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Seafood is certainly the specialty at Mar Luna. The chef is the same man Juan hired
over 12 years ago when he first opened. They had been working together at another eatery,
and Juan knew he was the right one for the job. “I thought, 'This guy would be a great
choice for the kitchen,' so I hired him. He goes out fishing in the morning and catches
red snapper or lobster, which end up being cooked the same day.” Such fresh ingredients
demand other fresh produce to maintain the quality of the dishes, and it's something Juan
insists upon. “I tell my people, 'Make sure the product you receive is always fresh. Smell
it, touch it; if it doesn't smell fresh, give it back.'”
Mark Goldstein, co-owner of Prana Rainforest Retreat appreciates the attention to
freshness, “Mar Luna serves my very favorite whole-fish dinner in town. They let you
choose how big of a fish you want, and bring out the best whole red snapper you can get
your hands on.”
“Mar Luna is a great place, where you always feel like a local — and they have the
coldest beer in town. Don't miss the seafood soup!” says Chelsea Brandau owner of Mari-
posa Pastry & Oasis Destination Weddings.
This combination of passion and remarkably fresh fare has Mar Luna to grow and
prosper over the last decade. “When I first opened I remember working in the restaurant
from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 A.M.” Juan says. “I was the waiter, bartender, busboy — I was
everything!” Now he has a number of staff to help, many of whom are family or the same
people he's had from the beginning. Mar Luna is like one big extended family to all those
involved.
Runningarestaurant isaboutaseasyasputtingpantyhoseonacrocodile, andsowhen
hecanexcusehimselffromdutiesatMarLuna,Juanenjoyscyclingandrunning,especially
in the local vicinity. He points to the hills from the open-air dining room in the restaurant.
“I love running — it makes you think about something different. It makes you appreciate
nature.” Still, his passion is making great food available to people in the area. “When I see
mycustomers happywith the food,that makes me feel good,that what I'm doingis import-
ant,” he says. Dishes like the salsa palmitos sauce prove that. The rich hearts-of-palm sauce
with a touch of vodka is a favorite on the fresh caught fish, and Juan's own designer cock-
tail invention, the Mango Colada, is another popular choice. Made with coconut cream, it's
sweeter and thicker than other drinks of its type. “It's actually like having dessert!” Juan
laughs.
Being recognized as the best seafood restaurant is encouraging for Juan and his team.
Heiswell aware that MarLunaisonerestaurant amongst many.“We'renotincompetition,
we're one of the options.” With such humble beginnings it means a lot to him for the local
community to praise Mar Luna's cuisine. “I'm very proud about it. It's great. With all the
work it's taken, this really means something special to me.”
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