Review of Palapa de Reyna restaurant, in Bahia de Los Angeles...

Finding a decent breakfast can be somewhat of a chore in Bahia de Los Angeles, as there aren't many places open for breakfast, and since the town is quite small, and many miles off the beaten track, the choices are somewhat limited. However, if you're hungry, and you're willing to walk, finding a restaurant that serves breakfast isn't a problem, and if you're anywhere near the idealized sculpture, near the only traffic circle in town, then you're not far from Palapa de Reyna restaurant, which is one of the few places to enjoy breakfast in town.

Photo: Palapa de Reyna faces to the north, and with the mellow morning light, sits in spectaculor surroundings. Despite the fact that the sign advertises fish taco's, they weren't on the printed menu. I guess you'd have to ask...

When you explore the small town of Bahia de Los Angeles during afternoon or evening hours, you'll note many small street vendors and restaurants have signs posted that advertise that they're open for breakfast... However, reality sinks in at 08:00 the following morning, as few places are open for breakfast. What was that article that I read titled "Truth in Advertising?" What's that, as I suppose the rules don't apply in Bahia de Los Angeles, as there are many restaurants that advertise breakfast, but in reality, there are only 4 or 5 in town that are actually open for breakfast. Friday, October 5, 2007, I was ready for breakfast, so I walked the short block from the motel where I was staying to Palapa de Reyna, on the unnamed main street in town, just south of the sculpture, located in the center of the traffic circle, on the north side of town.

I walked into the empty dining room of Palapa, and received a cheery "Buenos Dias" from Frankie, who is the owner, and the chief cook and bottle washer of the restaurant, as he emerged from the kitchen. With a huge smile, and an elegant gesture, he showed me to a table, and in a second, produced a printed menu, in English. I was stunned and amazed... I thought I was in Mexico? Frankie speaks pretty good English, but I kept the conversation in Spanish, as when I'm in Mexico, I prefer to fine-tune my knowledge of the Spanish language.

Photo: The attractive dining room is decorated in a tropical decor, which to me just shouts "Margaritaville!" Yes, that's a full-service bar in the middle of the photo.

I'm always amazed at how these small, family owned and operated, restaurants stay in business, as many seem to be devoid of customers when I choose to dine... Do my dining habits scare off other customers? Am I that weird? So how is it, on a Friday morning in October, that I'm the only customer in Palapa de Reyna? Whatever the case, it didn't seem to deter Frankie, as at my request, he brought an icy-cold Coke to my table, and prepared to take my order.

Photo: The kitchen at Palapa de Reyna could be described as crowded, perhpas? Note the pots and pans stored under the griddle... you just know that you're not in the United States!

Palapa de Reyna features a printed menu, but I didn't see anything on the menu that "spoke" to me for breakfast, as I desired eggs, refried beans and tortillas. I mentioned my desires to Frankie, and he said, "no problema," that he could fix eggs, beans and whatever else I wanted. So I ordered scrambled eggs with chorizo, refried beans, fries and corn tortillas on the side, and when I asked the price, he quoted me MEX $60.00, which is about what I expected, as Bahia de Los Angeles is very pricey by Mexican standards, and by my standards as well. I was smart enough not to order coffee, as coffee can be a rather "iffy" thing in a small Mexican restaurant, and the coffee is often quite expensive, and not what you're used to north of the border. Coca Cola is delicious with breakfast, and at 0800 on a Friday morning in October, where the temperature is already into the low 80's, a Coke hits the spot, so I grabbed one from the upright soft drink cooler, and sat at a table near one of the windows, where I could watch the action.

Looking around the dining room of Palapa de Reyna, if you don't look outside of the fly-speckled windows, you might think that you were dining in a seaside restaurant in Mazatlán, under palm leaves, in a semi-tropical setting, or at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant on the Las Vegas strip, as the decor of the dining room reflects upon a tropical surrounding, as it includes a faux palm tree, lots of catchy posters, ceiling fans, bright, snappy colors, and a full-service bar. If you look through the windows, you'll see the beautiful Sea of Cortez, the majestic Sierra de Libertad mountain range, but you'll also see dusty, unpaved streets, ramshackle buildings, and a potholed main street, without a name. You're not in Cancun or Mazatlán; you're in Bahia de Los Angeles, which is a small town, with a lot of character.

Photo: Frankie adds eggs to the chorizo that is already cooking. Note the pot of refried beans in the lower left of the photo; he scooped out a few sponfulls and placed them into the well-used pot that's cooking on the left burner of the range. Photos like these are priceless...

Most restaurants north of the border frown on diners entering their kitchens, but that doesn't seem to be an issue in most restaurants in Baja California, and Mexico in general, as upon my request, Frankie welcomed me into the kitchen. The kitchen at Palapa de Reyna is quite compact and shabby, yet it features everything a chef needs to prepare a delicious meal, as my gracious host Frankie pointed out to me. I always consider it an honor and a pleasure when a restaurant allows me to visit their kitchen, as the kitchen is the place where the magic happens. As I was wandering about the restaurant, taking photos of the kitchen and other attractions, Frankie busied himself in the kitchen, getting my meal ready.

Photo: I'm seated at my table, with my breakfast in front of me. Note the large windows, which give the resaurant a very airy feeling, but makes it tough to get a decent photo.

My breakfast was brought to me on a very gaudy plastic plate, and consisted of two scrambled eggs, with chorizo mixed in with the eggs, a small helping of refried beans, and small stack of fries. With the exception of the tortillas, everything was fried, so the meal wouldn't garner any health awards. On the side was a basket, with a towel, that contained four corn tortillas, and a small bowl of delicious, spicey but not hot, red salsa, which really tasted great on the fries and the refried beans. The towel was moist and warm, in order to keep the tortillas, fresh, warm and a little moist.

This meal was not particularly memorable, nor was it particularly tasty, and it could be described as outrageously over-priced, and rather mediocre. I've eaten far superior breakfasts in Tijuana and other cities for less than half the price of Palapa's breakfast. The beautiful view of the Sea of Cortez helped make the meal better, the kitchen tour was wonderful, along with Frankie's banter, and the large, gold tooth that glistened each time he smiled. Not to mention that he was kind enough to snap my photo, in his restaurant, and that something that I really appreciate.

Photo: My mediocre and overpriced breakfast. The portions were much smaller than I normally enjoy at other Mexican restaurants. The red salsa was delicious and it really enhanced the flavor of the fries and the beans.

I can only recommend Palapa de Reyna's breakfast, because breakfast choices in Bahia de Los Angeles are limited, so you're left with the choice of to "pay up," or "shut up." During my next visit, I plan to visit again for lunch or dinner to see how I fare.

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