Si Señor Review in the Dining Out Guide

Dear Gringa Gourmet,
I’m eager to experience real Mexican cuisine in a romantic setting, while visiting Puerto Vallarta. With so many restaurants and exotic-sounding dishes to choose from I need some guidance. - Overwhelmed in Paradise

Dear Overwhelmed,
Just thinking about the many wonderful choices available to you gets my taste buds dancing. If both authenticity and a magical ambiance are high on your list, however, I highly recommend Si Señor. In the humid summer season, a delightfully appointed air-conditioned dining room offers a refreshing respite. When temperatures drop and the rain abates, one can also dine al fresco amidst charming lanterns and candlelight, a soothing stone fountain and lush foliage on one of three lovely terraced gardens or on an intimate street-side balcony in the heart of the art gallery district. Indoors, where huge windows assure plenty of natural light during daytime hours, a circular brick bar and a grand orange tulip-globed chandelier dominate the eclectically elegant room. Seated at funky marble topped tables inlaid in colorful metal frames against a backdrop of purple, orange and yellow walls and vases of fresh birds of paradise, one cannot help but be in a celebratory mood. But the best is yet to come.

Si Señor’s oversized menu offers a delectable array of regional Mexican specialties beginning with appetizers that include guacamole prepared tableside ($58 pesos), shrimp, chicken or pork tamales, garlic calamari, (flour) tortillas with lobster (3 for $160), quesadillas (cheese, chicken or lobster), jicama and guacamole tacos, grilled panela cheese or melted Oaxaca (with or without chapulines/grasshoppers!) or a combination plate ($155) for the indecisive. Alternatively, one can simply enjoy Si Señor’s complimentary pico de gallo, a unique and tasty concoction of fresh papaya, pineapple and corn served with crisp green and red totopos (chips).

In addition to black bean or Aztec soup, Atlixco salad, made with cactus and crispy sweet potato, and a grilled veggie salad are available. Four choices of moles ($164) including, pink (made with beets), and peanut “a la Chiapas” are one of several tempting entrée options. Enchiladas, fish tacos, tuna, poblana or mezcal shrimp, carne asada, fajitas and chimichangas are among other traditional offerings, as well as additional pork, steak, seafood and lobster-based dishes, ranging from $130 to $750—the latter, a combination plate of treasures from the sea for two.

For a special treat order the chiles en nogada, offered in August and September when the pomegranate seeds are in season, or the chiles rellenos ($165), a light and delicious dish made with a poblano pepper, which is first charred to enhance the flavor and facilitate removal of the green outer skin, then filled with one of several mixtures, dredged in flour and stiffly beaten eggs, fried and served with an enhancing sauce. Crab or cheese-stuffed peppers are smothered in a savory red tomato/onion sauce, while shrimp rellenos are served with white.

Four wines are available by the glass ($65–$80), in addition to over two-dozen bottled white and red varieties from five different countries, ranging from $260 to $1,100 pesos. For a tropical change of pace, consider the restaurant’s signature libation, Luces de Vallarta ($120) a beautiful and yummy blend of Midori liqueur, vodka and Malibu rum, combined with orange and pineapple juice. All dishes are prepared just prior to serving. Postres (not listed on the menu) include flan, rice pudding (artfully presented in an oversized bowl, dusted with cinnamon and squiggles of pureed strawberry), tres leches cake and strawberries in cream. A generous “Beso de Angel” (Angel’s Kiss) made with cream and coffee liqueur--compliments of the house-- provides the perfect finish.

Si Señor
Guadalupe Sánchez 274, corner of Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
Mon-Sun 11:00am-11:59pm
Tel. (322) 113-0064
AE / MC / Visa
Reservations and credit cards accepted

The Upside: Above-average, gracious service, extending from Carlos, the manager to the wait staff. Excellent quality and presentation. Unique flavors and variety. Uplifting, upscale ambiance. Wonderful entertainers--Rogelio & Felipe of Sol Latino ($50 pesos per song from 7:00pm-9:00pm in the high season). Squeaky clean, attractive baños with a full-length mirror.

The Downside: Parking—Take a cab or be prepared to walk a ways. A bit pricey for lunch, but worth the overall experience. Limited wine-by-the-glass options. Although lovely, the women’s bathroom is too dark to allow for a quick lipstick touch-up.