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beachdreamer

May 15, 2014, 8:59 AM

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Need special occasion restaurant

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We will be in Morelia for business purposes and would like to enjoy a "special occasion" restaurant. I mean one that we wouldn't just chose because we are out and running round and need to eat lunch.

Any suggestions?
An adventure begins with a dream

DavidHF

May 15, 2014, 9:35 AM

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Re: [beachdreamer] Need special occasion restaurant

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Los Mirasoles.

esperanza

May 15, 2014, 11:13 AM

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Re: [DavidHF] Need special occasion restaurant

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DavidHF, I hate to disagree with you, but Los Mirasoles--with all due respect to the owner and her family, who are all friends of mine--is not a place I would chose to eat. Drinks, yes. Maybe botanas. But not dinner. The food, IMHO, has gone from bad to worse. I was last there (for a special event, not as a customer) in April.

Morelia has two stand-out special occasion restaurants: LU, in the Casino Hotel across the street from the Cathedral, where the food is high-level traditional Michoacán cuisine; and San Miguelito, at the intersection called 'La Paloma' in the southern part of the city. For wonderful ambiance and absolutely fantastic food with gorgeous presentations, I would recommend San Miguelito.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

May 15, 2014, 3:01 PM

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Re: [beachdreamer] Need special occasion restaurant

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We've had some very good meals at the restaurant in Hotel Casa Grande. The setting is very pleasant and the view out over the jardin of the Cathedral is beautiful, particularly at night. We celebrated our anniversary there in early April. Excellent service and an interesting menu.

Not sure how much of a "special occasion" you're talking about, but we also like Restaurant Tata on Bartolome de las Casas some blocks from the Cathedral. They specialize in a huge variety of mezcals, but also have a small but good menu. If you want something more casual, try the Cuban restaurant (La Plazuela) nearby, where there always seems to be a party going on. Morelia has a lot of good restaurants, and depending on how fancy you want it you can find good food almost anywhere.

We like San Miguelito, and Lu's is also good, though we've had some clinkers there in the past, mostly due to the wait staff rather than the kitchen (forgetting to put in the order, for instance). But in terms of "fancy" restaurants, I'd recommend Casa Grande. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant, though--

Have fun--Nancy in Pátzcuaro.

chinagringo

May 15, 2014, 4:07 PM

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Re: [Nancy in Pátzcuaro] Need special occasion restaurant

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Thank you Nancy! We had visited Casa Grande with Jim Pierce a couple of years ago but I was hesitating to comment because I wasn't sure of its current reputation. We caught the Saturday night fireworks display and really enjoyed an excellent meal. Only hiccup to the entire evening was that they couldn't process a credit card that night. No big deal.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

DavidHF

May 15, 2014, 4:32 PM

Post #6 of 11 (15613 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Need special occasion restaurant

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Well dang. We haven't been there for some years. When we were it was very good. Sorry to hear that's no longer the case.

esperanza

May 15, 2014, 6:29 PM

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Re: [Nancy in Pátzcuaro] Need special occasion restaurant

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I agree with Nancy, Tata Mezcalería is really wonderful, with a charming but slightly funky atmosphere. For a casual evening of drinks and good food, it's lovely--but it isn't as fine an ambiance for a special occasion as San Miguelito.

The only reason I didn't add Casa Grande (the restaurant is called La Aldaba) to my list is that I have eaten a full meal there only once. Other times, I have gone for botanas and wine but not a meal. IMHO, it is quite formal in its decor, as compared to San Miguelito, which is festive and celebratory.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Anonimo

May 16, 2014, 4:24 AM

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Re: [beachdreamer] Need special occasion restaurant

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Parrilla y Canilla, up in the Santa María hills, is a casually elegant Uruguayan style restaurant with steaks and pizzas cooked in a wood fired oven; plus pastas, and salads. The ambiance is cool contemporary and not stuffy. Service is very good. There is a dining area on the terrace with a view of the city. We have eaten there on numerous occasions. Closed Mondays.

http://parrillaycanilla.com/
Review: http://mexkitchen.blogspot.mx/...canilla-morelia.html

Saludos, Anónimo

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

May 16, 2014, 2:43 PM

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Re: [Anonimo] Need special occasion restaurant

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I also should have mentioned Los Trojes, which is a little bit up the hill toward Sta. Maria. Each meal we've eaten there has been memorable and the service is impeccable. The waiters hustle between tables and the food is excellent. Try the tuna--it was the first properly seared tuna I've had in México, with a crisp outside and rare inside. Perfect.

Los Trojes is a little hard to find, so make sure your taxi driver knows where it is. I've heard of taxistas who drive around for a while before they admit they don't know where they're going.

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

DavidHF

May 16, 2014, 4:21 PM

Post #10 of 11 (15512 views)

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Re: [Nancy in Pátzcuaro] Need special occasion restaurant

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Sta. Maria or Tres Marias?

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

May 16, 2014, 4:43 PM

Post #11 of 11 (15509 views)

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Re: [DavidHF] Need special occasion restaurant

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Sta. Maria. You drive right past Restaurante San Miguelito, head uphill until the street turns to the right, go about a block until you reach a divided street, turn right, take the first left, and there you are.

Nancy in Pátzcuaro