It is unfortunate that people usually only visit this region to go to Cancun and the surrounding beaches, because the real treasure of the Yucatan region is the food. Every region of Mexico has its own distinct food, but Yucatan food is by far my favourite. Hacienda Ticuche is where we go to every time we are in the region to stuff ourselves silly. I can’t even begin to explain how good the food is. Order the sopa de lima, a gorgeous chicken soup made with tortilla chips and a generous squeeze of lime. Have the cochinita pibil as your main course, an incredible piece of pork marinated in antijote and banana leaves and cooked in a pit. Today was our second time here in 3 years, and both times it was equally good. The staff are over the top helpful and friendly, and the restaurant itself is a beautiful space with an indoor and outdoor terrace. They even have a tiny church at the end of a long stone path with dozens of proud peacocks and cactus.
The only thing that isn’t perfect about Hacienda Ticuche in our eyes is the hot chocolate. Amazingly for Mexico, the Hacienda has one of the worst hot chocolates I have ever had … and I should have seen it coming. In fact I pretty much asked for it. I asked our friendly waiter for a hot chocolate and he looked at me confused…”We have chocolate milk…do you want that hot”. I was so excited at the idea of sharing Hacienda Ticuche with you that I said yes … no sooner had I done so, I realized he probably meant a super sweet kids chococlate milk and that is exactly what they brought me, a slightly burnt chocolate milk for kids served in a large clear class. We pushed it quickly to one side and decided to focus on everything else we love about Hacienda Ticuche.
Oddly enough, we don’t actually know that much about the Hacienda. I don’t remember how I found it to begin with, and I haven’t been able to find much of anything written about it online. Even Tripadvisor that always has something has not one review of Hacienda Ticuche. But we love it and I would easily spend an afternoon sitting on the terrace. That’s a day I highly recommend.
Verdict: The drive from Cancun to Ticuch is incredible easy and fast along the new superhighway that connects Cancun with Merida so no excuse not to visit and enjoy the food. Oh so good. Hacienda Ticuche, Km 170 on the road from Merida to Puerto Juarez (just outside of Valladolid), Ticuche, Mexico
