As promised, I am giving you a full on review of Hartwood Restaurant, the best, most blogged about restaurant in Tulum. We took these photos before dinner last Friday and I wore this outfit to the restaurant. I was by far the most over-dressed person there. Oops! But at least I got a chance to wear these fabulous turquoise tassel earrings and the chicest maxi dress.
To get a “reservation” at Hartwood, you have to show up at 4pm and give a woman your name. . . which she doesn’t write down, natch. The lady in front of me in line was wearing a bikini with no shoes and the guy behind me had the longest dreads I’ve ever seen. So hip. I fit right in. There are two sittings at 6 and 8pm so if you want to eat at 7, no bueno. I went at 4pm and then spent a few hours at a nearby spa until the first sitting at 6pm. Talk about best night of the trip!
At 6, we were ushered right in when I mentioned my name (is this magic?) to a table that we shared with another couple. The menu is written on a chalkboard and consists of 6 apps, 6 mains, and 3 sides. The waiter came and sat at our table to translate it into English and tell us his favorite dishes. We started with a grapefruit mint mojito and a cucumber basil gimlet type of drink with Mezcal (pictured below).
For apps, we ordered the freshest ceviche that was garnished with stunning edible flowers and a tomato salad that would be hard to beat. We got two different kinds of fish for our main course (no idea what they were) that were so incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned that our jaws dropped. Seriously some of the best fish I’ve ever eaten which is saying a lot. By the time our food came, Anel was over taking photos (understandably) so I only caught our cocktails but just trust me that every dish was styled to perfection. It was like Pinterest on a plate.
For dessert, Anel had a scoop each of white cheese and sweet corn ice cream. They sound gross but were so incredibly delicious, I can’t even explain it. I had another cocktail obviously. This time it was bourbon with fresh ginger, club soda, and lemon. Like a jack and ginger but fresher and better.
Overall I give Hartwood an A+. The atmosphere was super cool and relaxed and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Some things to note:
– You have to pay in cash so bring a lot. The place ain’t cheap.
– There are a lot of mosquitos and they burn some herb that is super smokey to help the situation. You can see it in some of the pictures below.
Have you been to Hartwood? I’d love to hear about your experience! Enjoy the photos below of the restaurant and my look for the evening.
Photos by Anel Dzafic.
Nice bag and great dress!
Paola
http://www.lechicchedipaola.it/
Ah I’ve been loving your vacation looks! This just screams happiness 🙂
http://asequinloveaffair.com
So beautiful, Julia! I love everything about this post. (So funny about all the smoke!) Hope you had an amazing time. 🙂
I’ve never been to Tulum but love Playa del Carmen, I can only imagine how fantastic this was!
I love your outfit, Julia! The photos Anal took are gorgeous! Congratulations on the Town & Country feature P.S.!
http://www.elanalyn.com
I love the Jack Rogers “Lauren” sandals + you look so cute. Who cares that you were overdressed when you look that fabulous, right?!
Kelly
Ohio Stripes
omg you look so adorable! Where is this place??? It seems so glamorous and fun!
xo
Kara
http://www.thebostonista.com
I love this look so much! That bag is to die for.
xx
Caitlin | Your Typical Prep
This looks incredible! Love the dress and all the vibrant colors!
xo, Laura
http://www.brightandbeautifulblog.com/
Made the rookie mistake of reading this post before lunch, everything sounds so delicious!!!
Lauren
dcgirlinpearls.com
Absolutely stunning photos. You look gorgeous in this dress!
xx Julia
littlemisshautecouture.blogspot.com
Hi there – I plan on going to Hartwood during my Tulum trip in May. You mention it being $$ and cash only – do you think $300 would cover a dinner for two (normal amount of food and a few cocktails)? Do you remember if they took American dollars or pesos only? Thanks in advance!
Yes that should be more than enough! They take pesos or dollars but I suggest using Pesos 🙂
What was the nearby spa that you went to? Going to tulum i two weeks and would love to go to a spa while waiting to eat at Hartwood!
i love your dress! I am surprised you were overdressed though because i remember peeps getting all nice for dinner. maybe it was just the crowd on that night. 🙂
my post
http://indulgeinspireimbibe.blogspot.com/2014/11/hartwood-tulum.html
and more restaurants:
http://indulgeinspireimbibe.blogspot.com/2014/12/dining-out-in-tulum.html