Chamico’s in Tulum, Mexico

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I recently took a vacation to Akumal, Quintana, Mexico with my boyfriend and his family. This was hands down one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Akumal is located south of Cancun but north of Tulum, which put us beautifully in between the tourist attractions, without being right in them.

casa amistad

Casa Amistad Backyard

We had the pleasure of staying at Casa Amistad, a spacious house with an ocean side front. The ocean was a little further away from us, due to the Winter season, but if you stayed in the Summer, the ocean would land right at your feet. If you ever have the opportunity to stay there, I highly recommend it. There are loads of places that you can stay though, so you won’t be stuck finding somewhere. If you are still unsure about where to stay then why don’t you check out these beautiful homes for rent in Tulum?

This vacation included experiences like zip lining, checking out Mayan temples, a rain forest tour and even getting a pedicure from fish but the best experience I had on this trip was dining at a Chamico’s.

Chamico’s was recommended by a local who said we’d love it cause this is where the locals actually eat. A lot of the food we on this trip was good but many restaurants were also crowded, had slower service and filled with smoking Euros. Not my bag. My boyfriend told me not to write Chamico’s up. Not because he didn’t love it – but because he loved it so much he’d hate to see it become a “tourist trap.” While I understand where he’s coming from, I just can’t resist sharing this hidden gem with our readers.

Chamico’s
Unnamed road, located in Soliman Bay, Tulum, Mexico

Chamco’s can be a little confusing to find, the best way to get there is to take Soliman Bay Road, go past all the hotels on this street and look for the beachside fish shack. I hope that helps!

Chamicos beach

Chamicos ShackThis little hut is on the beach and is surrounded by their casual fold-up seating on the beach and plenty of hammocks if you’d like to nibble in one. Be sure to get there earlier in the day, I recommend between 11 AM – 1 PM, so you don’t struggle to get seating. The view of a secluded beach is breathtaking and so different than the other more populated spots in Tulum. The combination of the sun, sand and breeze with your meal adds an extra element of relaxation that is hard to recreate anywhere else.

 

chamicos quesWe started with an order of cheese quesadillas. It may have seemed like a little silly to order since it was so simple, since we were at a place known for its seafood, which is in fact fished out of the bay daily by the owner, Chamico, But we were just craving some cheese on this day. Am I really defending why I ordered a quesadilla? Is that what the foodie scene has brought me to? WHATEVER.

 

chimicos ceviche

Ceviche. This is the reason you come to Chamico’s! It was the best ceviche I’ve ever eaten and to have a little lobster added to it made it heavenly. The fish was so fresh; I assume Chamico reeled it in right before we arrived. Combined with lots of lime, Pico de gallo and buttery avocado, it makes for the most mouthwatering dishes I’ve eaten in a very long time. I also devoured those crispy corn tortilla chips; the ceviche juices made them extra special.

Another factor that makes this spot so unique is you can watch your food being cooked. Not that I totally hovered over staff (maybe just a little) but I was able to see them fry our whole fish, and you can see that video here. If only all restaurants allowed us to see what’s going on in the kitchen…

chamicos fish

This fish was fried to a crisp, golden perfection. Like the ceviche, the fish was right-out-the-bay fresh and served piping hot off the frying pan. I have never experienced this level of tenderness with fish before, especially after it’s been fried. The flavor was so delicate, not fishy, and the skin was crispy but perfectly salted. This is just one of those rare, amazing eats; you just have to experience it for yourself.

chamicos beach

Our tummies were full so instead that of driving around, we just stayed on the beach, even after Chamico’s closed. Watching the sunset on the bay was one of the most relaxing things I’ve ever done. I know my guy didn’t want me to share this experience online, but I wouldn’t feel right about that. I think everyone should go out of their way to experience this. It’s worth sleeping a couple of nights on the couch if he’s reading. 😉

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Julianne

Actress and Founder of Girls on Food: I was born and raised in the suburbs of Sacramento, California. I grew up a typical “McDonald’s kid”. I was very picky about what I ate and refused to try new foods. No fun, I know. My Mom started taking me on trips to Europe when I was a teenager and that’s when my palate for finer foods began to develop. Some of my most memorable favorite meals include Veal Bolognese in Rome, Gyros in Athens, Paella in Lisbon and Duck L’Orange in Paris. While this helped me grow out of a fast food phase, I still eat out quite a bit. I know I should be at home cooking, but I love dining out. I started working in restaurants in various front of the house positions at age 15. Since my start, I’ve worked in every casual restaurant setting you can think of: a teriyaki stand, brewery, sushi nightclub, trendy Mexican, family-style Italian, American diner, pizza parlor and even a BLT themed food truck. I can't help but notice that many of the LA food bloggers don't have any sort of background working in a restaurant. A lot of my perspective on food and dining out comes from my years of experience in the biz. Since starting this blog, I have shot appearances on a couple of cooking competition shows as a taster (including MasterChef Junior and another upcoming show). We have also started producing a Youtube Channel. IMDb page here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023647/ For this site I contribute content from all over Los Angeles (and the world) to showcase my favorite fine-dining spots, steakhouses, exclusive supper clubs, Hollywood nightlife and our very own #GOFx events, which I plan and coordinate.

2 Comments

  1. Marji

    April 27, 2016

    Great destination to refer clients.

    Thanks

Comments are closed.

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