas holidays and that really limited our restaurant choices, unlike Mexico City and Oaxaca where almost everything was open, as there are many more tourists I would guess.

Our 1st dinner was at La Tequila Cocina Mexicana and it was great. They start you out with chips and salsa, which is made tableside. I watched them put this together using very few ingredients, and it was amazing. I'm guessing there are a bunch of chiles in the area that aren't found elsewhere because the flavor was unique. We started with some beef marrow sopes and continued with Ram Mixiote and Suckling Pig in Pulque sauce. Everything was delicious.

Lunch the following day was at one of the stalls in the downtown mercado and we had the local staples of torta ahogada and carne en su jugo. That sure was good eating.

Dinner reservations Xmas eve were at Alcalde but when we arrived it was closed. I had made those reservations on open table. We ended up back at our hotel, the Demetria and had the special fixed priced meal. When I was told the menu included roast turkey I was pretty sad that it was going to be an American type dinner but the turkey was juicy, flavorful, and served with a fantastic red mole. There was also a good squash soup and a nice salad and dessert.

Our final dinner, on Xmas day, was also going to have be at a hotel so we chose Tierra Mia at the Quinta Real, which offered their regular menu, contemporary Mexican, and not as expensive as I would've expected. Everything was wonderful and included pigs trotters tostadas, duck taquitos, shellfish pozole, and pork hock marinated in dark beer with pickled vegetables, potato chips, and smoky sauce. Great place.