La Valentina Review in the Dining Out Guide
If you are looking for real Mexican cuisine, not Tex-Mex, La Valentina has the flavors of old Mexico.
La Valentina, with ten years of experience, brings its unique flavor of Mexico to the Bay of Banderas. Originally from Mexico City, La Valentina boasts restaurants in Monterrey, Ixtapa, and Miami, USA. Their downtown location here in Puerto Vallarta is enviable, on Morelos between Allende and Pipila. All of the recipes for their authentic Mexican dishes were created by noted Mexican women chefs, including Lula Beltrán, Martha Chapa, and Susana Palazuelos.
The restaurant is two stories, very spacious with high ceilings. The upstairs balcony lets the cool breezes in, and along with the ceiling fans you can stay cool. In the evenings patrons can enjoy a drink downstairs, before or after adjourning upstairs for dinner. The restaurant is large and can accommodate well over 150 people between the two floors. The walls are decorated with large and bright prints, the most notable being the moon and the sun. The glistening silver moon on a blue background is in front of the ladies room and the shining red and orange sun indicated the men’s room. The floor is accented with elaborate stone designs.
The wait staff is knowledgeable about the menu and despite saying that “everything on the menu is our specialty”, the waiter will suggest and explain items on the menu if you are having trouble making a decision.
For the indecisive or those that want a little nibble of everything, there is the combination appetizer plate, including Salbutes Itzama (a puffy tortilla cup filled with marinated chicken), taquitos de camarón, quesadillas with blue corn tortillas, and tacos de chilorio Sinaloense.
There are a variety of salads on the menu, from traditional lettuce to exotic shrimp and seafood. The ensalada de camarones Tlacotalpan, with shrimp and potato flavored with lime is very refreshing on a warm afternoon. La Valentina also offers a raw bar with king crab, lobster, oysters, shrimp, and clams at market price. Hot buttered bread accompanies the soups and salads.
For the main course choose among a wide variety of chicken, fish and beef entrees, including USDA choice cuts of beef prepared on the grill. You can have a Molcajete (fresh salsa) prepared to your taste at your table to accompany your grilled selection. The Mole de tamarindo Don Librix, named after Mexican artist Librado Jimenez, has the sweet flavor of tamarind and is very flavorful, not at all spicy for a gringo palette. Traditional Mexican dishes including Pechuga de la fogata (chicken marinated in lemon, vinegar and chilies, charbroiled and served with fresh salad), Sinfonia en rosa mexicano (chicken breast covered with a creamy nut sauce) and more “modern” ones like Atún Neptuno are featured on the extensive menu. The dishes were well presented on the square white plates. Fresh (and very hot) tortillas accompany the entrees.
Desert should not be overlooked at La Valentina. The selection is small, but no one was disappointed. The Crepas de Cajeta, topped with ice cream and walnuts, so good you will want to lick the plate. The same can be said for the Crème Bruleé with fresh strawberries, and the Flan de la Nana.
