La Huerta Review in the Dining Out Guide
When friends from the US visit us here we delight in exposing them to Vallarta’s many wonderful attractions—swinging through the treetops on the Canopy excursion, swimming with the dolphins, forging rivers on the ATV tour, coasting along the Bay aboard the Rhythms of the Night ship, ambling through the lovely Botanical Gardens, and feeding the animals at the Mismaloya zoo, among countless others. Just as exciting are the host of potential dining experiences, one of which we are always eager to share—La Huerta.
Ideally situated on the banks of the Rio Cuale, one side of which is bordered by craggy cliffs, this open-air restaurant is a unique combination of rustic equanimity and neighborhood fiesta, particularly when the Mariachi’s make their appearance (usually around 2:00pm on Sundays), as part of the very popular Mongolian barbecue introduced on the menu some five years ago. Formerly an orchard (and hence the name), La Huerta offers a wonderful array of vegetation and fruit trees including papaya, pear, lemon, banana, coconut, mango and bamboo, which proprietors Jose (Chuy) and Alvera Garcia were intent upon retaining when they cleared the land twenty-eight years ago to make way for their home and ultimately the restaurant.
In addition to the kickback ambiance, we are fans of La Huerta because it offers a dining experience that is fun and out of the ordinary. Once seated, you will see a pair of matching cards each with two numbers, one indicating your table and the other your seat. After enjoying complimentary bean-filled corn tortillas, made while you watch, you take one of the aforementioned cards to the outdoor kitchen, where you select from fifteen ingredients, including broccoli, carrots, celery, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, pineapple, tangerines, jicama, potatoes, mushrooms, cooked noodles, beef and chicken all cut in bite-size pieces and ready for grilling. After shamelessly piling all into a bowl, douse your selection with one or more of four cooking sauces such as soy, or garlic and oil, and hand your custom made feast, along with your number, to one of several cooks who transform the ingredients into a steaming masterpiece while you enjoy the view and a libation back at your table. When your order is ready a friendly server, matching the card left behind at the kitchen with the one at your place, delivers a delectable, perfectly cooked one-dish meal.
Should you wish something other than the barbecue you may also order the mixed grill (chicken, ribs steak and chorizo), shrimp (breaded, garlic or diablo-style—at least a dozen per order), or ribs, but why mess with success? The all-you-care-to-eat barbecue is inarguably the best option if you love savory meals, customized to your own personal culinary preferences with lots of fresh healthy ingredients. Whatever your choice all meals on Sunday run $95 pesos, not including beverages, which are very reasonable.
La Huerta can easily serve 120 people, and has been known to accommodate twice that amount for private parties. Despite the seemingly cavernous accommodations the ambiance is warm and friendly. Regulars straddle the stools of the small sports bar, kitchen staff cheerfully prepare orders in full view of diners and other members of the Garcia family who help out at the restaurant lend an easy neighborhood feel away from the hustle and bustle of Centro.
Up until the new bridge was built a few years back, getting to La Huerta necessitated a four-wheel drive (or watercraft!) for negotiating the river. Now it is readily accessible by bus or car with lots of riverside parking available to those who choose to drive the picturesque route through colonias Buenos Aires and Paso Ancho, just five minutes off the Libramiento. After your meal wander the grounds and check out Chuy’s menagerie of wildlife—two dogs (and possibly a puppy or two), an amazing golden pheasant, Canadian and American geese kept for their eggs and other exotic feathered friends, who will soon have their own aviary for better customer viewing.
Although the Mongolian barbecue is only offered on Sundays (2:00pm to 4:00pm) a full menu of other options is available to patrons throughout the rest of the week--Mexican snacks, soups, and entrees as well as staples such as hamburgers, club sandwiches, ribs, chicken, fish, shrimp and cold beverages. Why not make a day of it by arranging a horseback riding trip with Chuy through the pristine jungle across the Cuale, culminating with an end-of-the-trail lunch/ dinner and a refreshing michelada ($20 pesos), or Margarita ($50 pesos). Word has it that a new menu is on the drawing board.
