Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Since 1983, the Guzmán Gutiérrez family has been offering one of the city's most memorable fine dining experiences at Le Kliff Restaurant & Bar - especially during Restaurant Week, when you can enjoy their fabulous 3 course menu for $299 pesos.

Famous for its beautiful natural setting and unusual architecture, this spectacular restaurant sits under a huge open-air palapa perched on a steep rocky South Shore cliff that juts out over Banderas Bay, which makes it a favorite spot for sunset cocktails and a preferred venue for tropical seaside weddings and bridal photography.

Two large rectangular three-story tall palapas cover descending levels of dining terraces with roof supports and staircase railings designed as rough-barked tree trunks. Throughout are rustic hanging beehive lights. Daytime, sunset hour and nighttime, all offer fantastic ever-changing vistas.

Executive Chef Everardo Robles offers AAA 5 Star Diamond Award Mexican/Caribbean fusion. The kitchen staff is accomplished, which shows in every dish served.

Since Le Kliff has reached international fame not only for its gourmet cuisine, but also for its unusual architecture, natural beauty and stunning sunsets, we could not pass up the opportunity to enjoy this fine dining experience during Vallarta Restaurant Week 2011.

From the May Restaurant Festival menu, we chose to start with:

Iceberg Salad: Large chunk of lettuce with pesto, almonds, onions, croûtons, tomato and fine herbs. Basil was the predominant seasoning.

Wild Mushroom Cream Soup: Packed with mushroom flavor, the soup was highlighted with tomatillo foam and "Melba" toast points. This is a marvelous combination.

Sour-marinated Mahi Mahi: A top creation agreed by everyone. Mahi Mahi fillet was cooked, not raw, laid on chards and onion slivers. The marinade was marked by an acidic essence which blended well with a thin tomatillo sauce. The fish had a glazed appearance and was flaky and moist.

The Main Course choices are varied and tasty:

Herb-crusted Pork Rack: The rack, a double pork chop, was heavily encrusted with chunky Panko-style bread crumbs and herbs, ensuring the meat inside was moist and not over cooked. The meat was surrounded by apple purée, caramelized onions and a red wine shallot reduction.

Seafood Enchiladas: Flour tortillas stuffed with octopus, shrimp and scallop with tomato-Chipotle sauce. Manchego cheese and pineapple were garnishes.

Catch of the Day: A low calorie preparation of Mahi Mahi with mushroom, zucchini, carrot and green beans in a salsa fresca chunky tomato sauce. Tender moist meat, flaky and delectable.

Then it was time to choose from their tropical dessert offerings:

Mango Mousse Martini: Vanilla Mousse mixed with mango pieces with a chunky nut crust and topped with mango purée.

Lemon (limón) Goat Cheese Cake: Lime is very forward in a creamy rich smooth cake on a finely ground almond crust. Tart and sweet, very refreshing.

Banana Pudding with Raisins: Banana bread pudding, moist and soft mixed with raisins and complemented by vanilla ice cream.

When it comes to fine dining in Puerto Vallarta, Le Kliff is a sensational place for entertaining friends and family. Offering great food and vistas to match, this restaurant is ideal for a romantic evening of intimate dining - especially on the nights when live music is performed on the upper level stage.

Open daily for lunch and dinner, Le Kliff offers indoor and outdoor seating; all tables have ocean views. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online at LeKliff.com. Visa and Mastercard accepted.

The author was supplied one choice in each of the 3 courses on the special Restaurant Week menu and this review is in no way connected to his independent restaurant guide, "Puerto Vallarta Restaurant Guide Beck's Best", where write-ups receive no compensation.

Restaurant Week continues through May 31st at some of the most recognized restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. For a list of participating restaurants and Restaurant Week 2011 reviews click HERE.