Apoala

On Thursday nights, there’s one place to be in Merida: the Plaza Parque Santa Lucía with a free weekly performance of music, dancing, and poetry, all emceed in rapid fire Spanish to much laughter and some hackling by the locals. Apoala Restaurant is a fantastic place to eat, people watch and wait for the 9pm spectacle to start. Make sure you reserve a spot outside on the terrace, with a perfect view of the stage. Apoala serves delicious Oaxacan dishes– traditional, and contemporary with a fresh take on preparation and ingredients. Many dishes are geared towards carnivores, but vegetarians won’t be disappointed either. Apoala takes mezcal very serious, and it is a great place to learn more about it, and most importantly, taste a number of them. Ask Arni Murillo, the GM and hipster ‘mescalier’ for a suggestion, commit to a flight, or just opt for one of their mezcal cocktails. You can’t go wrong. My favorite drink, the Mayahuel, is made with sour orange juice, agave syrup and possibly a few other ingredients I forgot to write down after I had the second (or was it the third?). If you’re not into mezcal, you’ll enjoy working your way through Apoala’s wine list, which focuses on small, interesting wineries in Ensenada, Baja. Don’t forget to make a reservation for dinner ahead of time, the place is humming. Parque Santa Lucía, Centro Tel. 999 923 1979 www.apoala.mx Monday to Saturday 1 pm – 12 am Sunday 2 pm – 11 pm Friday and Saturday the bar closes at 2:30 am Note on the side: Apoala also has a hidden, absolutely gorgeous bar, behind a regular, unmarked door, accessible–glamourosly–through the car park behind the restaurant. It is worth checking out for a night-cap, or two and it serves (surprise!!) mezcal-inspired cocktails, and a few other drinks. >>>A heartfelt thank you to Yucatan Tourism for an unforgettable 4 days in the Yucatan, my new favorite place in Mexico! @YucatanTourism #TravelYucatan