Going on holiday with a best friend pretty much guarantees a good time. Ben and I have been going on holiday together now for 14 years and we both agree that this might be our best one yet. Tulum is my idea of the perfect beach holiday with not a high rise building in site. Our basic but charming room with a simple hammock on the balcony had unadulterated views of the Caribbean that we were photographing every few minutes as the light seemed to become ever more beautiful.

 

 

Tulum has also become quite a foodie destination mainly because of the much written about Hartwood Restaurant. The food is undeniably delicious and all cooked in a wood burning oven with a menu that changes daily. The rustic open air setting feels like a well styled movie set and the lines to get in feel more like New York than a Mexican beach town. The difference being that the hour and a half wait for The Hartwood was spent chatting to Matt, a clown doctor and his wife Stephanie, a dancer, over a pitcher of margaritas. 

 

The bar at the Hartwood Restaurant (pictured above)

 

But the real discovery of the trip were the new chefs at our hotel; Mauro and Federico Cappi, twins born 5 minutes apart in Uruguay and taught to cook by their grandmother as children. Their food was both simple and delicious. We became slightly obsessed with their tacos; particularly their flank steak tacos for which they kindly shared their recipe. I alternated between their steak, shrimp and octopus tacos for almost every lunch. 

 

 

I’m afraid I’ve been sworn to secrecy by the friend who recommended the hotel so you’ll have to email me directly and I can give hints as to where we stayed. It was hard to leave paradise and return to the Polar Vortex but I’m excited to try these at home and share the recipe with you all.