Holbox by Chichen Itza

Grilled octopus and the stuffed chiles with smoked fish are my favorites there currently.

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enjoyed the hell out of the aguachile and the giant surf clam last weekend.

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I think I’m addicted to prawn :shrimp:

Another day, another shrimp torta down the gullet.

Also had the wonderful seafood stew, complex, flavorful, delightful!

And a Baja fish taco just for fun. Add that inferno white salsa and pow!

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Jealous!

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it’s only been three months but finally wrote up our meal at holbox in late december. it may be a damp, chilly spring day here in southern minnesota but at least we have memories of warmth.

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pre-dinner amuse-bang before providence

kumamotos
pristine

soft shell crab, avocado/cucumber puree, soy sauce
crispy and meaty

sopa de mariscos - mussels, scallops, branzino
no uni this time but this was still incredible. every item was perfectly cooked, the mussels were plump and tender, scallops were soft and buttery and the branzino was flaky with crispy skin. sop everything up with the delicious grilled bread. must order.

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Only you can pre game before Providence. Truly a different level.

I salute you.

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Oh man! :heart_eyes: Did you get lucky again with the stew or is it a regular menu item?

Hi @TheCookie,

The sopa is a regular special, it’s just that the version with uni is rare. :slight_smile:

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Ahhh… we must have been unlucky. They had no sopa when we were there.

got lucky again, it was a special not on the regular menu.

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I had an exceptional meal at Holbox. What the heck have I been missing out all this time?! The flavors were very clean and focused with fantastic balance between salt, acid, and heat. Texturally, it was delightful throughout the meal and especially so with the feather light batter that coated each fried items as well as the snappy texture of their mixed ceviche. Holbox is what I thought Guerrilla Tacos should’ve been! Is Taco Maria even better? Anyone?

The only thing I didn’t care for was the fact that almost all 8 items were brought out all at once. Would I be able to ask them to course it out?

tortilla chips - complimentary

ceviche mixto | wild rock fish, mexican octopus, wild mexican shrimp, cilantro, tomato, lime, onion, salsa roja

scallop aquachile | baja california bay scallops, lime/serrano marinade, avocado, onion

maine diver scallop taco | handmade tortilla, chile x’catic sauce, caramelized onions & fennel

wood grilled kanpachi taco | cabbage, handmade corn tortilla, morita sauce, mayo & pico de gallo

baja rock fish taco | cabbage, crema, mayo, salsa roja, handmade corn tortilla

baja wild gulf shrimp taco | cabbage, crema, mayo, salsa roja, handmade corn tortilla

taco de pulpo en su tinta | octopus, calamari ink sofrito, handmade corn tortilla

soft shell crab | avocado/cucumber puree, soy sauce

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Welcome to the Holbox Fan Club…

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Is Taco Maria even better?

Different, TM is not seafood nor taco focused ('cept for lunch). Their blue corn tortillas though… muy espectacular

I’m not necessarily looking for tacos. What I’m really impressed with at Holbox is their on point cooking, delicate flavor balancing, and spot on textures. It reminds me of Californios even though it’s at yet another level.

Then you’ll enjoy TM, but can’t beat Holbox’s QPR.

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I’ve eaten far more often at Holbox than I have at TM.
That said, yes, TM is “better,” whatever that means to you. There is exactly zero menu overlap between my Holbox and TM visits, but TM is operating at another level.

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Interesting take here between holbox and guerilla taco. We’ve always enjoyed holbox more than guerilla and agree, taco Maria is on another level—there is one comparable menu overlap—the aguachile—that speaks to how they are different. The one at holbox is great and everything you expect from a aguachile—clean flavors, bright, acidic, heat…we order it everytjme.

you’ll find all that with TM’s Hokkaido scallop aguachile as well, but you’ll notice right away how they are prepared differently—the aguachile is filtered, passed through a chinois, the resulting aguachile liquid pristine combination of input 6 different citrus and chile. There’s rendered anise hyssop oil dropped around…and finally of course the sourcing of the Hokkaido scallop.

So There’s more refinement of this aguachile compared with holbox. You definitely get more qpr with holbox, but again you’re not always looking for that either.

So agree with both @frommtron and @Sgee they are different but not necessarily “better” and you’ll prob love tm too.

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Taco Maria’s Scallop Aguachile is divine. I haven’t been back in a few years but the tacos I had for lunch service were okay. The fish taco, the fry was meh.

However I still think about that aguachile!

To make it worth your drive be sure to stop by the Cheese Shop, Shuck Oyster Bar, and Portola Coffee.

Stephane Treand Pâtisserie moved out of SoCo-OC Mix to Tustin (if your going there you can hit up Cream Pan!)

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