…the pulpo is cooked the way it should be, the texture is right on and the taste is not overpowering.”
When we write our restaurant reviews, we try and let you know about those hidden tucked away spots that give you a true sense of discovering a real feel for our little community here. A secret spot. A place not mentioned in the guide-books, not busting with tourists. A place you can walk into and truly feel like you a discovering something on your own (with a little help, of course).
Well, this month, we have a new one. Out on the road next to the airport, hidden from view by all the parked taxis and tourist buses, you will find Cervicheria el Güero. A small little concrete building with plastic tables filled with taxi drivers and locals, boisterously munching away and clinking their beer bottles.
Do not let the looks deceive you, don’t let the location stop you from trying it out. Serving seafood and more seafood, the food is why you go. The place was opened a few months ago by local surfing legend Marco Gonzales and his wife, Nancy. They hired local chef Armando and started a little restaurant. Well, if they do not watch out, they might just have to build a bigger palapa and expand their kitchen.
The menu is a perfect example of the Costa Grande‘s way of preparing mariscos. It is not extensive, but perfectly representative of good fish, cooked right. The shrimp tacos are crunchy and perfectly sautéed in a spicy salsa. For another appetizer, try out the octopus in its own ink, pulpo en su tinta. Served as a soup of sorts, the pulpo is cooked the way it should be, the texture is right on and the taste is not overpowering. The ink of the octopus gives the dish its own distinct flavor. The dish comes with crackers and fresh chips. For your main dish, chose between the fresh fish of the day or a variety of shrimp dishes. The fresh catch that day was marlin. Marlin cut as a filet needs to be cooked right, without making it too tough. We tried it topped with tomatoes, peppers and onions. The filet was cooked to perfection. I am sure Armando can cook the fish any way you like it, but for a true taste of the Guerrero Coast way of preparing fish, I suggest our dish, Filet de Mexicana.
Imagine this, your flight has been delayed and you are stuck waiting around in our lovely little airport. You could walk around in and out of the overpriced tourist shops, or have a few last overpriced beers – all the time, you are just wishing you could extend your vacation a few more days. Or, you could walk across the parking lot to the Cervicheria el Güero and enjoy some fresh seafood, prepared in the true Costa Grande fashion, sip a few cold beers and get your last taste of Zihuatanejo. If you live here and want to get some really good seafood, for a very decent price, head out to the airport and tell Marco and Nancy we sent you. You will not be disappointed.
Buen Provecho
-November 2000
(Editor’s Note: Cervicheria el Güero is no longer open.)
