Newest St. Regis Seaside Palapa Restaurant with Links to the Past
The Mary Mita Boat Bar & Bistro occupies a delightful spot on Sea Breeze Beach, a lovely vantage point for watching activities along the shore and at sea during daylight and witnessing the sun sink into the ocean and light up the sky at nightfall. The seaside casual eatery offers lunch, dinner and drinks at umbrella covered tables where you can nestle your feet in the sand. An open-sided old boat shaded by a thatched roof made of dried palm fronds, and colorfully decorated by area artist Marco Álvarez, serves as the kitchen and bar. Local fisherman deliver their fresh catch to the beach where resort chefs prepare a finger-licking seafood menu including grilled fish and lobster, shrimp and fish tacos, along with a variety of margaritas. Mary Mita is the newest addition to St. Regis Punta Mita’s portfolio of dining experiences, bringing a unique and informal option to the luxury resort. Similar palapa covered restaurants found in small villages along the coast of Nayarit and throughout Mexico have provided sustenance and comfort to residents and visitors for a very long time.
Geographically defined, Punta is a small, low portion of land that juts into the ocean like a point. For centuries local fisherman have gone to sea, beached their boats and brought in their catch at this place. The village of Punta de Mita was located along these shores until being moved to a nearby location on Banderas Bay in the 1970s. It has been suggested that Mita was the last name of one of the earliest families to live on this point. The historic importance of the area’s settlements dating back to 300 B.C and the folklore connected to it represent a profound essence of authenticity at St. Regis Punta Mita.
Older, local residents whose ancestral people lived or spent summers, and fished the waters off this point by the ocean related stories that reflect the location’s significance. The tales passed down from generation to generation tell stories of stormy nights with high winds, powerful waves, and sudden water spouts. A wooden cross atop a small rocky island just offshore and visible from Mary Mita Boat Bistro is a tribute to the many sailors, anglers, merchants and other mariners who lost their lives at sea.
One such narrative tells the story of Jose, a renowned angler, who lived in a fishing community along these shores and went to sea from this same point where Mary Mita restaurant now stands. Jose’s young wife Maria prepared food and saw him off each day. Although squalls had been observed by people on the beach and fishermen reported high winds and heavy downpours offshore, no one saw Jose’s boat go down. He did not return that night, nor the next. Maria was accustomed to Jose being out for a day or two, but after a fortnight Maria began to worry. She walked the beach each morning and evening, determined to never give up hope or accept the fate of losing the one she loved, and resolved to be there when he returned. Cooking at night, preparing traditional Mexican recipes and bringing them to the beach each day to sell or trade for fresh caught seafood helped to pass the time and bring in money. The weeks turned to months. One morning she discovered a damaged boat that had washed ashore. It was similar to Jose’s boat, the Mary Mita, but was not her husbands vessel. With the help of villagers she righted the boat. The partially buried hull, set above high tide line, was covered with a palm frond roof for protection against sun and rain. Maria set up shop on the beach to vend her home made menu. A barbeque and oven, fashioned with the help of neighbors carrying stones, enhanced what became a bustling business where Maria prepared and sold an assortment or dishes each day. Maria spent more time at the beach creating and serving what soon become known in the area as a delicious cuisine combining fresh local spices, vegetables, fruits and gifts from the sea. The story of her devotion and love spread far and wide. Fisherman and others planned arrival, departures and returns to coincide with Maria’s meals being available.
Story by: Guillermo Nestor
