Our last evening in Bucerias was May 4th; we chose to spend it dining at Culi’s Restaurant and Bar. We enjoyed our first visit so much that we needed to find out whether it was an one-off anomaly or it was a true representation of this restaurant.

Upon arrival, Eron and I were genuinely surprised (and slightly taken aback) by the warmth of the welcome given to us. The waiter who served us during our first visit (Eric) and one of his fellow-waiters both greeted us by name and made us feel very much at home. Once again, by choice, we were seated on their entrance patio. This area allowed the sound of the background jazz to drift out to us while distancing us from several other tables of diners and their conversations. The patio-seating also takes advantage of the breeze from the street.

The menu at Culi’s is not huge by some restaurants standards. However, they will endeavour to accommodate dietary restrictions.

Culi’s Menu (pricing is in Pesos)

Culi’s complimentary Ceviche was promptly brought to us. This evening the Ceviche was served in a hollowed red onion.

Culi’s Complimentary Ceviche

An very attractive presentation; which, of course, didn’t stop us from voraciously attacking it. Our first bites confirmed our previously opinion that this was is one of the very best Ceviches either of us have had. The shrimp was very fresh with zero hint of any unpleasant odour and had a very satisfying texture; firm and not wet or mushy. The Habanero Sauce accompanying the Ceviche was very appropriate to this dish. It held a fiery hotness. Yet it was a slow-build so allowed you tailor the heat to your palate.

For the appetizer, we ordered the Fried Calamari.

Culi’s Fried Calamari

The presentation for the calamari was not quite as over-the-top as some of the dishes. However, the surprise here is not in the visual but rather in the interpretation. Instead of old-school breading and deep-frying or even the more contemporary dipping in tempura batter, Culi’s has put a decidedly Mexican-spin on this seafood-standard. The coating on the calamari appeared to consist of a Masa Flour base and gave it a distinctly different style of crunch. Speaking of “crunch”, this is where we both had a slight criticism; although not over-cooked or truly rubbery, the pieces of squid just did not provide that “crisp-crunch” mouthfeel that the very best of fried calamari does. Good but not quite great.

Eron chose to have the Pasta Paula for her entrée.

Culi’s Pasta Paula

This dish has a filet of Mahi Mahi with Wilted Spinach served over fettuccini made with a Roasted Poblano Chili and Parmesan Cheese cream sauce. The portion of fish was of a good size, flakey, flavourful, and very moist. The fettuccini was slightly less al dente, “toothy”, than we prefer but definitely not over-cooked nor limp. The sauce was redolent of the smoky roasted Poblanos and extremely rich with the cream and Parmesan Cheese. In fact, the richness was so pervasive that Eron commented that the sauce needed just a touch of acid; possibly the “pop” of some Capers to surprise and cleanse the palate while eating this dish. The entrée was accompanied by small slices of baguette that were toasted, seasoned with olive oil and garlic, and topped with a dollop of a finely-diced tomato and herb mixture. Eron’s verdict; a very tasty but rich fish and pasta entrée.

My choice for entrée was the, Whole Red Snapper.

Culi’s Whole Red Snapper

The fresh-caught whole Red Snapper is done in a Chili Poblano sauce.  It was accompanied with rice and julienned vegetables cooked in a Shrimp Reduction Sauce. The Red Snapper was very fresh; not even a hint of a fishy smell with a firm texture to the meat. The fish was very moist, was easy to separate from the main bones, and went very well with the flavour of the Poblanos. The only caution would be to watch for the smaller bones in the fish; they can be a little hard to see. The chilies are mild and while they do provide a touch of heat, it never over-powers the fish. For me, the vegetables could have been a touch crisper. However, the Shrimp Reduction Sauce gave a smooth, rich texture and flavour to both the rice and the vegetables. It must have been good; I ate the whole thing!

For dessert, we opted to try Culi’s Key Lime Pie a second time. The visual presentation was outstanding just as it was the first time. However, this time around, they absolutely nailed the taste! The first time we tried this pie, we found that it was just somehow lacking in the lime-tartness. This evening’s version held a near-perfect blend of limey-tartness, sweetness, creaminess on the tongue, and that hint of lime-bitterness in the finish. As for the crust… it was superb. It is everything a great key lime pie crust should be; crunchy, buttery, sweet, and leaves you wanting just a bit more with every bite. Eric let us in on Culi’s secret. The make their crust using a specific brand of crushed cookies as the base; Mexican-made “Marie Biscuits”. This might be the single best example of Key Lime Pie we have tried.

And, of course, a great evening of fine dining is not truly complete until…

Battered world-travelling lighter, HR 1845, and Xikar 20th Anniversary Cutter

My final after-dinner cigar on this trip to Bucerias was Hirochi Robaina’s HR 1845. This cigar is co-created and produced by Cubanacan Cigars in Nicaragua. This cigar contains no Cuban tobacco yet is a fitting tribute to the Robaina family’s deep Cuban roots and their connection to the Cuban tobacco industry. It is a visually appealing cigar with a slight oiliness to the beautiful medium-dark brown wrapper. It has a medium-plus strength profile and a range of complexity that befits it’s heritage. The draw was perfect and it’s burn was consistent and even down to the nub. A very good cigar to cap-off a fantastic meal to mark the end of another great stay in Bucerias.

Culi’s Restaurant and Bar

Calle 5 de Mayo # 32, Bucerias 63732, Mexico                                                                            +52 322 159 6929