What amazing luck, to find real home style Mexican food in a town I'd never visited before, and almost as soon as I arrived.
The town was Loreto in Baja California Sur, a half-hour shuttle ride from Villa del Palmar, the resort where I was staying.
Loreto is one of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos (Magic Towns), selected for their cultural and historic importance, charm and touristic appeal. Its laid back seaside location makes it a beautiful place to relax.
Magic was definitely at work as I strolled about, looking for a place to eat. There were lots of choices, but I didn't want pizza or steaks.
And then I came across Claudia's Restaurant (at the top). Little more than a stand with tables outside, it was so charming I simply had to eat there. It appealed even more when I met Adela David (above), the cocinera (cook), who could have come straight from a home kitchen.
Bright Mexican cloths covered the tables, and strips of the same fabric were tied around the chair backs.
My drink, a tamarind smoothie (above), came in a heavy Mexican glass and my food on a traditional clay platter, not restaurant ware.
There were lots of other smoothies to choose from, as well as margaritas and other cocktails.
What do you order, when you have only one chance at a perfect meal? Seafood, because Loreto is a fishing center--the water is only a short walk from Claudia's
Fish tacos (above) were one possibility.
But I chose grilled fish with cilantro sauce. And it was wonderful, thanks to the skill of Señora David. The fish was cabrilla (sea bass), so fresh it must have come out of the water that morning.
Everything on the plate was good. Mexican style red rice came in a little pottery bowl. Simple boiled vegetables--carrots, broccoli and zucchini--were perfectly seasoned.
The pale green sauce covering the fish was delicate and creamy, so lightly flavored with cilantro that people who detest that herb could probably eat it too.
I asked Señora David for the recipe. And like much great food, the sauce turned out to be very simple, just four ingredients, one of them a canned thick Mexican sweet cream.
If your markets don't carry this canned crema, you may have to substitute another thick sweet cream, but that should work too.
Life in Loreto is so laid back that I couldn't get an address for Claudia's. But it's on Javier Salvatierra, a main street, and you can't miss it if you walk a short distance from the town's Historical Center toward the sea and look for the most colorful place there.
FISH WITH CILANTRO SAUCE
From Claudia's Restaurant in Loreto.
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned Nestlé Media Crema, available in some Mexican markets
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons flour
Salt
Oil
4 white fish fillets, about 1 pound
Combine the cilantro, garlic, milk and crema in a blender container. Blend until the cilantro is very finely ground.
Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, and cook and stir about 30 seconds. Add the cilantro mixture, bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste and set aside. There will be about 1 1/2 cups.
Heat a large skillet and coat the bottom with oil. Add the fish fillets in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook 5 minutes, turning once, or until the fish flakes and is cooked throughout.
Place each fillet on a heated plate and cover with sauce. Accompany with steamed vegetables and rice.
Makes 4 servings.
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