PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

The food is so exquisite that I try to dine here every time I'm in Guadalajara. El Sacromonte emphasizes artful presentation and design: Order "Queen Isabel's Crown," and you'll be served a dish of shrimp woven together in the shape of a crown and covered in divine lobster-and-orange sauce. Or try quesadillas with rose petals in a deep-colored strawberry sauce. For soup, consider el viejo progreso for its unlikely combination of flavors (blue cheese and chipotle chile). The menu features amusing descriptions in verse. The main dining area is a shaded, open-air patio. The restaurant isn't far from the downtown area, on the near west side. In the building next door, the owners have opened an updated version of the classic Mexican bar where one drinks while snacking on complimentary botanas. You can also order from a limited menu. The place is called El Duende.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Mexico 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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