Hungry for Mexico?

We’re hungry for Mexico despite the fact that, thanks to mildly funky weather along the Baja Coast, we haven’t even done the Bash back to California with Profligate yet. What’s the weather like in Banderas Bay and along the Riviera Nayarit at this time of year? Marvelous. It’s warm, but not too hot. However, as Mike and Robin Stout of the Redondo Beach-based Aluetian 51 Mermaid told us, they’re glad they installed an air conditioner just before they headed south last year. Mike gave us a scientific explanation of why it’s more humid at night, which we promptly forgot, but the evening humidity is a fact. It’s been dry, with the rainy season not due to start for another month or so. We can’t mention the importance of having access to a pool for additional comfort. More on that in a future ‘Lectronic.

Yesterday we were scheduled to have a 1 p.m. meeting with Richard Zarkin, Manager of Public Relations for the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. We, along with the folks at Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz, Paradise Marina in Nuevo Vallarta and other businesses, are in the process of cooking up a grand Riviera Nayarit welcome for members of this year’s Ha-Ha fleet as well as a reunion for previous Ha-Ha participants, to be held in conjunction with the Banderas Bay Blast in mid-December. It’s gonna be . . . well, a real blast. More details later.

Zarkin was delayed a couple of hours, so we decided to have lunch at Ikuai, the Marival-run restaurant overlooking the Marina Riviera Nayarit, the jungle hills, and the blue waters of Banderas Bay. The following are some of the photos of our meal. Examine them closely, because we are having a contest. Whoever comes closest to guessing the total price for the meal, wins a similar meal for two during December’s festivities. We’re assuming an exchange rate of 14 to 1, which is what a friend got from an ATM machine the other day. The entry deadline is Monday. Good luck and bon provecho.

Everyone gets garlic bread and either iced tea or fresh lemonade with the lunch special. For starters, we had a couple of shrimp tostadas topped with avocado, while Doña de Mallorca opted for a bowl of killer vegetable soup. We both went for the fresh dorado entrees, with Doña going for the diablo sauce while we chose the garlic sauce. Yum. Rice and veggies came with both. We didn’t need it, but we were then both served a generous portion of cheesecake topped with raspberry sauce.

This lunch special was good until 4 p.m. and served by friendly and attentive waiters who clearly enjoyed their job. So it’s time for you to guess, what was the price per person for the lunch special? Send your guess to Richard.