Over the past year, La Cueva del Leon has changed quite a bit: new furniture, new décor, new menu. The new décor is cooly pleasing to the eye with it's clean blue and white theme and comfortably pleasing to the buttocks. They have done away with all of the hard seats and replaced them with padded chairs and benches with a decent hiney quotient, even outside. I love the new padded chairs, which invite you to linger and enjoy the ocean view rather than finish your meal and hurry on to some other more amenable location.
The new menu represents an even bigger change from the daily-menu-board days. Authentic, savory Mexican food with flair without a side of refried beans in sight. Instead, you are treated to dishes like steamed broccoli and carrots, pineapple rice, fried bananas, garlic potatoes and hand-made, blue corn tortillas. Entrées are still incredibly inexpensive and choices include chiles rellenos ($50), mango shrimp ($65), vegetarian fajitas ($55), and, my favorite, huitlacoche-stuffed chicken breast ($60).
Not only has the menu expanded, but the hours have as well. La Cueva del Leon now opens at 8:00 am, serving up hot and cold breakfasts featuring American classics like a spinach omelette and Mexican favorites like Huevos Rancheros. All in all, the improvements owners Mané and Alejandro have made have created a chic, welcoming café that is a real crowd-pleaser.
But all of the changes have left me a little sad. I miss the cheap and easy food and the casual atmosphere that attracted me to La Cueva del Leon in the first place. Sometimes I don't want a complete meal with sides and sauces. And all of the changes have attracted a lot more people, kinda ruining the breezy hang-out-as-long-as-you-like vibe that used to infuse the place.
I am sad no longer. Mané and Alejandro have opened up another place. Just three doors down from La Cueva del Leon, you can now find La Cocinita del Leon. The new restaurant is advertised as a cenaduria, although it is open all day, including breakfast, not just in the evenings.
La Cocinita brings back all of the snacks and quick foods that have been banished from La Cueva's menu. I can sit down any time I like and nosh on a parade of delectables like flautas, gorditas, and tostadas ($12 each or $40 for four); tortas ahogadas, pulled pork sandwich on a substantial roll dipped entirely in tomato sauce ($35); or my new must-have crave – fish tacos adobado ($15 each or $45 for four).
Now all is right with my world again. It's somehow reassuring to know I can get my cheap and easy favorites any time I like. And I even saw the menu board the other day.
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|200.77.74.xxx |m-d-Y H:i:s ZoeHey, how did I miss the fish tacos?? Yes, it is fun to have choices with Manolo, Alejandro and Cueva. John and I went to the newest addition the other night and were filled to the brim..our tummies, that is for the grand total of $91 pesos! So, tonight I go for fish tacos!! The best I have ever had was in Sayulita, so we will do a taste comparison.
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|SAdministrator |m-d-Y H:i:s jenniferSo how did the taste comparison work out? I am dying to hear.
While working our way through the menu (it's too hot to cook and the prices are just soooo cheap) I also discovered the fish sandwich. Mmmmmm. They really know how to cook fish.
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|24.5.155.xxx |m-d-Y H:i:s Kathy Francone - La Cueva del LeonTaking the advice of several people, my granddaughters and I went to La Cueva del Leon a couple of weeks ago. One granddaughter was happy to be able to order tortilla soup. My other granddaugher and I were not so taken by the menu - too many heavy foods for the night. We expressed our disappointment to our waiter and he told us not to worry - the owners had another restaurant 3 doors away. We were given the menu from that restaurant, La Cocinita del Leon, and were very happy to place our order. Next time I'm in town - October/November - I will definitely go there again. And, in December, my husband will get to experience this unique little restaurant and hopefully the magnificent sunset at the same time. Keep up the good work, you two restaurants!
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