Dining at The Buddha Bar in San Pedro, Lake Atitlan
Asian cuisine is the order of the day at The Buddha, where your first decision at The Buddha is where to eat: at the bar or a table downstairs, or in the upstairs Om Lounge. Your next - choosing what to eat from the ample selection of Thai food, Buddha Wraps and vegetarian dishes like Coconut Curry Casserole - will take longer.
I picked the recently remodeled Om Lounge because a free movie was about to play on the big screen. Because the film was Big Fish, I did not order tuna or shrimp, even though these dishes included a free Cuba Libre.
Asian Specialties for Dinner
Instead, I went for the Pork Tenderloin marinated in five Chinese spices and cooked with sweet ginger and cashew sauce, plus noodles sauteed with veggies and Chinese mushrooms marinated in oyster sauce. The Buddha is best-known for serving some of the best-tasting Asian cooking around the shores of Lake Atitlan.
I was impressed by the texture as well as the subtle blend of flavors of the meal, contrasting tender meat and soft egg noodles with crunchy vegetables and ginger. You can get it with fried rice instead of noodles.
For dessert, I suggest the Dim Sim.
Asian-Maya Fusion for Dinner
Pepian, the "Maya red curry" and a Maya green curry present an unusual fusion of Thai curry with Maya spices and herbs. Another dinner I enjoyed here was the sweet and spicy Thai Paw Paw with shrimp (which can be added to most dishes).
One house specialty is not Asian. Rositas Pollo Encebollado is a chicken breast slow-cooked with ginger and carmelized onions.
Doin' Lunch with the Dalai Lama?
Buddha Wraps make a good lunch as well as dinner. Choices include Tofu, Fried Tempeh, marinated steak, and chicken breast poached in white wine and balsamic vinegar. Any of the six soups, such as Tom Kha Gai (chicken simmered in coconut milk), is a meal in itself. (This Vietnamese soup is also alleged to be a great hangover cure.)
On Seventh Avenue, The Buddha's restaurant is open from noon-11 PM, closed Tuesdays. In April, get 10% off on Customer Appreciation Day every Thursday.