Phone: 01 387 763 2801
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 9:00am to 11:00pm; Closed Sundays.
Special Events: Tuesday, poetry reading; Thursday, live entertainment.
Directions: From Walmart in Ajijic, drive west for 25 kilometers, into the town of Jocotepec. Turn left at the first stop light and drive about 1/2 mile, turning right at the third street. Turn right at the first stop light, onto Hidalgo Sur. Park along the street.
First Impression
El Rincon de Frida memorializes the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, on every wall, and in every decorative touch. Rarely do I get to use the word, bohemian, to describe lakeside restaurants, but that is precisely the word that fits this tiny soup. salad and sandwich shop.Frida's has no parking lot. The only parking available is along Calle Hidalgo Sur, in front of the restaurant. We parked several blocks away and walked, but that was because of the festival going on in Jocotepec which had blocked many of the streets. It was later in the evening when we dined, but the streets were well-lighted and we felt safe walking to the restaurant.
Frida's dining room accommodates perhaps 25 at the most. Quotes from the artist are written on the wall, her picture is everywhere and she is referenced in almost every menu item.
On Thursday, live entertainment begins at 9pm. Tuesday nights are reserved for poetry reading. The owners have carved out a unique, artsy - yes, bohemian - corner that is popular with young locals and older expats. We visited with a large group of friends and the waiters happily pushed together tables and created a space for all of us.
Menu
El Rincon de Frida's menu offers a nice variety of unique sandwiches and fresh salads, all reasonably priced from $40pesos to $72pesos. I ordered a "Flor de Vida," a vegetarian sandwich consisting of cream cheese, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, onion and lettuce served on toasted wheat bread and accompanied by a green salad.
It was delicious, the vegetables crisp and fresh. A friend ordered the "Diego en el Pensamiento," a house-made chicken salad, also accompanied by a green salad.
We also ordered "Papas a la Frida" - hunks of delicious roasted potatoes - to split. It was a good thing we only ordered one, since the portion size is huge and clearly made to share. Many in our party ordered one of the huge salad bowls and raved about the taste with every bite.
The drink menu includes soft drinks, large margaritas, and limited - but good quality - wines and beers. Service and Price
Frida's waiters are patient, friendly and accommodating. They speak some English and seemed to understand the special dietary requests made by some in our party. I was impressed with how kindly they treated their older customers.
The meals are slow coming out of the kitchen, but that is because every order is made by the chef, who constructs each plate like an artist, when the order is placed. Nothing is prepackaged or pre-staged at Frida's. Because of the pleasant environment, our party was happy to wait for their orders to arrive. This is not a fast food stop, so expect to stay a while. Entertainment began at 9pm on Thursday evenings when a funky duo performs traditional Spanish ballads.
Lola sings in a deep baritone, glancing occasionally at a cellphone for the lyrics to the romantic ballads, while the guitarist plays some pretty impressive accompaniment. It is interesting - and certainly unique - entertainment. I have not attended the poetry nights, but think that this would be interesting to hear in two languages.
Our Recommendation ****
If you find yourself hungry in Jocotepec, I can recommend El Rincon de Frida for good soups, salads and sandwiches in a friendly, funky, Frida-filled café.If you are thinking of going in the evening, especially on the nights when there is music or poetry reading, make a reservation so you will be sure to get a table. Buen Provecho!
I was in the party you mentioned!! This was my 4th time at Frida's and I am always with a celebratory group. We book when Lola is performing. I would not call her funky, exactly, nor her talented guitar/vocal accompanist. The Mexicans in our group know all these old tradional Mexican songs word for word. And when Lola belts them out in her beautiful baritone voice, they often sing along! I am impressed as well to see many young people coming afyer 9:00 pm to enjoy the music over a cappuccino! The food is fabulous and the service is friendly and accommodating.
ReplyDeleteI meant funky as in unconventional/unique/out of the ordinary/cool and not the alternative meaning as, my socks smell funky. Thanks for your comment. Frida's is an interesting, cool, kind of funky place.
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