ENLARGE




Sex, drugs & rock 'n' roll made me crazy—thank God!



An Erotic Novel



How we lost the right to feel.

Go to the beach.

A Literary Love Affair

Take-Out Food

This is an area in which you will have to snoop around on your own, but your efforts will be richly rewarded.

Cocinas Económicas

Delicatessens in the Hotel Zone offer adequate sandwiches, but the real finds are in what are called "cocinas económicas"budget kitchens -- found all over downtown Cancun. These sometimes have tables that you can sit down and eat at, but they specialize in home-style Mexican cooking to take out. They will sell you plastic Tupperware-style containers, or you can bring your own. The food is all prepared fresh daily and is usually gone well before Noon. There is a typical cocina económica on Nader behind San Francisco de Asis. Portions of meat dishes are rather small, but prices are always low. $3 a person will buy a nice meal.

Café Club

Av. Tankah, a few blocks in from Av. Cobá. $3-$6.

A long-time favorite. Vegetarian dishes a specialty. Classic comida corrida. Recommended by Jorge Rishmuy.

Pizza

DOMINO'S is pretty much the same here as it is in the United States. The telephone numbers change from time to time, so we have to refer you to one of the local guides.

Roast Chickens

Pollos al carbon--chickens spit-roasted over wood or charcoal--are sold in all the principal markets of Cancun. The best are awesomely delicious and even the ordinary ones are quite good. Use your nose and your eyes and try to get there when the chickens are coming off the spit. About $4 for a whole chicken, usually served with tortillas, onion relish and refried beans.

Rosticería La Jarocha

Mercado 28 $4 for a substantial chicken with tortillas, rice and green sauce.

When stuck for a meal, we always opt for a chicken from La Jarocha.

Tamales

Tamales are the staff of life for many a Mexican family. The prime ingredient is always masa -- corn dough with meat, vegetables, cheese or chiles steamed in a corn husk or a banana leaf. Sweet tamales consist of sweet-flavored masa with raisins steamed in a corn husk. Coladas are mild-flavored Yucatecan tamales in wrapped in banana leaves. Tamales are sold right out of the steamer streets all over Cancun. Since they are cooked steamed at high temperature they should be safe to eat when fresh. We have no problems recommending:

Tamales El Paisa

Av. Yaxchilán, corner of Supermercado Genny Open from 7 PM until all are sold.

Top-notch street-side tamales stand.

The kids always jump for joy when we bring home tamales from El Paisa.