Name of a Restaurant

dmoran1 · 07-07-2005

My husband and I have been racking our brains trying to think of the name of the restaurant we went to several times last year. It is on one of the side streets from 5th and directly across the building that looks like a castle. Can anyone help?

**Heather** · 07-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmoran1

My husband and I have been racking our brains trying to think of the name of the restaurant we went to several times last year. It is on one of the side streets from 5th and directly across the building that looks like a castle. Can anyone help?

AJUA!??

suzeq · 07-07-2005

We ate there last month and were disappointed. So many better places around and it seemed very expensive with many mariachi bands and flower vendors trying to sell us stuff. Not a place I would return.

Rissask · 07-07-2005

Yes, Ajua

- we were there in March and I found the food bland, only so-so, but the service was good and the flaming booze show funny (if a bit cheesy). The menu with the story of how the couple met was VERY cute though!

What IS that castle building anyway- Heather do you know? Don and I were trying to figure it out on both trips. It is unique anyway!

**Heather** · 07-07-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

What IS that castle building anyway- Heather do you know? Don and I were trying to figure it out on both trips. It is unique anyway!

You'll have to ask someone who's more "old school" than I am. I've only been coming here since about 2002, and it's always been vacant. Haven't even noticed it when I've gone past it recently. Is it still empty?

dmoran1 · 07-07-2005

I don't believe this is the restaurant. There was nothing like you are describing. There was no entertainment. If I were walking on 5th avenue from the pier to Playa Maya it would be a street to the left. And on the left side of this street. It was nothing fancy but we both found the food to be good. Don't you just hate a guessing game. Thanks for everyone's help.

Mapchick · 07-07-2005

El Almendro is right next to Ajua, maybe it was that one.
They are on calle 4.

JulieB · 07-07-2005

The building that looks like a castle used to be a "mall" with shops and restaurants (including one on the rooftop) located at multiple levels off a winding stairway. It was open during the fall of 2001 - I'm not sure when it closed, but I was sorry to see that it wasn't still open when I returned a couple years later. I believe it was called "El Rincon" or something similar at the time, but I don't know if it may have been something else before then or after that. It would be nice to see it open again - it seemed busy the times we were there, and had some nice shops as well as several bars and the view from the roof was great. The public restrooms were also very convenient !

**Bumper** · 07-07-2005

Thinkin' Mapchick is right on. We've always had good luck at Ajua, but we haven't been there in a while. Ate at El Almendro last trip - it is right next door to Ajua - and the food was excellent. The castle-like building across the street has apparently been vacant for about 3 years. We're told it had been an office and retail building and the owners have been trying to get someone to re-develop it with an eye to including an expanded retail component in the project. I find it hard to believe that a commercial property that well situated has stayed untouched for so long in a market as super-heated as Playa. Makes me wonder if there's more to the story.

cajundiver · 07-07-2005

well, well, well I just so happen to find a MAP (hummmmm) wonder where it came from and I think the map maker is right El Almendro becaus I remember it was the one in the middle of the map.

Once again MAPCHICK comes thru.

JulieB · 07-07-2005

Oops ! maybe I'm thinking of a different location - though there may have been some offices on the lower level. It was our first visit to PDC so I may have gotten the streets mixed up, but it was still there when I came back about a month later.....

Rissask · 07-07-2005

Quote:

El Almendro

We went for lunch a couple of times I think- great little restaurant! Had these awesome little pickled potato and carrot side dishes with every meal? Right? that the place?

Quote:

The building that looks like a castle used to be a "mall" with shops and restaurants (including one on the rooftop) located at multiple levels off a winding stairway. It was open during the fall of 2001 - I'm not sure when it closed, but I was sorry to see that it wasn't still open when I returned a couple years later. I believe it was called "El Rincon" or something similar at the time, but I don't know if it may have been something else before then or after that. It would be nice to see it open again - it seemed busy the times we were there, and had some nice shops as well as several bars and the view from the roof was great. The public restrooms were also very convenient !

Thanks Julie- seems funny with space at premium there, that it would remain empty so long.

cajundiver · 07-07-2005

Yes in deed. That is the place.

Rissask · 07-07-2005

Those taters are so yummy!

They had them at La Tortuga and other places too...

**ryberg** · 07-07-2005

From what I've heard it'll be a cold day you know where before that castle thing opens again, and from where I stand, that's excellent news! That thing is an unqualified monstrosity, im not-so-humble o. Butt ugly! Not to mention 147% out of character with the surroundings! Hello! Are we in Brighton?!?!? DON'T THINK SO!!!

(No offense to anyone out there in/from Brighton, mind you. But it would fit a lot better there!)

I also heard that when it was open they had rigged it so that once you were in, you had to walk by every shop before you could get back out in a sort of maze pattern. Kind of like they rig the ends of the rides at Disney or Universal so that you always end up coming out way at the back of a shop full of stuff they're trying to sell you.

Steve

07-07-2005	#1 (permalink)
dmoran1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9	Name of a Restaurant My husband and I have been racking our brains trying to think of the name of the restaurant we went to several times last year. It is on one of the side streets from 5th and directly across the building that looks like a castle. Can anyone help?

07-07-2005	#6 (permalink)
dmoran1 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9	Name of a Restaurant I don't believe this is the restaurant. There was nothing like you are describing. There was no entertainment. If I were walking on 5th avenue from the pier to Playa Maya it would be a street to the left. And on the left side of this street. It was nothing fancy but we both found the food to be good. Don't you just hate a guessing game. Thanks for everyone's help.

07-07-2005	#9 (permalink)
Bumper Class Clown Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 9,525	Thinkin' Mapchick is right on. We've always had good luck at Ajua, but we haven't been there in a while. Ate at El Almendro last trip - it is right next door to Ajua - and the food was excellent. The castle-like building across the street has apparently been vacant for about 3 years. We're told it had been an office and retail building and the owners have been trying to get someone to re-develop it with an eye to including an expanded retail component in the project. I find it hard to believe that a commercial property that well situated has stayed untouched for so long in a market as super-heated as Playa. Makes me wonder if there's more to the story. Last edited by Bumper : 07-12-2005 at 08:12 AM.

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07-07-2005	#3 (permalink)
suzeq life=playa Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: colorado Posts: 821	We ate there last month and were disappointed. So many better places around and it seemed very expensive with many mariachi bands and flower vendors trying to sell us stuff. Not a place I would return.

07-07-2005	#4 (permalink)
Rissask Brit basher Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 18,421	Yes, Ajua - we were there in March and I found the food bland, only so-so, but the service was good and the flaming booze show funny (if a bit cheesy). The menu with the story of how the couple met was VERY cute though! What IS that castle building anyway- Heather do you know? Don and I were trying to figure it out on both trips. It is unique anyway!

07-07-2005	#7 (permalink)
Mapchick life=playa Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 682	El Almendro is right next to Ajua, maybe it was that one. They are on calle 4.

07-07-2005	#8 (permalink)
JulieB very sparkly Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 35	The building that looks like a castle used to be a "mall" with shops and restaurants (including one on the rooftop) located at multiple levels off a winding stairway. It was open during the fall of 2001 - I'm not sure when it closed, but I was sorry to see that it wasn't still open when I returned a couple years later. I believe it was called "El Rincon" or something similar at the time, but I don't know if it may have been something else before then or after that. It would be nice to see it open again - it seemed busy the times we were there, and had some nice shops as well as several bars and the view from the roof was great. The public restrooms were also very convenient !

07-07-2005	#10 (permalink)
cajundiver into ruins Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 78	well, well, well I just so happen to find a MAP (hummmmm) wonder where it came from and I think the map maker is right El Almendro becaus I remember it was the one in the middle of the map. Once again MAPCHICK comes thru.

07-07-2005	#11 (permalink)
JulieB very sparkly Join Date: May 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 35	Oops ! maybe I'm thinking of a different location - though there may have been some offices on the lower level. It was our first visit to PDC so I may have gotten the streets mixed up, but it was still there when I came back about a month later.....

07-07-2005	#13 (permalink)
cajundiver into ruins Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 78	Yes in deed. That is the place.

07-07-2005	#14 (permalink)
Rissask Brit basher Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 18,421	Those taters are so yummy! They had them at La Tortuga and other places too...

07-07-2005	#15 (permalink)
ryberg playa maya guy Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: wandering between the Village Vanguard, NYC, 1961 and the Plugged Nickel, Chicago, 1965 Posts: 10,504	From what I've heard it'll be a cold day you know where before that castle thing opens again, and from where I stand, that's excellent news! That thing is an unqualified monstrosity, im not-so-humble o. Butt ugly! Not to mention 147% out of character with the surroundings! Hello! Are we in Brighton?!?!? DON'T THINK SO!!! (No offense to anyone out there in/from Brighton, mind you. But it would fit a lot better there!) I also heard that when it was open they had rigged it so that once you were in, you had to walk by every shop before you could get back out in a sort of maze pattern. Kind of like they rig the ends of the rides at Disney or Universal so that you always end up coming out way at the back of a shop full of stuff they're trying to sell you. Steve

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