Restaurant of the Month: Trotter'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.

April 2010

Five years after Paul Trotter opened his newest restaurant in town, Trotter’s still enjoys its reputation of being one of Merida’s top restaurants. Popular for afternoon tapas and dinner with friends, the locals come here again and again. Being a Paul Trotter restaurant means there is no guessing about the food, service and ambience - it is a given that all is going to be excellent, as it is in their other two restaurants: Pancho's, the Mexican restaurant in Centro, and La Tratto on Prol. Montejo.

The dining room with open kitchen at one end and a wine bar off to the side, is housed in a grand glass enclosed steel structure that has been attached to an old colonial home. There is also outdoor dining nestled among the century old trees, giving diners an intimate tropical feeling.

The crowd at Trotter's varies according to the time of day you visit. At lunch you will find groups of locals socializing or on business, partaking of the lunch specials, and tourists who want to go where the locals go - a sure sign things are good. At night the crowd is a diverse combination of locals, the ex-pat community and tourists. The frequent diner card is a great incentive to visit all three of the Trotters’ restaurants.

Steaks, tapas and wine are what Trotter's is about, along with fish, chicken and pastas in varied tantalizing sauces, large healthy salads, comforting soups, and tasty appetizers. They have a good selection of wines to accompany everything on the menu. Their Angus steaks are what they are famous for. It is a given that the meat will be tasty and tender.

Some of their most popular (and delicious!) tapas include Duck Foie Gras, Tuna Tartare, Rustic Paté of Shrimp, Lobster, Squash Flower and Goat Cheese, Grilled Argentinian and Chistorra Sausage, and Grilled Provoleta Cheese. Their steaks include a juicy rib eye, Pepper Steak, and Chateaubriand for two. If you love roast chicken, try the Parisian style Rotisserie ¼ or ½ chicken. Tuna steak or Chipotle prawns are on the seafood menu, and the pastas are phenomenal. One of their most popular salads is Watercress with tomato and avocado, with a Roquefort dressing. The new apple souffle dessert with brandy, raisins and cinnamon may tempt you, or you can opt for a selection of mini-desserts to share with your friends. Circuito Colonias between Calle 60 and Prol. Montejo. Tel. 927 2320. Open 1 pm – 2 am Monday-Saturday and 1 pm – 6 pm on Sunday.

www.trottersmerida.com

Read what other travelers think about Trotter's.