Akumal Foodie

AkumalNow has a new Foodie! So what’s Shirley the New Foodie’s food background?  After a short stint in college, she started working at a department store restaurant, then on to managing the daytime restaurant in a Hilton often working weekends and holidays which soon got old, so she applied for a position at Amherst College.  During her tenure at Amherst as House Manager/Chef  to the President, Shirley prepared meals for as few as two people, to cocktail receptions for five hundred, and holiday parties for staff and faculty.  She created the menus, prepared the food, ordered the wines, hired the staff, arranged the flowers and shopped for food for the house and for their functions.  Shirley has read countless cookbooks and food magazines and developed an ability to know what works and what is just splash and flash.

Not only will Shirley draw on her knowledge of food in this new AN feature, but will delve into the background of the featured restaurant, its history, and provide a recipe.

So here goes – The Foodies dropped into Tequilaville Restaurant located on Akumal Pueblo’s main drive to sample coconut shrimp, and we were not disappointed.  We enjoyed five large, coconut battered, fried shrimp, accompanied  by a slightly sweet dipping sauce.  Vegetables were al dente and the rice was seasoned with a hint of chicken broth.  Thanks to Gilly and his staff, the recipe follows at the end of the article.

Owner, Gilbert Gutiérrez Beltrán, better know as Gilly, has owned Tequilaville since September 2015.  Gilly moved from Ticul over 39 years ago, and has been a familiar face around Akumal for as long as I can remember.  Gilly and Tequilaville is the host of the much awaited Christmas Eve party for the children of Akumal.  Last year Gilly, along with Santa and his helpers,  gave out 480 donated gifts.  These were purchased either from cash donations or actual gifts being dropped off to the restaurant.  Please consider helping him out this holiday season.

Tequilaville does not have a happy hour; however, beers are always $30 pesos and cocktails and wine are reasonably priced.  The restaurant opens at 11 AM, with the kitchen open from noon to 9 PM.  The restaurant closes its doors  at 10 PM.  Tequilaville is closed on Mondays.  If you’re in Akumal Pueblo, stop in for a beer and say hi to Gilly and the staff!