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 News from Around Banderas Bay | August 2007 
Pleasing the Palate in Paradise - Spiaggia
 Gary R. Beck - PVNN
| | Open daily from 8 am to 2 am, Spiaggia serves Contemporary Pacific Rim Cuisine in a beautiful beachside setting. For reservations call (322) 223-9417. For more info and photos, click HERE. |
Spiaggia, which means "beach" in Italian, is the name of an exciting new Puerto Vallarta restaurant that combines three concepts in one location: Beach Club, Restaurant and Bar Lounge.
Whether you visit Spiaggia for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Spiaggia's 45 foot palapa and beautiful beachfront setting provide an incomparable atmosphere for an unforgettable dining experience in Puerto Vallarta.
Chef Alejandro Winzer's gourmet menu features contemporary cuisine from the Pacific Antilles (Chile, Hawaii, Mexico.) To complete the culinary experience, you can watch the chefs preparing some of the dishes in the rustic oven or over the charcoal grill.
Here are some of my favorites:
For Breakfast: Eggs Motuleños with ham and plantain; Shrimp Egg Burritos; and Alambre Style Flank Steak and Eggs.
For Lunch: Mango Aguachile, Queso Fundido with Arrachera, Shrimp or Chicken; Pizza and Pasta, Shrimp Flautas, Seared Tuna Salad with Lemongrass; and Beef or Salmon Carpaccio.
For Dinner: Beef Tenderloin with Chipotle Blue Cheese; Cajun Seafood Linguine; Baked Brie with Foie and Chocolate Mole; and Chicken Strips over Penne.
On a recent visit, we sampled various items and particularly enjoyed the Queso Fundido with Arrachera [beef strips of skirt or flank steak] in molcajete utensil. The beef with melted cheese was great for wrapping in soft tortillas or slathering on bread. A dab or salsa fresca completed the meal.
Several of the patrons were fond of fish or meat seared or slightly cooked as Carpaccio, so we ordered one Seared Tuna Salad to share. The lemon grass flavoring brought me back to days working with Vietnamese.
Another offering which worked as a dish to share is the Baked Brie with Foie and Chocolate Mole. Slightly spicy but rich and flavorful.
We could not resist a favorite blend of flavors, the Cajun Seafood Linguine. Mix various local fresh fish and seafood in a spicy creamy sauce, toss well with al
dente pasta, and the result is a pleasing meal anywhere, let alone here with the tide depositing waves of blue and white water onto the shore.
The inside open-air bar and seating will be undergoing remodeling with the outside tables remaining shaded from the sun but open to the bay breezes. At night the torches lend a tropical flare to the ambiance after the sun has set once again in our Paradise.
 After 20 years in the San Francisco restaurant business, Gary R. Beck turned his attentions to cooking, dining out, creating recipes and exploring Puerto Vallarta's rich array of eateries. Famous for his restaurant guide, available online at CafePress.com or Lulu.com, Gary also writes restaurant reviews for Puerto Vallarta newspapers, Bay Area magazines, and now, a feature column for BanderasNews.com. Contact Gary at garyrbeck1@yahoo.com.
Click HERE for more articles by Gary R. Beck. |
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