We had our hopes set high for breakfast at La Cueva Del Chango. It came highly recommended from Caroline and Eddie, and also Grace from Grace is Full. It may very well be an awesome breakfast place, but it seems we may never know. It was an odd experience for us at the Monkey Cave. We loved the atmosphere, kind of San Francisco vibe meets the jungle. We had a friendly waiter and started with a wonderfully fresh Mango Lassi and a unique Mamey Shake.
As always, we ask for the waiter to tell us what their signature items are. We wanted all that he recommended and all was going well until he came back and told us the chefs were not making any of it. He seemed to think it was odd too so he went back and asked again. Nope, not making it, wait, he’ll ask again if they are sure. He rushed back and apologized. They were not going to make anything from the entire Chilaquiles section or the Crepes section. That’s seven dishes they just cut off the menu! There was only two dishes left among the Mexican breakfasts.
I didn’t come to eat an American breakfast in Mexico so we ordered the empanadas and Lon picked something off the lunch menu. Then the waiter told us they were offering a special that wasn’t written on the menu. I heard plantains somewhere in there so I said, sure, we’ll take it. It turned out to be a pretty regular dish, a corn tortilla, some refried beans, covered with fried eggs, sprinkled with ham and peas, and a few pieces of plantains. It was enjoyable but not memorable.
Lon’s dish, the Chalupitas, corn cakes topped with beans, avocado, tomatoes and cheese, tasted exactly what it looks like, simple, fresh, but not special. Lon pointed out that it seems like more like a side dish and I have to agree.
The empanadas allow a choice of three from five or six choices. The Chaya filling was really under-seasoned, think boiled collards.
Honestly, I can’t remember what the cactus one tasted like anymore.
The Epazote and Panela was just boring and a little bitter, very skimpy on filling.
The main problem was that they weren’t really empanadas, just corn tortillas folded over.
We saw a little flare with the table salsas, just not enough to help. The food was made with fresh ingredients, but was rather boring and forgettable. I do also realize that life is different down here… still, how does a restaurant cut out two whole sections of their menu, especially if they are the notable parts? (By the way, we were there at 9am so it wasn’t like they ran out.) For that reason, we have to recommend skipping this restaurant if you’re visiting in Playa. On vacation, you have limited meals, so you can’t waste it on a restaurant that doesn’t respect your time.
oh my goodness – i’m shocked that they cut out two whole sections from their menu. i’ve never been there, but i hope you have better luck with other recommended restaurants!
I’m not sure how familiar you are w/ these Mexican dishes, but Nopal isn’t the most flavorful thing.. also Chaya too…so unless you know how these actually taste, you shouldn’t blame it on the restaurant. As for the empanadas, no filling would be something to blame on La Cueva del Chango. I’ve lived in Mexico for 5yrs and had the best chaya omelet I have ever had.
Em, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. I don’t see nopal in my post, but is that the cactus? It just says I don’t remember how that one tasted and by the way, I loved the cactus we had at a few other stops in Mexico. As for the chaya, I said that filling was under-seasoned, which is a separate issue from an ingredient being tasty or not.
Also, familiarity helps but whether something tastes good or not is just my opinion all over this blog. I don’t believe I have to be familiar to make that judgment call. For example, I think poi (a Polynesian staple) stinks, even when it is authentic and made correctly. That’s just my opinion.
I most say that I do not agree with the negative review on La Cueva del Chango because I am a local client who lives in Playa.
The fact is that it is the most successful restaurant for breakfast in Playa del Carmen. How could these happen if the food is as bad and as tasteless as described??
I have breakfast there at least 3 times per week…. so I disagree with the comments made… I think that they are very careless…
How can it be so bad when at the begining of the article you mentioned it was “highly recommended”
Final note….. I am mexican…. you have a wrong definition of what an empanada is or should be….
Another food lover….
Alfredo, in response to “The fact is that it is the most successful restaurant for breakfast in Playa del Carmen. How could these happen if the food is as bad and as tasteless as described??”…there is 2 possibilities. One is that restaurants are not always consistent. They could be good 80% or even 95% of the time and had a bad day. Keep in mind that they cut out 2 whole sections of the menu the day we were there and were not serving any signature items that the waiter wanted to recommend. The second possibility is that they may not have great restaurants to compete against. I’m a bit spoiled since I live in NYC. I have high expectations.
In response to “I have breakfast there at least 3 times per week…. so I disagree with the comments made… I think that they are very careless…” …that statement does not follow logic so I don’t even get what you’re trying to get at.
In response to “How can it be so bad when at the begining of the article you mentioned it was “highly recommended” – well again, same answer as the first possibility I mentioned.
On your final note, what do you call an empanada? This on is not at all like any one I have ever had and I think I’ve purchased many.
For my final note, eating their multiple times per week gives you an attachment and biased view.
Good afternoon , thank you for taking the time to stop by at La Cueva del Chango.
You are very good photographers , the pictures look great !!
I am very sorry for your bad experience, it is not a common thing that this happens.
What I really would like to know is the date you came over so I can check who was in charge. I am the owner and I can tell you that in all the years we have with the restaurant there has not been a single day that we cut off 7 dishes out of the menu.
I am in charge of the morning shift and had been for the last 8 years, I am the one that opens and always do so.
I will appreciate if you can please tell me the date you were here.
I can guarantee you that we will sure take immediate action on this matter.
Thank you very much.
La Cueva del Chango.
HI Pedro, this post was put up on Feb 27, 2009 so we went close to then since I write the posts pretty immediately. I can’t be sure of the exact date though
Dear Jessica,
I am sure that living in New York gives you the right to be “an authority” to be critic over how authentic Mexican food should taste….
Which makes me wonder how accurate and reliable the comments are…
Alfred, if you’re trying to claim that being Mexican gives you authority, that’s false logic. There are people in every culture with bad taste and nobody knows who you are. However, I have proven my accuracy and reliability through the growth of this highly read blog.
However, you’re still missing the point of this post, which is that we never got to taste this restaurant’s recommended/signature dishes.
I’ll just add here that people who read blogs are quite savvy. Don’t think that they don’t notice that it just so happens that you are fervently defending this restaurant on the same day that Pedro (from the restaurant) comments on a post, that is now more than a year old.
Hola Jessica , thank you for letting me know. It was important to have the dates to figure out how could this happen. I had already several meetings with the staff and they were not able to tell me to which one of them this happen.( I just realize this was a year ago ) I hope it was only a misunderstanding in any case I truly apologize for what it happens and hopefully you will be able to come again and have some other things of the menu. I am sure you will like them.
Thank you for your comments.
We are here in Playa for about our 20th visit. I’ve earned my living as a cook off and on for 50 years and have several children and grand children in the food business. We just had breakfast at Cuevo del Chango, and it was the best breakfast we have ever had in Playa and we’ve eaten at almost every restaurant between 30th and the beach over the years. My husband had Chilaquiles con Pollo and I had the Chicken and Pablano Crepe, the specialities you were unable to order. We’ve never had a bad meal there but this breakfast was exceptional. My experience tells me that you must have visited on a day when the regular cook had not come in – please, for the sake of yourselves, your readers and a really great restaurant go back when the chef is in.