Number Four hits all the right notes

If you’ve not been to Kim Everst’s Number Four resturant in Ajijic, then you’re missing out. The wine list is ample, categorized by price and well designed for the novice with descriptions of each bottle’s flavor, the cocktail selection includes all the favorites and a lively martini list and the menu is just broad enough but still kept to four pages (bilingual) and a one page special sheet.

The dishes are prepared with an eye for art and a sense of pleasure for the palate. Chef Glenroy Anderson is experienced (Toronto, Jamaica, Mexico) and willing to take chances, but doesn’t skimp on ingredients or portion size.

Service was immeditate and personalized. A warm loaf of bread with creamy butter was on the table before we settled in.

My date and I started with traditional Margaritas with a good reposado tequila — tart and stiff.
Then we dived into the Greek appetizer  for two with fried eggplant and a salad served with Kalamata olives, a Tzadziki yogurt dressing and fried pita bread. If we weren’t so hungry we might have just gazed at it for a while longer, it looked so good.

The main courses included a “Tall Boys” thin crust pizza. It was better than many renowned Italian restaurants in Guadalajara serve up and full of lusiously herb-roasted mushrooms, grilled peppers, quality pepperoni and lots of real mozzarella cheese on a flaky thin crust. We ate half of it the next day cold and it was still excellent.

The crispy duck confit served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes with a jamaica, blackberry, ginger and port glaze, was fantastic.

A glass of reasonably priced Spanish Cal y Canto, a blend of Tempranillo-Merlot and Shiraz complemented the duck perfectly.

Desserts included a non-flour chocolate cake that was a hit with a strong expresso and a tart lemon mousse that was smooth and bright on the tongue.

That night the place was fairly packed due to the twice monthly performance by Ajijic’s own Tall Boys band. Dozens of 60+plus expats grooved on the dancefloor  with hip 30- and 40-something Tapatios down for the weekend to the band’s ‘60s and ‘70s covers and their own Mexico-themed tunes. Even a hard rain during the second set couldn’t dispell the Tall Boys’ energy.

Ok, I haven’t mentioned the prices. They are more than fair for the quality  served.  You might drop 800 to 1,000 pesos before wine at dinner if you have a three-couse meal for two with a couple of cocktails Maybe half that for lunch.  But you won’t regret it.

NUMBER FOUR RESTAURANT

2011 | Donato Guerra No.4 Ajijic Ph: 376 766-1360

Open Friday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. / Saturday  2 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

Sunday 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. / Monday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

 

See more at www.restaurantnumberfour.com

La Bodega: Cool Comfort and Fine Cuisine

The cool and shady patio of La Bodega restaurant, located at 16 de Septiembre 124 in Ajijic, has been offering fine cuisine and a soothing oasis to satisfied customers for more than 13 years. Owner Javier Gonzalez, a public accountant and construction company executive for many years, first opened what had been the family vacation home to the public as a showroom for his artesania export business. His wife, Marta, suggested that they put in a few tables to accommodate those customers who might enjoy a coffee break. We began adding things to our menu, one thing led to another, we became a restaurant and the artesania business is gone," laughs Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, who sometimes shares the cooking duties with his employees, is clear about what his clientele prefers.
What is the most popular dish at La Bodega?
Gonzalez: Well, for pasta it's definitely fettuchini Alfredo. For fish it's the one steamed with shrimp, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers and onion, all wrapped in foil. The favorite meat dish is Doc's Filet, served with both mushroom and pepper gravy.
La Bodega's official cooks are Carmen Banda and Maria Padilla. Banda has been cooking in local restaurants, including La Nueva Posada, Club Nautica, La Real de Chapala and Telares, for 15 years. Padilla began her career at La Bodega.
What's your favorite dish on the menu?
Carmen: The fettucini Alfredo.
Maria: Garlic shrimp.
What's the most important ingredient you use in your cooking?
Carmen: Garlic.
Maria: Pepper and salt.
What's the best thing about cooking for a living?
Carmen and Maria: Seeing the plates come back empty and knowing the clients enjoyed the meal.
Don't your feet get tired?
Maria: No.
Carmen: I get more tired when business is slow. When it's busy, the shift flies by.
What items are you always careful to have in your home?
Carmen: Beef, vegetables and fruit.
Maria: Beans, vegetables and fruit.
What do you do when someone sends food back, saying he or she doesn't like it?
Gonzalez: It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, we all taste it to see what went wrong. Sometimes it used to happen out of confusion because the English on the menu wasn't so good.
How are Mexican and foreign customers different about their food?
Gonzalez: Mexicans like their food heavier, more pork, more fat. Foreigners are more conscious about cutting back on fat. I have to be able to think both ways.
La Bodega's menu is composed of suggestions from the staff and customers. It's ever-changing and runs the length and breadth of flavors and textures. Gonzalez is busy putting together a special lunch menu served from Noon to 4 p.m., specializing in traditional Mexican food. He promises that it will be tasty and economical.
Comfy and refreshing on a hot afternoon, romantic with live music and twinkle lights at night, La Bodega is open every day from Noon to 10 p.m. Visa credit cards are accepted. The phone number is 766-1002.