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Restaurant Review: Famar-Campestre in Bucerias

Type of Food: Mexican Dishes and Seafood
Price: Moderate
Service: Good but leisurely
Location: On the main highway in Bucerias – cross street Av. Estaciones
Hours: 9:00am to 9:00pm

People have been telling me to try Famar in Bucerias for years. “The food is really good, and the prices a fair,” they said. Finally, I made the opportunity to try Famar and they were right. The food is really good and the prices won’t break the bank.

Famar is a typical Vallarta patio style restaurant. Very casual and comfortable. It serves Mexican style seafood and traditional Mexican dishes. Since most of my recent restaurant posts have been about seafood places, I chose to order some non-seafood dishes for a change.

I started with the sopa de tortilla (tortilla soup), a tomato and chile broth that has fried tortilla strips added. Onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime garnish the soup. It was full of flavor and not too spicy. The portion served makes a better appetizer than full meal.

My main dish was a chile relleno con queso (Poblano chile stuffed with cheese). It included refried beans, rice, and nopalitos, a cactus salad. In the picture, the chile relleno looks kind of flat and scrawny. Normally a chile relleno looks more plump when served. I almost felt cheated looking at it when they served it. It turned out to be far more filling that I thought. I could barely finish it. Although, I finished it all because it was really, really good. I liked that the chile relleno was served piping hot. Oftentimes, they are served lukewarm which I don’t care for.

I thought the nopalitos (cactus salad) served as one of the side dishes was very good which surprised me. I am not a fan of nopalitos. Typically, the cactus has a gummy, slimy texture that just grosses me out. In Famar’s version of nopalitos the cactus was mixed with tomato, onion, and cilantro and it was very light and fresh tasting.

I have to admit that I misplaced my notes on the restaurant so I am estimating the cost of my lunch. The sopa de tortilla, chile relleno, and a mineral water cost approximately $140 pesos, about $13.50US.

This is the entrance on the main highway. There is also an entrance in the back. From the front Famar looks quite small, but it is actually quite a large restaurant.

As in most restaurants in Vallarta, the meal starts with pico de gallo salsa and chips. At Famar, they also give you a really tasty bean dip which I haven’t been served anywhere else that I can remember. I finished the entire bowl.

Check out the Vallarta brand salsa. I wish I had asked them where they get it because I haven’t seen it before. It’s very similar in taste to Huichol brand salsa which is in the background.

Chile relleno with nopaltios, rice, and beans. The homemade sauce was great. Try the cactus salad.

Tortilla soup. Very good. I consider myself a tortilla soup connoisseur and the tortilla soup at Famar makes the grade.

The pace at Famar is slow. It made me want to spend a leisurely afternoon drinking beer and relaxing. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time. Some other day.