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With two locations in La Paz, this traditional Mexican restaurant offers high quality meals at reasonable prices.
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Ernesto, our waiter, was very friendly and spoke a bit of English. My meal of Tropical Chicken was a treat, chicken breasts stuffed with chipotle cream cheese and covered with Mango sauce. My friend had the Pez del Diablo, fillets with a spicy hot sauce. The meals were preceded by chips and salsas and a bowl of very good vegetarian lentil soup. Two for one margaritas are a good bargain here at about $5 US. The entire meal was under 500 pesos ($25 US).
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El Zarape offers excellent Oaxacan Mole, and of course great fish tacos. The mole is chocolaty and delicious with a kick of heat. The fish in the tacos is fried to perfection with a crispy coating that makes the tacos delightfully crunchy. You should also try their shrimp tacos, served with a very fine white sauce.
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Most meals are accompanied by a green salad and rice. Of course they bring tortillas with every meal as well!
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We have visited this thatch-roofed place quite a few times. They have an outstanding collection of rare and unusual Tequila in fancy bottles lined up on shelves in a beautiful display case. In one corner is a stack of sombreros for the customers to pose in selfies. On the walls there are examples of traditional Mexican folk art, some of which is on sale.
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When friends arrived from the Netherlands for a diving tour, we took them to El Zarape to enjoy their excellent Sopa Azteca, which is finished with avocado and tortilla chips.
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I do also recommend their Chilaquiles for breakfast. The serving is gigantic, there is enough for two persons on one plate!
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There is seating outdoors on the sidewalk, with colorful Mexican blankets as seat cushions; bigger tables inside on the ground floor, and upstairs there is an open air patio overlooking the Malecon, but that awaits us for another adventure.
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El Zarape on the Malecon gets quite busy on Sundays for brunch, and holidays, when the locals all come out to enjoy a bit of fine seafood and Mexican traditional fare.
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Open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 am until 11 pm. Local phone number is 612 129 6999 for reservations (only if bringing a large party).