Restaurant of the Month: Eladio's

Each month Yucatan Today visits a restaurant in order to describe what it has to offer. This is not a review; it is a summary of the menu, service, ambience, prices, and opening hours.

January 2009

In Yucatán there is a place where the traditions are alive and every day of the year is a party of flavor, fun, and color. Since the first restaurant-bar was opened in 1952, Eladio's has expanded to be a popular chain with 5 locations in Mérida and 1 in Progreso.

Their philosophy is simple: receive their customers as guests invited to a party, and offer them an experience which includes flavors, aromas, and colors, all of which characterize Yucatecan food, surrounded by a festive and family environment and cordial, pleasant service. Locals and tourists enjoy the delicious food and excellent value offered by Eladio's.

Mérida's 5 locations are Centro, Pensiones, Itzimná, Oriente, and Itzáes. The Itzáes location has recently been completely renovated. Its airy palapa, busy tables, and lively music make for a fun and festive ambience. Live music, with space to dance if you wish, plays from 1:30 to 7:30 every day. The restaurant is open from 11 to 9. Snacks are served at no charge as long as you order drinks, but there is a menu of delicious Yucatecan specialties as well. And of course Eladio's has a full bar. Each location has its own parking area, and there are also kids' play areas. Credit cards are accepted.

Even when ordering from the menu, snacks are served before the meal. Homemade tortilla chips are served with guacamole, refried beans, spicy potatoes, and beef strips.

If you are in the mood for a salad, try the garden salad or chef's salad with roast chicken. Appetizers include panuchos, salbutes, PibiXcatic (roasted xcatic chile stuffed with cochinita pibil), and papadzules. The longaniza sausage is flavorful, plentiful, and perfectly prepared. The traditional lime soup is available, as is consommé or rice soup.

The seafood menu includes ceviches, cocktails, filet of grouper, and the special shrimp Eladio's: jumbo shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped in crispy bacon. Irresistible!

The traditional Yucatecan menu includes Poc Chuc, cochinita pibil, relleno negro (turkey prepared with roasted chiles), escabeche oriental (turkey prepared in a delicious broth), and queso relleno (gouda cheese stuffed with ground meat and topped with a white sauce and roasted tomato sauce). The pollo pibil is a classic, wrapped in banana leaves and full of flavor. Fresh handmade tortillas are served with the meal, and you can watch the tortillas being prepared for your table.

If you still have room for dessert, Yucatecan favorites are hard to resist. Nance, a local fruit, is served in its syrup or with Xtabentun liqueur. Ciricotes, another fruit, is served in its syrup. The classic papaya with gouda cheese is a treat, and they also have mouth-watering flan Napolitano.

At Eladio's the formula is simple: give people a total package which they can't resist: ambience, food, music, and fast, friendly service. They have many regular customers who appreciate the consistency and excellent value.