Stepping into Labná is like stepping into a Yucatécan home. The vaulted ceiling, decorated with a pre-Hispanic mural, evokes the area’s past. The specialty here is authentic—and excellent—Maya cuisine. Leading the list of local favorites are sopa de lima (lime soup), poc chuc (marinated, barbecue-style pork), chicken or pork pibil (sweet and spicy barbecue sauce served over shredded meat wrapped in banana leaves). The papadzules (tortillas stuffed with boiled eggs in a pumpkin-seed sauce) are sure to wow you. For beef lovers, the savory “Los Tres Huastécos” (three beef medallions, in different sauces) will be palate pleasers. Agua de chaya,a Yucatécan specialty cocktail, is another favorite with locals and tourists alike: This blend of sweetened water blended with the leaf of the chaya plant develops an extra “kick” when the sweet Xtabentún liquor (a type of anise, allegedly an aphrodisiac) is added. The traditional pre-meal chips are served with four killer sauces, among them chile habanero with sour orange, and the addictive sikil-pak, made of ground pumpkin seeds, roasted tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, set the stage for an unusual and enjoyable dining experience.
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Modern Maya Cuisine With a Past
Stepping into Labná is like stepping into a Yucatécan home. The vaulted ceiling, decorated with a pre-Hispanic mural, evokes the area’s past. The specialty here is authentic—and excellent—Maya cuisine. Leading the list of local favorites are sopa de lima (lime soup), poc chuc (marinated, barbecue-style pork), chicken or pork pibil (sweet and spicy barbecue sauce served over shredded meat wrapped in banana leaves). The papadzules (tortillas stuffed with boiled eggs in a pumpkin-seed sauce) are sure to wow you. For beef lovers, the savory “Los Tres Huastécos” (three beef medallions, in different sauces) will be palate pleasers. Agua de chaya,a Yucatécan specialty cocktail, is another favorite with locals and tourists alike: This blend of sweetened water blended with the leaf of the chaya plant develops an extra “kick” when the sweet Xtabentún liquor (a type of anise, allegedly an aphrodisiac) is added. The traditional pre-meal chips are served with four killer sauces, among them chile habanero with sour orange, and the addictive sikil-pak, made of ground pumpkin seeds, roasted tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, set the stage for an unusual and enjoyable dining experience.
