We arrive at Las Flamitas for Monday lunch with friends Delfina and Paul and their friend, Greg. Paul had carried on about the Monday special, frijol con puerco. That's right pork 'n beans. But, this dish has about as much resemblance to pork and beans from the can, as Mexican food (the good regional stuff) does to Taco Bell.
While the menu is a bit more varied than most of the local lunch places, I'm thinking that the frijol de puerco is not to be missed. The first four orders are for that Monday special and then the waiter looks at me. I just can't say cinco. Always the non-comformist, I order pollo pibil.
I figure with four orders on the table, I'll still get a chance to taste it. Besides, I love the Yucatecan pibil style which marinates the chicken or pork in achiote seeds, sour orange and other spices. The meat is slow-cooked in banana leaves, usually in a pan over a charcoal grill. Check out Rick Bayless' web site for the recipe, or better yet, buy one of his cookbooks. They are great. http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=169
The agua fresca of the day was watermelon, chips and salsa came to the table, then all of the condiments for the frijol dish arrived. Bowls of chopped onion, radish, chiles and cilantro with wedges of lime, were soon joined by plates of slow-cooked pork (shoulder?) chunks, rice with black beans and avocado slices. Then, each eager eater got a bowl of black beans and broth, followed by lots of warm corn tortillas.
You can make tacos out of the foods spread in front of you, but our friends started dumping everything into the bowls. Sort of like a Yucatecan pho. This proved to be the way to eat this dish.
I was right, there was enough for me to have both dishes. All of mine and some of Jennifer's. Urp! Someone in the kitchen knows what they are doing and cares about it.
Can't wait to try more of the Yucatecan specialties at Las Flamitas.
Las Flamitas
Av 25, between 1 y 3
Cozumel
Open Monday - Saturday
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