I recently had the opportunity to escape the cold for a long weekend to the Riviera Maya; a geographical area stretching along the Caribbean Sea from Cancun to the border of Belize. This territory is the heart of the ancient Mayan civilization, with the now bustling tourist city of Playa del Carmen laying smack in the middle.

Before heading down, my friend and I independently scoured the net for restaurants of quality, and when, after much research, we came to the same conclusions, we knew we had picked the right place. Our first accommodation was just minutes walk from downtown Playa, in an amazing home called Villa Aqua. Our excitement heightened when we realized we were a quick stroll from our top choice for dinner, Yaxche (pronounced Jag-shey), a Maya cuisine restaurant, serving dishes inspired by the area’s original inhabitants.

The design is authentic (and not overdone), inspired by the ancient temples of the old cities, complete with an enclosed garden seating area for dining beneath the stars. The restaurant’s interior is also well appointed with many examples of columns, reliefs, masks, and murals of the Mayan world throughout.

Yaxche is a unique experience. I would consider myself an experienced eater and was quizzical about many of the dinner items we debated over. Most diners will probably eat something they’ve never tried before (I certainly did!). The menu truly makes use of many native foods and spices to present a more elaborate regional flare than the usual tourist offerings.

We sat street side, like a Italian cafe, and through much conversation (and subtle avoidance of the marauding mariachi bands of the playa streets), we finally decided to share a ‘sampler’ plate for appetizers with two very Maya entrees.

Roasted corn coated in cream of chaya (a native leafy vegetable) and xcatic chile stuffed with cochinita pibil (shredded spiced pork) were the standouts to begin our meal (with a fresh, fruity and clean New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – always a great pairing with spicy food). The heaviest main course consisted of a beef stuffed turkey breast served with a stuffed hard boiled egg…. turducken, eat your heart out! The chaya leaf wrapped snapper with rice and vegetables was much more of what I had expected from this seaside civilization, but all the food was really a wonderful new insight into a cuisine I was not accustomed to. I would certainly recommend Yaxche for your next escape from the cold!

-bryan