Ramón Ramos is back full-time at La Cocina de Ramón! He wants to extend an invitation to you to dine at his newly redecorated restaurant, with its new menu and new energy. Ramón has emerged from a rough patch better than ever; relatives have taken over the restaurant on Sandy Beach, leaving Ramón to concentrate full-time on his flagship restaurant located in the heart of Puerto Peñasco, from which he also operates his events catering business.

Open daily at 8 a.m., La Cocina turns out delicious breakfasts, with a very nice breakfast buffet on weekends. This would be a great last stop – a final taste of Paradise – as you leave to return north on Sunday morning. Coffee, breakfast already cooked and ready to serve, and you are fortified for the ride home. If you are lucky enough to stay longer, the Sunday afternoon taco bar is a big hit – build your own with everything you might want to put in your tacos, plus sides like rice and beans – a delicious way to satisfy that need for the perfect taco your way!

A new menu offers old favorites as well as new surprises. My all-time favorite dish, chilis enogados, is still part of the house specialty menu. Mild Anaheim chilis are filled with a delicious concoction of beef, apples, cinnamon, raisins, and nuts, drizzled with gently seasoned sauce, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds or bits of tart red apple, and served with rice, beans and tortillas. Among the new surprises is a reuben sandwich – who’d have thought of getting a reuben at a traditional Mexican restaurant? I couldn’t help myself – I had to try it – and what a pleasant surprise! The leanest of thinly sliced pastrami was piled on the bread, then topped with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, and grilled. Ramón apologized because he had run out and been unable to obtain more rye bread, so had substituted a locally baked white, but I didn’t know the difference – it really was one of the best reubens I’ve eaten anywhere. Potato salad or cole slaw, home made by Ramón, is served with the sandwich – I tried a bit of both, and they were both delicious! There is definitely something on the menu to satisfy every taste – shrimp and other sea food, fajitas, moles, and much more are there, and if you don’t see what you want – ask! You may want to start with an appetizer and a cocktail from the full bar, and end with one of the desserts that Ramón is known for. You will roll out the door, but you’ll be glad you did not miss anything!

La Cocina de Ramón has always had a sort of old-fashioned charm, and that has not changed. However, fresh paint, a comfortable re-purposed entry, and new energy welcome your arrival. An art gallery of sorts, Ramón’s displays paintings from local artists, which can be purchased on site. The second dining room currently sports a new line of extraordinary paintings of sea birds – they are so realistic they appear ready to fly off the canvases. La Cocina de Ramón is charming, the hospitality is unsurpassed, and the food is delicious. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, and every meal at Ramón’s is a treat.

La Cocina de Ramón is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. except Tuesdays. From Blvd. Benito Juárez (the main artery through town), turn east onto Calle Simón Morua (at the traffic signal where you see the sign for Ace Hardware). Proceed 4 streets past Ace Hardware, and turn right; you will see La Cocina de Ramón as you make the turn. Major credit cards are accepted.