Tlaquepaque, Mexico

Tlaquepaque is a highly fashionable suburb less than 10 kilometers from Mexico's second largest city, Guadalajara, with a hip, up market colonial center with a character and style of its own. A must on any Pinoy tourist agenda. The street of the main shopping area is closed to traffic so that people can stroll and shop at a leisurely pace. The colonial-style streets that remind me of the streets of Intramuros are lined with shops and restaurants.

Shops specialize in arts and crafts from all over Mexico with particular emphasis on up-market ceramics, bronze sculpture, blown glass and embroidered cloth. You'll find skillful painters that use spatula who sells their work of art in the streets.

Beads and bags sold by natives.

The art gallery of Sergio Bustamante offers excellent pieces there are finely crafted and out of this world.

The paint jobs on his work is stunning. The transition between colors is very smooth even up close and you'll not see abrupt changes in color where there shouldn't be.

I love this big mermaid sculpture. Notice the intricate tail made of small finely detailed fishes. Bravo!

Cafes and restaurants have tables on the sidewalks where you can watch busy shoppers pass by. Casa Fuerte is one of them.

The floor of the entrance is covered with pine leaves to remove dirt from shoes. This also releases the fragrance from the leaves that spreads to the restaurant.

There's an indoor and outdoor dining area. The outdoor dining area is airy, colorful and relaxing.

Special melted cheese Mxn 75 (Mexican Peso). A Generous chunk of Oaxaca cheese, breaded and melted in a molcajete (stone mortar) which contains simmering green ranchero sauce.

The big chunk of Oaxaca cheese is sliced into cubes after dumping it in the stone mortar. The cheese melts and blends with the green ranchero sauce which you then place in soft taco. This is yummy.

Tamarindo shrimp Mxn 180. Delicious pacific blue shrimp saute with the exotic tamarind sauce and chile chipotle sauce, served with rice and vegetables.

Garlic shrimp Mxn 170. Tender shrimp delicately seasoned with garlic and mild chile guajillo.

Sole filet with mussels and fennel sauce Mxn 149. Fresh grilled fish fillet, bathed in a fine fennel sauce. Garnished with mussels in their shell and appetizing rice.

Heart of fillet "El Dorado" Mxn 138. The house specialty. Golden crust outside and very tender inside, exquisitely cooked in garlic butter, garnished with vegetables in zucchini blossoms sauce.