AcuDoc - 9-8-2003 at 09:50 PM
Where are your favorite places to eat dinner in Ensenada?
Mom's first trip to Baja and doing Ensenada on the way down. She only been to TJ and Ensenada and the last time for either was in 1965!
Next stops for overnites are, BOLA, Mulege, La Ventana and Cabo. Hitting San Ignacio for lunch, Loreto for breakfast along the way. As well as sight
seeing along the way. She's staying for 2 weeks before she flys home, then another few weeks for me.
BajaNomad - 9-8-2003 at 10:09 PM
La Embotelladora Vieja, Mariscos Bahia Ensenada, and the very casual Mariscos Playa Azul.
places to eat
Baja Red - 9-9-2003 at 08:16 AM
Just outside of Mulege (going south)on the right hand side there is a restaurant called "La Palapa". Very good food and the price is right. 
Msal - 9-9-2003 at 10:42 AM
El Rey Sol in Ensenada. A must have is their salad with bleu cheese. Haliotas for delicious Abulone .
places to eat
CJ - 9-9-2003 at 10:54 AM
Doc, Hey we're neighbors up here, we should get together and talk sometime, I'm right next to the Rosevelt....stop by.
Anyhow when were passing through Ensenada, we like Cazuelas for steaks, the Dragon de Oro has excellent Chinese food.
we have never been to El Rey del Sol although I have heard it is outstanding...Bien
Provecho! CJ
DanO - 9-9-2003 at 03:14 PM
Stand up -- El Trailero on the main drag north of town near the cannery, for tortas. La Floreta in the center of town near the cathedral, for fish
tacos.
Sit down -- Carbone's, kitty corner from Las Cazuelas, for chorizo/carne/queso tacos and stuffed potatoes. There's an excellent mariscos place a few
blocks in from the port under a big palapa that serves big platters of fresh shrimp, etc. Can't recall the name, but a number of people who now post
on this board will know it. Everything is great at La Fonda, aka El Royal, between Ensenada and Puerto Nuevo. Huge portions, great atmosphere (kinda
miss the funk factor of the old place, though, and the crooked waiters). Nothing like sitting at the bar at sunset with a bucket of steamers and an
icy margarita. Ahhhhhh . . . . .
A real treat
Msal - 9-9-2003 at 04:47 PM
For your Mom, Doc, I would take her to Estero Beach for any meal and the view!Have you been there?Does she like the stand up places, funky, sit down
and always good places?I'll ask Juanita about a good breakfast place in Loreto .Sounds like a fun trip. Just you and Mom?
AcuDoc - 9-9-2003 at 07:05 PM
Thanks for the posts and keep them coming. Once I get around the La Paz and La Ventana I 've it wired, been going there for years. I'll do Cafe Ole
for breakfast in Loreto more then likely.
Doing everything from carts to sit downs. Showing her the true Baja not just the tourist stuff.
Will being doing Cabo and could use some advice there. I haven't been there in 12 years and friends say I won't even recognize it. I've lived in
tourist resorts my whole life. Laguna Beach (grew up there), Catalina Island (for the summer), crewed and lived on board the Wild Goose-John Waynes
boat, Yosemite (4 yrs), Tahoe (3 yrs), Couer d'Alene (1.5 yrs) and Sun Valley (6.5 yrs and counting). The point being having lived in resorts I don't
want to vacation in one!
Thanks for all advice in advance again
Packoderm - 9-9-2003 at 08:16 PM
The fact that I detest resorts notwithstanding, if I were taking my mother to Baja for the first time, I'd spend the night and eat dinner and then
breakfast at Estero Beach Resort. It's not quite an authentic Mexican experience, but it's a nice, safe and pretty place. In fact, I wish my family
and I were there right now. There will be time enough for the real Baja further south, like at the roadside loncheras on the way to and past El
Rosario. My favorite places to eat in Baja are out in the desert where it is real, real quiet, and where it seems that there is nobody else on this
earth except for me, whoever is with me, and the family who owns the rancho/lonchera. The quality of the food at that point is almost secondary; in
fact, I wish I was there right now.
AcuDoc......
Debra - 9-9-2003 at 08:19 PM
Well then, for "TRUE Baja" you must take her for a dance with Herman, and a Pacifco with Beach Bob......and a boat ride with anyone that is at Camp
Gecko going out fishing, and enjoy a whale encounter!....AcuDoc....do yourself and your Mom a favor....stop by CampGecko and just ask Doc to point
you to any Amigos...I know you are planning on being there in Oct. which I know several Amigos are also....Stop and enjoy, I envy You! Hugs, to your
Mom! and you, enjoy! Debra
Nicely said Packoderm!
Msal - 9-9-2003 at 09:15 PM
Yeah, he is right on Doc. It isn't a resort like you would find in Cabo or elsewhere. It is a very magical place and your mom would love it.
Ensenada advice please
thebajarunner - 9-15-2003 at 05:35 PM
Packoderm> right on!
You are right on in your comments about advice to someone headed South. When asked about Ensenada tips my first question is "Why Ensenada? Why not
go on to the real Baja?"
There is always a sense of sadness as we approach Maneadero, Northbound, because it means traffic, congestion, tourists, and the end of the "Baja
Experience."
Your suggestion to find the desert spots is excellent. I have never had a bad road side meal in the desert. A few months ago we pulled into the
little place at El Progreso and had a wonderful breakfast. She served 8 of us a variety of things and it was all good.
Then, a quick side trip down the dirt road to visit the San Fernando Velicata mission. All very nice and just what we go for.
So, the next time someone asks for advice on Ensenada, tell them to head South and enjoy.
David K - 9-15-2003 at 07:01 PM
Well, yes the real Baja is all of Baja... However, Bajarunner thinks of the the old days (non pavement) as fondly as I do. So, I am going to guess
'The Real Baja' may begin at a line from Colonet to San Felipe (31? N Latitude). Or, perhaps where the boojums start growing?
Back to the question
Msal - 9-15-2003 at 08:04 PM
He wanted suggestions or advice on Ensenada stops . Whats the problem? They will make it south but probably need to stop and eat and or sleep before
the next trek south. It is Baja,once you cross the border!
The Real Baja
Ski Baja - 9-15-2003 at 08:23 PM
If Bahia de los Angeles is considered "the real Baja" then California must still be considered a frontier. It is a beautiful place though, in spite of
all the Americans building homes there. Not exactly the Mexico you may remember. You might look into Restaurante Cueva de los Tigres near Estero
Beach. The Abalone Quail dinner is awesome.
Roberto - 9-15-2003 at 08:24 PM
When were you there last? It's been closed for a couple of years now.
[Edited on 9-16-2003 by Roberto]
Ensenada advice please
thebajarunner - 9-15-2003 at 08:56 PM
david, thanks for chiming in.
The "real Baja" starts just past the last lettuce field South of the San Quintin Parador road.
If they succeed in building the dreaded private golf course and jet port at El Rosario then I guess it will start South of there.
Ensenada, in the 70's was my home away from home. Now, sad to say, it is just a big crowded "Second Street" strip.
Oh yeah, there is still some decent local shopping on Fifth Street but the ambiance is long, long gone.
No, "Real Baja" does not have to be a dirt road, just different from Gringolandia.
AcuDoc - 9-15-2003 at 10:53 PM
Ensenada is because like I said the only place in Baja she has ever been is TJ and Ensenada and she wanted to see it again. I usually keep heading
south as suggested. Also BOLA is because this is probably the only time she is going to do the drive and thought she should see it. So the side trip
was added.
I've been going to Baja for 15 years and though it is not a long time to some it is more then others. I camp in a tent for 5-6 weeks and very seldom
do the hotel thing. Mostly to and from La Ventana but I'll do a night in La Paz a couple times over the 5-6 weeks just to get a hot shower, catch up
on CNN (political junkie).
As for the "real Baja" to me it is very simple, its a place not saturated with tourists. I've lived in tourist resorts most of my life and do to this
day. That is why I choose to be away from the crowds. Most people will admit that most cities are not where you find the the soul of most countries,
its in its people away from the hustle and bustle. And just like anywhere else in the world, cities are not high on my list of places I want to spend
a lot of my time...especially on my vacation.
Packoderm - 9-15-2003 at 11:24 PM
That being said, I think that if I were to take my mother to Ensenada, and only in this case, I would avoid places like Anthony's and The Fox.
Mike Humfreville - 9-15-2003 at 11:44 PM
Favorite Restaurant: El Rey Sol. It's not that there aren't others of the moment, but they set the bar and have kept it over all the years I have
gone there.
Regarding several of the comments above in the area of Ensenada: In the last 20 or so years I have come to calling the wide but hairy stretch of
highway between Ensenada and Maneadero the "longest 8 miles in Baja." To me they are truly that; the lanes are not of equal width, the faster traffic
seems to always be in the lane normally intended for the slowest, There are way too many interesting things to see as the country turns from citified
to rural, and, mostly, we are transitioning from a place some of us don't care to be (city) to the central desert where we have left our hearts.
While I'd say nothing negative about Maneadero (have had a few good meals there and friends that live nearby), I'm always happiest once clear of the
village, on the way south, of course. As always, north sucks.
[Edited on 9-16-2003 by Mike Humfreville]
La Cueva
Ski Baja - 9-16-2003 at 08:56 AM
Thanks for the update Roberto, I thought I may have heard a rumour to that effect. I wasn't sure. Too bad because that was a good restaurant and I
have a coupon from my girlfriend from about 10 years ago for the quail and abulon dinner. We bet where we were lost at this time and I won !
La Cueva
Msal - 9-18-2003 at 03:25 PM
I have been asking around Ensenada also and no one seemed to know what the status was. I have wonderful memories of the place, waves breaking right up
to the windows, watching the sunset and yes, JR, the quail and abulone was to die for, all smothered in garlic. Rumor was the "El Tigre" was
substituting calamari in place of abulone and not telling the patrons.The ambience, back in the 80's was ,IMHO< true Baja!Nowadays, I would'nt even
recognize which road to turn down to get there! (loved the tiger with the c-cktail glass!)