Best Exotic Restaurant in Playa del Carmen
For my series Dali Foodie Tales, I decided to go meet the teams of five of my top restaurants and share my experience beyond their fabulous food! Because as I always say, don’t just tell me what you ate but with who you ate.💚 So first on my list is Alux (pronounced /a∙loosh/) a one-of-a-kind experience and in my opinion the best restaurant in Playa del Carmen because of it’s uniqueness from setting to the cuisine. Playa del Carmen is a big ol’ parade of restaurants from Mexican, Italian, some Asian and lots & lots of fusions. Even in such a heavily saturated restaurant area it’s hard to find good authentic Mexican food. What!?? Hard to find great Mexican IN Mexico! Yes, a lot of Mexican restaurants, specially on 5th avenue cater to visitors by making dishes more “familiar”. Let’s just say it’s not hard to find a giant burrito.
So here’s the mystical story about this magical place…
Twenty years ago a Shaman took Rolando, the owner, to the place he claimed to have found a treasure. The Shaman pointed to a hole on the ground and said, this is it. They managed to get in to the hole and Rolando realized what the treasure was, an underground world fit for the Gods. These underground water caves are called ‘cenotes’ and according to Mayan legend they are inhabited by aluxes aka leprechauns. Aluxes are mythical Mayan spirits, that when treated well they take care of the land and when they’re not they cause bad luck. Rolando expressed how important it is to be in peace with the underground world and and respect the land. The entire staff gets together once a week to express gratitude to the Gods and Aluxes for sharing their world with them.
This is no ordinary restaurant as Rolando says, this is an experience. The only one of its kind in the entire world! I had been here before but it still felt like the first time. Greeted immediately by Mayan warriors, they work on the experience from the moment I walked in through those iron gates. Alux is in a very unassuming area in Playa del Carmen so don’t be alarmed when you get here, you are right where you’re supposed to be, at the best restaurant in Playa del Carmen.
Muchas gracias team Alux for having us! 😍
Besos,
Dalí
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Alux is located in the city center about 10 minutes away from 5th ave.
The visionary owner, Rolando Calderon. The Mexico city native had the vision for this unique place that has been in business for 20 years now. A true family owned business, his daughter Orly recently joined the team.
Paying tribute to everything this place represented for the Mayan culture. (Excuse my boxer pose, I don’t posses the baddass face/pose power) 💪🏾💥
The air, the sounds and that inexplicable feeling of walking in the same footsteps my ancestors walked. The most magical dinner I’ve ever had!
The cucumber cocktail and the spicy mezcal rosemary. I can confidently say these are some of the best cocktails we had while in the Riviera! Let’s just say I took my mezcal research very seriously 😉
A party of flavors! This is the Alux salad a happy mix of like fresh figs, quinoa, apples, grapes, berries, mushrooms, cheeses, bacon sprinkles and a sexy dose of seeds with pistachio. I picked the yogurt dressing and I would like to call this the happiest summer salad I’ve ever devoured!
This is the Orange Salmon, a refreshing take on the good old favorite. Chef Miguel Angel Leuvano revives Pre-Hispanic cuisine with an innovative and playful take on 100% Mexican flavors.
This flavorful dish is the Mayan Sacrifice. Chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with goat cheese & chaya leaf with a side of veggies, potatoes with epazote & deer roll and his signature fruit flavors of blackberry and mango. #fave
The cocoa cheesecake and flambé show! 🔥 Kashiri was our fabulous tour guide also assistant manager and sommelier! The best restaurant in Playa del Carmen meticulously crafts every detail and lets the magical natural environment shine!
Alux is a great place to have a party and even get married here! This is the ceremony/Shaman area.
Chef Miguel Angel Luevano, Kashiri and the Mayan warriors.
Special thanks to team Alux for sharing your story and succulent food with us. Makes my heart smile to meet amazing people behind places like Alux. A place that goes above and beyond delicious food and this is why is the best restaurant in Playa del Carmen.
#DaliFoodieTales
❤️💖💜💛💚💙
Much love,
3 thoughts on “Exotic Cavern Dinning at Alux Restaurant Pt. 1”