El Lago de los Cisnes

After a long day on a fluorescent boat at Xochimilco, the vestigial canal system just south of Mexico City, we stopped by the famous "El Lago de los Cisnes" in Chapultepec for tacos. Tired and sunburned, we wanted something quick and satisfying. Mexico City, as it turns out, has the perfect solution: tacos al pastor. The restaurant seemed to combine the flavor of street food without the street; it was a comfortable sit-down place. Despite the pork rotisserie and roaring fire pit by the door, the ambience inside was quiet and tranquil full of tables able to accomodate large groups of people. Our waiter served as the mediator between the chaos and the calm.

Tacos Rossy

San José del Cabo has some of the freshest seafood in Mexico. Being on the Mar de Cortez and a stone's throw from Pacific makes San José one of the premier fishing destinations in the world. For many coastal restaurants in Baja California Sur, seafood is brought in daily -- sometimes even twice daily. The fish is thrown on the grill or simply splashed with lime and served raw. When fish is this fresh, it really doesn't need that much preparation. Taquería Rossy has exceptionally fresh fish. The restaurant's decor -- much like an abandoned high school cafeteria with the fluorescent lights permanently off -- is not representative of the quality of the food. It's a local restaurant that has become popular during lunch and the staff, much like everyone else in Baja California, is relaxed and comfortable with the foreigners who have discovered this fantastic place.