A Feast for All Palates

The Corridor and San José del Cabo mix it up with a bouquet of flavors

By Sarah Muñoz

When driving from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo, you'll pass by a number of award-winning restaurants that deserve a visit. Gourmands are well aware that this stretch of highway hides more than surfer-friendly beaches and swanky hotels; some of Baja California Sur's best dining takes place here.

After his star restaurant Canto del Mar received the Five-Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences for the third year in a row, French-born Chef Thierry Darfour was named "One of the Finest Chefs Worldwide" by the organization. This, on top of his honor as Maître Cuisinier de France. The intimate 20-seat restaurant makes its home at Marquis Los Cabos Beach, Golf, Spa and Casitas Resort and has no printed menus; dishes change continuously and are highlighted by fresh local fish and produce, as well as an extensive wine list. Reservations are an absolute necessity here! Next to the restaurant is a private lounge with a humidor and the finest of cognacs.

Nearby, at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Resort, another award-winner awaits. Pitahayas Restaurant revels in culinary creativity to the soothing sounds of the Pacific Ocean and live classical music, with unforgettable Pacific Rim cuisine spruced up with Asian fusion. Among its current offerings: herb and spice-rubbed yellowfin tuna in a curried carrot broth with carrot fries and wasabi mashed potatoes.

A world of sushi options and the freshest of ingredients are only the tip of the iceberg at Nick-San, which also boasts a number of accolades. Teppanyaki-style dining and gourmet Japanese dishes have put this eatery on the map, with choices such as lobster soup, grilled calamari, fried rice cake with spicy tuna and octopus carpaccio. Nick-San has become such a presence that there are now T-shirts, caps and some of its most popular sauces available for sale. Nick-San has two locations in Los Cabos: one at Las Tiendas de Palmilla, on the Corridor, and another on Marina Boulevard in Cabo San Lucas.

Cabo Surf Hotel & Spa's 7 Seas Restaurant & Bar enjoys a sweet location overlooking one of Los Cabos' best surfing beaches. This breezy spot is enhanced by live jazz and a wonderful dinner menu of Mexican-contemporary dishes where seafood has a starring role. From fish tostadas to Mediterranean linguini (with scallops, octopus and shrimp) and the house specialty — potato-crusted sea bass with asparagus and sautéed garlic shrimp scampi — the choices here are varied and satisfying. The restaurant is also open for breakfast and lunch; dinner reservations are strongly recommended.

Once you reach San José del Cabo, you'll find a scattering of fine dining possibilities mostly within walking distance of each other. First off is Tequila Restaurant and Agave Lounge, where a candlelit patio, fragrant trees and Baja's cool nights inspire visitors to stay for hours. Here you'll find an extensive wine list and more than 50 types of tequila, but that's just for starters — there's also a walk-in humidor where you can have your choice of fine cigars.

The menu at Tequila Restaurant is a thing of beauty, with vegetables and herbs from the restaurant's own certified organic farm. It offers a nice spread of Mediterranean cuisine with Mexican and Asian touches, including luscious seafood, meat and poultry. One of the house specialties is Tequila Shrimp: fat crustaceans doused in a lime, butter, garlic and tequila sauce and served with black beans and plantains. Another hit is the Lobster Bomb: chunks of sautéed lobster wrapped in won-ton skin and fried, served over black-bean chipotle sauce. Tequila Restaurant is on Manuel Doblado Street, between Mijares and Hidalgo boulevards.

La Panga Antigua, on Zaragoza Street, has inventive, contemporary Mexican cuisine with an Old-World ambience brought together by dim lighting, colonial details and an outdoor courtyard to enjoy the Baja nights. From start to finish, La Panga Antigua serves a magnificent meal that could begin with a tequila or mescal tasting and a solid choice from its wine cellar. Appetizers may begin with a grilled seafood medley with fresh basil oil or a gazpacho. Your main course can be anything from a grilled double-rib pork chop with fig compote and wild mushroom ragout to the grilled sea scallops seared with dry chili oil over squid ink risotto. For dessert, try the coconut mousse with tropical fruit or even the chocolate tamal, which is baked in a cornhusk and drizzled with tequila caramel and ice cream.

The small but huge-on-taste El Chilar is a most beautiful representation of old and new. Casual yet intimate, with warm décor and an ever-changing menu, this restaurant (and accompanying bar, which features a wide range of tequila and more than 140 varieties of wine) has a long tradition of making diners muy happy. Chilies are an integral part of El Chilar's landscape, for which they're always readily available should patrons want an added kick to their superb meals.

Click here for a quick list of bars and restaurants in Los Cabos to help you plan where to eat, dine, party and drink.