Ramons, Casa de Capitan, Mary's, Rosy's, Tacos Poblano

[gup]

In 1984 a group of us came down - some for the first time - and stayed at the Villa Granada. One was a college student, born and raised in Boston & attending Harvard. His nose was so far up in the air it is a wonder he had any idea of where he was walking. He couldn't believe that his Dad had brought him to this terrible, small, dusty place. Aunt Louisa handed him a Margarita and introduced him to some ASU students who were staying there.

The next morning he was still complaining about the lack of amenities - certainly wasn't up to Boston standards. But his new found ASU friends convinced him to join them for a day on the beach and riding dune buggies.

That afternoon we were all sitting in the courtyard having a drink, talking and listening to music. ASU & Harvard kids arrived from their day on the beach and headed for the showers. A little background info: Now, at that time in Penasco, water was about as rare as gold and half the time it was turned off at the hotel in order to conserve it. We continued enjoying ourselves under the massive Bouganvilla vine that covered the courtyard.

Shortly Harvard was out on the balcony, a towel wrapped around him, shampoo still in his hair, calling down to Louisa, "Please Louisa, five more minutes of water so I can get the soap off!" - this was said with a grin. His Dad, in shock, said "Is that my son - the Harvard snob!!!" She gave the kids five more minutes of water. Then they all joined us and, in Penasco fashion, it all turned into a lovely party for the rest of the afternoon.

By the next morning Harvard was pleading with his Dad to be able to stay another day. He no longer saw a small dusty town - instead he saw friends and a way of life that was so different from his, but beautiful in it's own right.

Penasco isn't Boston, nor Phoenix. It is still a land of manana. But when the service is slow, lean back and enjoy the view and conversations with old and new friends.

This was our 1st. stay @R.P., had only been out ay Cholla Bay @Brother-in-law's place. prior.
This was 1990, same as you vines cascading down, big heavy-set manager, Named Jim Coffe
e served in bed and evening intertainment.
Great memories indeed.

 

[John Walz]

Probably a good idea, as you noted, to take some time off from visiting Rocky Point. I think you may have been expecting La Jolla, on a Mexico budget.

I knew when I first started reading that this was going to be a "complainer" post. Glass half-empty.

That's ok. I agree, Casa del Capitan isn't Maestro's or Drinkwater's in Scottsdale, however they do have a few decent dishes. Just not all sodium'd up like in the US. Not the best food in the world, and if the food were "to die for", no one would get in with a view like that. I do disagree, the margs are very good and much better than the corn syrup margs you will find at most places in RP.

Go for drinks and appetizers and view at Capitan and then go to your favorite place without WHITE FACES afterwards for dinner. Which really what you are saying is that you were looking for a place with BROWN FACES.

Be bold and say what you really mean.

By the way, if you weren't so tainted by skin color, La Curva serves as many Mexicans as it does Americans/white faces. You should have given it a try and not judged so quickly by COLOR of skin. La Curva's food is always excellent....

Don't hold back...tell him what you really feel!...lol!

 

[jerry]

Change is good.....A mountain vacation at the just barely operating but beautiful Tamarack resort in Donnally Idaho is a bargain.Condo for 100 a night,great bike riding,hiking,ok fishing ( not In the same class same as of ours of course) ,great farmers markets,antiques,hunting and super hot Springs...A city vacation in Portland was a blast......Pismo Beach has perfect weather 12 hours from Tucson.....Gila wilderness camping...Vegas baby...

 

[Roberto]

Change is good.....A mountain vacation at the just barely operating but beautiful Tamarack resort in Donnally Idaho is a bargain.Condo for 100 a night,great bike riding,hiking,ok fishing ( not In the same class same as of ours of course) ,great farmers markets,antiques,hunting and super hot Springs...A city vacation in Portland was a blast......Pismo Beach has perfect weather 12 hours from Tucson.....Gila wilderness camping...Vegas baby...

Bragger !!

 

[Wood Spinner]

Buying fish in ther fish market is easy. Never buy any fish that is pre cut. Look at the fish whole on ice and if the eyes are not clear it is old and a no no.
Find a nice clear eyed fish and have them cut off what you want. Most of the scales are ok but I do carry a 1 lb ball to pre check. Many times there will be a scale close
to them but when they see the ball the tell me the other scale is better. It will be dead on Buy from the same place every time if you are satisfied with the quality. They are quick to get to know you.

 

[fatboyharley]

Wow interesting comments. Whenever we go, and not often enough, we cook most of the time, but make it a point to venture out to our favorites places.

El Captain food is bland, but I believe it is because it is not the typical Mexican food we are used to in the US. We go for the view, the view, the view and of course the margaritas (which have always been very good!)
My hubby loves Ramones fish fry.
I love Mar Blue on Sandy Beach. Sitting on the patio and enjoying a cocktail at sunset. Yummy!
We also try a new place every time we go, but these have been our favorites for the above reasons.[/QUOTE


Has anyone gone recently to the in town Ramon's. We went there Saturday night. There was only one other table besides us. Use to love the fish and chips but after this last time. The chips were soggy and greasy, the fish was 1/2 inch strips and over fried and dry. No garnish on the plates. Only two types of beer - Bud or Tecati No more cloth napkins paper in a glass. The beer was served in tom collins glasses and not the previous iced glasses. Salsa was in a plain soup bowl and not in the volcanic bowl. Chips were good but that was all. No more credit cards Cash only

 

[dwig222]

We have been coming down for many years and we know where to get the best meals. We will occasionally try a new place after reading many good reviews, and if it is good, we add it to our list. We eat all of our breakfasts out and usually at Lolita's because we love a good Mexican breakfast. But we eat at the same places every time we come down because we know we will get a good meal. We have had our car washed a few times, but if we see them, we tip them not to wash it. When I'm on the beach it only takes a second to say "no thank you". One thing you might also consider is going to Ley's deli. Today I bought some pre-cooked refried beans, some cooked rice, fresh made tortillas, and some kind of meat in a delicious sauce. If we don't feel like going out, we just make a delicious meal at home. Sometimes it's a whole chicken that I bake and have with some fresh veggies from the veggie market or a different rice from the deli. Get a pound of shrimp at the fish market. Now you know to smell it and check for freshness. There are a ton of ways to have a good meal down here. We also tip the parking guy at lays and I get excited to see the look on the little girl's face when I have her a dollar for some gum or the young boy at Lays who bags my groceries. You just don't get all those experiences anywhere else that is a few hours away.

Compared to the cost of a week in San Diego, Rocky Point is about 90 % less so we can do it 3 or 4 times a year!

 

[brokenwave]

Tipping vs Panhandling

I always try to tip 5-10+ pesos or a dollar when someone actually does a small task for us,
like pumping gas, washing our windshield, bagging our groceries at stores, the parking lot guy at Super Ley,
the guy that grills our meat and veggies at SL, the water store guy putting our 5 gal water bottles in the car.

Even the little kids selling gum and seashells will get my money.
The more they do, the more I tip.

I just don't care for getting hit on 3-4 times every time we go out and it's like that every trip now.

In AZ, I have also been hit up, by the people standing on the median islands in N Phx I offer them a sandwich but they always want $$.
In Flagstaff it's also pretty bad with people camped out near all the popular eating places wanting $$.

I don't mind paying for services provided, but decided awhile ago I am not every panhandlers ATM.

 

[GV Jack]

When I lived in St Louis, I was coming home from work one day and at the top of the off ramp sat a guy with a sign that said,
will work for food. I stopped and told him I had a ton of yard work that needed done. He said he wasn't interested but would take
$20.00 instead. I explained how the cat ate the cabbage to him which he greeted with a number of four letter words. I laughed and drove
off. What a country.

 

[Terry C]

My mom always told me when I would take her to doctors appointments that those panhandlers all drive fancy cars from all the money they make. She told me they park their cars in a parking lot a short distance away. Love you mom...
She might of been right!!!!!!

 

[HILL BOY]

If you tip them too much it turns them into beggars I never tip over 10% unless the service is excellent 10 pesos for your bagger or the guy that fills your tank and does not even wash your windshield

 

[tndr_cpl]

Our first trip to RP was in 1984. Our extended family owns a cabin (to call it a house would be pretty generous) in Cholla Bay but for many years we have only stayed at various places on Sandy Beach. I would never call myself an "expert" on RP and we definitely are far more tourists than extended locals. That being said there is one thing that has always seemed to be a constant complaint by many. Although they don't say it directly it can be boiled down to "this isn't what I am used to in the states". Duhhhhh... it's another country! The idea that you shouldn't tip over 10%, or lack of amenities or etc etc. are based on what we are used to in the states. If people want things like they are in the states then (the obvious goes here)

We are Americans through and through, but thoroughly enjoy the Mexican culture and it's people. We love going to RP along with trip to other parts of Mexico specifically because we enjoy the differences not to mention that it is a lot less expensive and pretty close to home. As others have said, try and slow down and enjoy the industrious little kids who try and sell you chicklets, the vendors on the beach, the guys who sometimes make your car windows even dirtier when they wash them, the low cut tops on the busty tourists (my wife among them), the sound of the ocean and the fact that you are far more wealthy than more of the people who live here.

Yep, it's different than the states, and that's why we keep coming back

 

[Hillbeartoe]

MMmmmm , Busty chicks.
I am a softy since I teach 5-6 year old children most of which are from Mexico. It breaks my heart to see them selling all the little things they lug around and know that this is how I will see them the next time I come down. And the next.....
Probably a little off topic but, I just don't know how anyone could be annoyed when to me they should should be putting things in perspective and realize that they will never know what it is like to be them. The extra change you hand out down there probably works out to 2 trips to Starbucks which in the long run you end up pissing out anyways!

 

[fatboyharley]

Just tried with my family Ramons again. Shrimps tacos came two shrimp on a flat taco no garnish. Fajitas served with no tortillas margaritas made with sprint. Fish serviced burnt salsa full of pepper and over amount of onions. Service terrible and we were not the only table who complained and sent back food. One table walked out

 

[chihauhau]

Just tried with my family Ramons again. Shrimps tacos came two shrimp on a flat taco no garnish. Fajitas served with no tortillas margaritas made with sprint. Fish serviced burnt salsa full of pepper and over amount of onions. Service terrible and we were not the only table who complained and sent back food. One table walked out

It is my belief you are talking about the sandy beach locale, right. We the original Ramon's in town is closed. Ramon is not working . His x wife and family has taken over the sandy beach place, and she also got the property of the original in the recent divorce settlement. So Ramon may arise somewhere else soon I hope. Just to clarify the lack of quality and service to your bad review of the place.

 

[sheep3mom]

Actually, the one at Sandy Beach (Sonoran Sea) was great when we were down in November - good service, friendly atmosphere, great food! Whoever is running it is doing a great job.

 

[fatboyharley]

We went to the original one. Did not hear of the divorce when we asked about him no one said anything. In fact the other large table also asked about him and nothing was said to them either. I saw his sister in law in November in sans and she said she was managing the sandy beach location

 

[Crowbar1]

I ate at the ramons at the condos Saturday. the guac wasn't the same, the margaritas were crap, like said earlier, full of soda. I asked about ramon and couldn't get a straight answer. I will mark this place off my list as it isn't any good any longer. ramon would make us the best margaritas!! I hope he resurfaces somewhere and soon as his restaurants were at the top of my list of favorites. drove by his in town location too and saw people loading up some trucks from the stuff inside, like the AC unit!!

 

[Southbeacher]

I ate at the ramons at the condos Saturday. the guac wasn't the same, the margaritas were crap, like said earlier, full of soda. I asked about ramon and couldn't get a straight answer. I will mark this place off my list as it isn't any good any longer. ramon would make us the best margaritas!! I hope he resurfaces somewhere and soon as his restaurants were at the top of my list of favorites. drove by his in town location too and saw people loading up some trucks from the stuff inside, like the AC unit!!

I heard he might resurface when the restaurant across from the "mall" on Rodeo opens . . .