From ceviche to caguama; the gastronomic tour in Mazatlan

Mazatlan is a destination known for its lagoon fishermen, which offers experiences beyond imagination. It is sun, beach, culture, history, adventure tourism, and of course, there is the gastronomy of the port, that which is tasted beyond the avant-garde restaurants, in the streets, after a delirious night of beach fun and for the simple pleasure of enjoying the best of the sea at affordable prices.

The new Pata Salada tour, which takes visitors to taste the food on foot, of those seafood toasts, that caguamanta consommé or the famous governor tacos accompanied by a delicious and cold Pacífico beer, dishes prepared by women and men who have acquired the experience to be able to serve these banquets of Mazatlan gastronomy.

The Pata Salada tour is a project that was generated by the Tomatl company two years ago by Paola Osuna, the argument was that the best way to see a place is walking its streets, talking to its people, and tasting its food.

That is why they have designed gastronomic tours that allow the visitor to experience the way they live with the locals, and the visitor becomes one more, eating with them, and even shopping with them, highlighting the Mazatleca identity through its gastronomy and the life history of those who make it possible.

The Pata Salada covers about seven restaurants; but there is also another tour of Tacos and Mezcal at night, where they try Sinaloa-style grilled meat tacos; both are well known, but have been promoted more among Canadian and American tourists who arrive at the port. However, for an amount of 800 pesos, you can live either of the two gastronomic experiences.

One of the sites that are included in the Pata Salada, is the place known as La Caguamanta Doña Mary. Located on the traditional and historic Claussen Promenade, right in front of the fishermen's boats, this traditional place is located whose main dish, the Caguamanta, with its peculiar and delicious flavor, has revived many lagoon fishermen who have previously stayed up late.

Doña Mary begins her day at four o'clock in the morning to prepare food, which she begins to sell with the support of her family from eight o'clock in the morning to two o'clock in the afternoon. "They come from different parts of Mexico, Guadalajara, Torreon, although not all the time is sold since there are their low seasons," she said.

And if the sea turtle was not enough, nearby, located two blocks from the Malecón on Rotarismo Avenue, Mariscos El Toro has been served by Delfino Hernández Hernández since 1990. How would you like a shrimp cocktail or an aguachile, octopus, callo squid, cocktails, and campechanas, which go with the shrimp broth; "we serve saw shrimp ceviche with dressings, fish saw ceviche, and a saw salad, as well as shrimp aguachile always using the fresh product.

For them, the high season is Carnival, Holy Week, and the Decembrina. Also known as "La Carreta de Mariscos El Toro", Delfino assures that it is the lagoon visitors who have strengthened the business and give sustenance to five people: "Since the highway was built, the lagoons have made us stronger. They try a little of everything," she assured. But every good dish has a good beginning. So many restaurants and gastronomic sites come together with Las Changueras, Mazatlan's Seafood Market.

Serafina Pérez is already a Mazatleca at heart; she leads a great part of her life dedicated to the trade of selling shrimp, fish, and seafood. Located on the corner of Aquiles Serdan and Alejandro Quijano, the fish and seafood store is located, where you can find marlin, octopus, callo, shrimp, all kinds of fish, from six in the morning to six in the afternoon.

According to specialized publications, the shrimp sellers of Mazatlan are called Changueras as a play on words with "changuerismo". Changuerismo is the fishing of shrimp using a chango, the chango is a small version of the trawl nets used by shrimp boats and is used in smaller boats.

And what better way to close the morning than to get to know Mazatlan's gastronomic identity than with some good, tacos Gobernador accompanied by a cold Pacific loggerhead. La Palapa de Efrén is located right in the upper part of the building where Las Changueras is located, on the corner of Aquiles Serdan and Alejandro Quijano, this place is located.

Dedicated to the purchase and sale of seafood, Efrén Peraza García, 46, has a year and a half with the business: "I was given the opportunity to build the palapa to live with my friends, but as time went by we were given the opportunity to expand".

They offer fish ceviche tostadas, shrimp with garlic mojo, coconut, mango, oysters, as well as lobster, among an extensive range of products and dishes that have spoiled the palate of tourists from Arabia, Russia, Canada, the United States, and of course, the Comarca Lagunera, which say, "they are those who are day by day". Now it has two stores and has six employees. Laguneros, bon appétit.