MUR MUR: THIS TULUM SPOT COULD LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE MORE
The Cost - $35 per person
The Atmosphere – Upscale beach and jungle vibes. Great for a date night in Tulum.
I first tried chef Diego Hernandez’s food at his restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe, Corazon de Tierra, which had a spot on the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America for a while. Last night I got the opportunity to head to Hernandez’s Tulum restaurant, Mur Mur which also focuses on local, high-quality ingredients.
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The Order - Mejillones Salvajes (Wild Mussels), Cerdo Estilo Yucatán (Yucatán style pork) and one of their daily specials, the Venison Chop. No drinks.
The Great - The quality of the food and the flavors. The mussels were the largest I’ve ever seen and were quite good. The pork was delicious and braised to perfection over a sikilp’ak salsa, a regional salsa from the Yucatán made with pumpkin seeds, tomato, onions and orange. It came with roasted corn and chard and the most adorable and delicious handmade mini tortillas. The salsa was beautifully done and making the tacos with the corn and chard made the dish stand out as a winner. Then came the venison - a single chop over a molé rosado (pink molé), also a regional special. Venison can be tricky but this meat was prepared perfectly and the molé was a perfect pairing.⠀
The Not So Good - While I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the dishes, I was unpleasantly surprised by the portions of the mussels and the venison. There were only 2 mussels in the appetizer order ($11.50) and the venison ($32.50) may look large in my photo but it was served on a small, appetizer plate. You would have thought that ordering 2 main dishes and an appetizer for 2 not-so-hungry people would have been enough but it was not.
The Verdict - The food is great, the space is chic, but the value isn’t here. If you’re going to do 3 or more fine dining experiences in Tulum, go. Otherwise, leave this one off the itinerary.