Beyond the Burrito: Decadent Mexican Cuisine BridalGuide

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Join our sophisticated foodie tour of Mexico's culinary wonders.

By: Karen Tina Harrison

There are so many reasons to honeymoon in Mexico. For starters, it’s beautiful, convenient, affordable and friendly. And then there’s the fantastic food. If you’re expecting the kinds of popular dishes you’d find at places in the local mall—think again. Instead of crispy taco salads and cheesy chimichangas, Mexico’s authentic cuisine is varied and vibrant. Delectable fresh produce, as well as an amazing array of seafood, get spiced up in a most tantalizing way. And it gets even better: chocolate and tequila were both invented in Mexico. Sound appetizing? Take a tour of our favorite dishes south of the border.

Riviera Maya

Located just south of Cancun on the Caribbean coast, this sprawling beach resort area is popular with visitors and locals for its beautiful beaches and celebrated cuisine. Often acknowledged as the best in Mexican cooking, Yucatecan dishes combine ancient Mayan cooking traditions with European ingredients that arrived via the area’s ports. The region’s main road is dotted with simple cantinas, serving dishes like cochinita pibil (roast pork wrapped in banana leaves), chicken-based lime soup, chilmole (turkey with thick brown mole sauce) and atole (a soupy dessert of corn, allspice, sugar and chocolate).

Couples staying at the area’s all-inclusive resorts won’t miss a thing, because chefs here can’t help but make authentic dishes. Royal Hideaway Playacar, in particular, is a culinary destination sought out for its luxurious Spanish-Caribbean-style rooms and its six à la carte restaurants. Executive chef, José Bossuet Martinez, presides over the Chef’s Table at the resort’s showpiece restaurant, Las Ventanas. His ever-changing menu is customized to your tastes, and the Hideaway’s French sommelier chooses your wine pairings. Later savor chocolates lavished with Riviera Maya herbs, flowers and chilies (room rates start at $452 per person, per night, all-inclusive; royalhideaway.com).