What’s New In Placencia, Belize and Fantastic Meals at Maya Beach Bistro: Part One

It feels like AGES since I’ve been in Placencia, Belize – the peninsula that I must have visited 6…maybe 8 times during 2014?  I love it down there.

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So I was glad to be invited back for the Weekend’s Electronic Music Festival at Belize Ocean Club and extra pleased when I found out that my favorite restaurant was just a few minutes walk down the road.

On November 4, 2014, I posted “What’s New in Placencia and Fantastic Meals at Maya Beach Bistro” with pictures of food, the building of a new restaurant/lounge called Fusion Beach, a new beach hotel and more…

But like San Pedro, Placencia is constantly changing.  So here are a few updates and…some pictures of the fabulous food I ate at Maya Beach Bistro.  Sigh…I love this spot.

And for those who aren’t familiar with Placencia – it really is a long, very narrow peninsula with Placencia Village at the very tip.

Ocean on one side…

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and lagoon to Maya Mountains on the other.

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Maya Beach is a smaller sleepier beach community on the northern end.

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Though they do have the only regulation bowling alley in Belize.  Jaguar Lanes.

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And who knew this simple sign pointed the way to such delights?

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Okay.  To the new things…

First, on my trip to the supermarket in Maya Beach, I saw these proudly displayed at the counter.  Anyone who has been grocery shopping in Belize knows that for about 10 items purchased, you get about 3 to 5 plastic bags.   Buy one onion?  It’s handed to you in a plastic bag.

Plancencia just came out with these re-useable bags and you can see the long list of sponsors printed.  Great idea.  I bought one.  And the lovely Chinese-Belizean lady behind the counter thanked me for helping Belize go green.  Serious.  She did.

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Things really are set to change.  Though we do know that just because there are plans made, it doesn’t mean they are going to happen.

Look how many floors this development is!  🙁

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On a cheerier note, here are some of the GORGEOUS things I ate at Maya Beach Bistro.  I really do love this place.  Ellen and John, the owners, are the best and have done the most amazing job.

Grouper wrapped in pancetta with coconut-jalapeno reduction and pineapple salsa.

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Lawrence, the bartender, brought some fresh cinnamon buns out…and I forced him to stop for a picture.  Or two.

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Perhaps my last lobster bread pudding until the season re-opens June 15th.  Tender and packed with lobster.  It’s beyond delicious.

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AND THEN, I split a slice of Peanut Brittle Ice Cream pie with my friend.  It’s all about the crust.

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And the next late morning,  I walked down the beach for my favorite.  Some of the casitas at Maya Beach Hotel…

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The duck hash with orange hollandaise.  Oh this hash…with sweet potato and apple and spicy duck.  It’s just so good.  The toasted baguette slathered with butter is almost as good…

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I also found time to fit in a grilled cheese on homemade wheat bread with brie and white cheddar and mushrooms with a spicy veggie soup.

Aside from food, Maya Beach takes its wines VERY seriously.  And you have a nice selection of wines by the glass and lots more by the bottle.

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Ellen let me see a copy of the Valentine’s Tasting/Pair Menu.  Something that the chefs spend about a month preparing…nothing that has ever been served at the restaurant before.

Crazy impressive.  And I promised to blur it since it’s still in the works.

But cheese course, bread course, intermission, soup, pasta…all served with paired wines.
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I’m SURE they wouldn’t mind me giving a few examples…like a Soursop BBQ Cornish hen with purple yam mash…or a walnut shortbread with blue cheese fondue.

I can think of nothing more romantic.

I still have more…more things going on around Placencia…like a tour of Singing Sands Resort and a look at the completed Fusion Beach…the tear down of the old Westwind Hotel…but I’ll leave that for tomorrow.

This post made me hungry.

MBB

 

 

 

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