Dear Reader,

This week I celebrated my birthday. I won’t tell you how many years I celebrated but I will tell you where I celebrated.

Eight of us went to dinner at the newly relocated Pedro’s Gourmet Restaurant. The restaurant (formerly located halfway between Ajijic and Chapala, now in the heart of Ajijic village) is in a renovated colonial-style house.

A central outdoor courtyard is surrounded by small intimate dining rooms. The walls are painted in vibrant colors–just what you expect in Mexico–and adorned with very interesting modern art, also in bright eye-appealing colors. Dim light and good music make for a very elegant dining atmosphere.

I am also happy to report that the food more than does justice to the atmosphere. This has to be the best restaurant of its type we have found in the lakeside area. For appetizers, one of our group ordered a cold cream of asparagus soup. Two of us split the rich, delightful escargot. For entrees, three of us had veal…with salad and mashed potatoes, one had a filet mignon, one had ribs, one had a vegetable/chicken curry, and another had salmon chimichurri. We each had two cocktails and everyone had coffee and dessert after dinner (cheesecake, chocolate cream pie, pecan pie…mmm).

The bill: 1,415 pesos ($125) for eight people. For the same price, my husband and I could not have dined alone at a similar restaurant in the US. (Not that we’d be able to find one where we could have enjoyed the fresh outdoor air at this time of year.) Needless to say, it was a great way to spend a birthday; treating good friends to a great meal and not breaking the bank to do it.

If you’re in Ajijic, you’ll find Pedro’s Gourmet Restaurant at the corner of Aquiles Serdan and Ocampo, about three blocks west of the plaza.

Buen Provencho!

Suzan Haskins
for International Living in Mexico
E-mail: Mexico@InternationalLiving.com