As eclectic and diverse as Sayulita is, and as much as I love tacos, sometimes I find myself really craving flavors that are special and different from the ordinary or typical meals we find in town. Thus, when Zatar restaurant first opened in Sayulita in February of 2018, I was so excited to see a restaurant with a totally different flavor profile and concept than anything else that existed in town. Since then, Zatar has easily become my favorite restaurant in town, and one I enthusiastically recommend to all of my friends. There are so many menu items at Zatar that are my favorite that I actually joke with my friends about how I could pull off eating there every day. Not only is every dish deliciously cooked to perfection with locally sourced, fresh ingredients, but most of the menu items are made from scratch daily, directly in the restaurant. The food is simply a labor of love; this fact combined with the beautiful ambiance and decor of the restaurant makes you and your taste-buds feel as though you are transported to another part of the world when you dine at Zatar. For me, eating at Zatar feels like eating a meal prepared by a beloved family member. I talk with owner Kelly Majid about Zatar’s beginnings, what the menu is like, and how Zatar is unique from other restaurants in Sayulita.

Recently I was shopping at our Friday Mercado here in Sayulita with my son-in-law, who is a great professional chef. We were at the vegetable stand where there are numerous Asian grown veggies, as well as many others. Alex became so excited when he found a bowl of green and red Shishito Peppers. He bought all that they had at the Mercado! Being that I had never even seen or heard of these peppers before, I was very curious to see how he would prepare them. I had all the ingredients he needed to prepare these awesome little peppers. I just loved the result, and they are simple to prepare with only five ingredients!

Although I constantly see recipes for Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes, I had never made them before. But with my husband’s 70th birthday coming up in just two days, I decided to give them a try! They came out perfectly and taste so yummy that I knew this was a keeper, and a recipe I just had to share with you. All the ingredients are available here in Sayulita, so you have no excuse not to make them! You will be so happy that you did. The batter can be made up to two days in advance, so invite some friends over for an afternoon tea and dessert. This recipe is so easy to make and such a delicious treat!