There’s a new place called Manta—a restaurant at The Cape hotel in Mexico’s Los Cabos. It was created by Star chef Enrique Olvera. Known as one of the best chefs in the world, Enrique Olvera’s restaurant Pujol was ranked best in Mexico and 16th best in the world at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards. His restaurant Cosme, opened in 2014 in New York, has built a considerable following among discerning foodies and has been much celebrated by critics. Inspired by his passion for Los Cabos—and views from one of the area’s most desirable and secluded playas—the renowned New York-trained Mexican chef Enrique Olvera conceived Manta with an intriguing double meaning:
The manta ray symbolizes the kitchen’s focus on seafood, while manta, the Spanish word for blanket, conveys the chef’s emphasis on comfort.
I was so inspired by the quote from a genius in the culinary world, chef Ferran Adrià’s statement at a conference two years ago: “There was Mexican food before Enrique Olvera, and Mexican food after Enrique Olvera,” that I had to put this restaurant on the top of my list to visit in Cabo.
The setting was exquisite! Overlooking the ocean in a unique and tranquil space, very different from the quaint local style of most dining spots in town. The service was top notch. I was intrigued and excited to see what they had to offer from the kitchen. The menu was unadorned and plain listing a large stack of starter style plates along with just a few entrees. So many unique choices and combinations, made it difficult to make a selection, but one must choose if you want to eat!
Starting off with a cocktail sounded like a good idea so I opted for their “Dragon on the Beach” drink made with Sake Junmai, Dolin Rosso, Damiana and Sencha Tea, Carbonic Soda and Peychaud’s. I recognized only about 3 of the items on the ingredient list, but decided to be brave and go for it! It was really delicious and nicely not real sweet. Loved the fact that they brought over what looked like a miniature coat rack for our pocketbooks and scarves. So thoughtful!
The food portion of the evening began with an amuse bouché of chilled avocado soup and house made rice cracker.
Just to throw you off a bit, the tables were set with pairs of wooden chopsticks on holders identifying that you were not only dining Mexican style, but also with an Asian twist. Below are photos/descriptions of our food.
My take on the food was that I enjoyed their starter dishes the best. (Seems to be the case with me a lot lately…) I find that getting a small bite sized taste packed with several flavor profiles is more satisfying than eating a larger portion of mostly one item. Tapas is generally my style and so it isn’t surprising that I liked their small plate items better. I loved the artistry and plating of each item and enjoyed the combinations of texture and taste tantalizing my palate. Our two mains, however, the fish and the vegetable tempura were good, but certainly not what I’d expect from a restaurant of this caliber.
The desserts were interesting and certainly worth a try:
They were certainly both interesting. The rice pudding was hiding under the bunuelos (fried dough) so you can’t really see the whole dish, but I thought it was quite tasty.
I felt that the ambiance, view and service actually may have exceeded the food this time, although some of the items were really delicious. It is possible that I expected too much and was therefore underwhelmed by the food, yet certainly motivated to come back and try other items next time. It’s a spot that’s definitely worth another look.