Tag Archives: Mexico

A little Akumal, Mexico eatery called Gynn’Ak

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Hi, I’m back!

I went from Las Vegas, Nevada (stayed at the Cosmopolitan Hotel)

and then to Akumal, Mexico

It was my last spring break ever, so I figured I’d get two great spots in.

I apologize for my absence, but once I get the time back, I’ll be devoting much more time to TFG. I missed you all!

Some things I came back with from SB 2012:

  • a nice sunburn patch on my shin
  • a beautiful seashell Ryan found on the beach for me
  • some sand in my suitcase
  • relaxed muscles due to a beachside massage (thanks Laura!)
  • and finally a more functional left foot. (hallelujah)

I’ve got so many exciting posts for you all, so first we have:

Gynn’AK (pronunced [jean-awk]) <— ha don’t laught at my phonetics

Where: Akumal, Mexico

What: Thai/Mexican cuisine

A quaint little 5ish table restaurant in the heart of Akumal, Mexico rests Gynn’AK, the culinary product of Gynna Sainz. Cousin of Ryan Wolfe (my boyfriend), Gynna has been cooking for a long time and was formally trained at culinary school as well. She started out as a caterer and private chef, but she’s now open for business and is also rated #1 on Trip Adivsor.

She cooks the food, she seats you and her doggies and kitties will happily join you at your feet. It’s a warm place (quite literally) for an ice cold ginger lemonade and her house special: the lion fish. I started off with the hibiscus tea, better known as “Agua de Jamaica” if you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about.

Lion fish have said to have been released from an aquarium somewhere, and they now take over the seas in places like Akumal. Because their spines are poisonous, they dominate most sea life. Gynna and her family took it upon themselves to hunt each and every lion fish down, and she even serves it up at her restaurant.

I was all fished-out, so I went with her coconut curry chicken tacos with a side of the (amazing) Thai slaw. The slaw was the best part–slightly tangy with a crunch.

If you’re lucky, she will serve you the food herself. If you’re luckier, she’ll take a break from her lunch rush to sit and eat a bite herself:

Be sure to stop by if you’re near the Riviera Maya.

Bon appétit,

ThatFoodieGirl

 

Riviera Maya Food, beach and back to reality

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Today is a sad day. The day I had to wake up and not hear the waves crashing, and smell the ocean breeze along with my freshly squeezed orange juice, while staring out at the bright blue sky. Today I woke up to pouring rain in Dallas, Texas, only to realize I had a lot of work to catch up on before heading to class. Sad.

But, I do have some exciting things for you foodies and Foodie Girl readers! …after I walk you through a fun lunch we had in Tulum, Mexico.

Be Tulum

What: seafood + traditional Mexican

Where: Tulum

Before reaching the actual restaurant on the beach, we walked on stone steps through the jungle, passing by little tree house like bungalows each with their own private pools, shaded by palm trees. A wonderfully romantic spot, we kept walking, and were greeted by a trendy balcony bar with seaside decor, a nice sized infinity pool overlooking the beach, and a bunch of little wooden tables and chairs. On the actual beach sat big beds with brilliantly colored pillows, a perfect spot to relax and tan on the beach.

Sitting right on the beach for lunch, we got a perfect amount of shade and breeze. Pictured is my boyfriend on the left and our friend Spencer on the right. Only problem with dining in the sand is the uneven surface! Looks like they’re about to tip over!

We all started off with a Corona. Perfection. Then came the food.

I loved the details of this gorgeous boutique hotel. Especially at the table. The little shell shaped wicker basket made for a cute and fun way to display their house made tortilla chips. A little trio of different salsas came with it, including their delicious pico de gallo, which was amped up a bit with fresh lime juice. Mmm.

I had their caprese salad. As you can see, the tomatoes weren’t exactly bright and fresh, but it made for a refreshing beachside lunch. The walnut pesto was really light and delicious, pretty much making the whole dish.

Ryan had their flank steak tacos, filled with bell pepper, onion and a side of guac. He enjoyed them a lot, but there wasn’t anything too special about them.

Tulum is such a quaint little beach town filled with amazing boutique hotels and fun eco friendly restaurants. If you’re ever in the Riviera Maya area, definitely drive south to Tulum. It’s a not-to-be-missed kind of spot.

…and for my announcement:

THAT FOODIE GIRL GOES VEGAN! For a whole week (starting yesterday evening) I will be eating vegan, searching for the best Dallas vegan restaurants and will be letting you know lots of details like products I liked and things I missed the most. Stay tuned!

Bon appétit,

ThatFoodieGirl