Does the thought of dining on fresh fish cooked to order over open flames appeal to you?  It certainly does to me, and nothing better to eat while on vacation. I can remember dining this way while staying in the Greek islands many years ago and jump at the chance to relive the deliciousness of this type of dish when vacationing elsewhere–like in Mexico while staying at an all-inclusive resort, of course.

For those of you not familiar with the all-inclusive optional property, Mahekal Beach Resort, it is located off of Calle 38 and a mere two blocks from Playa del Carmen’s famous 5th Avenue known for its shopping, dining, bars, and various entertainment opportunities.  Calle 38 itself is famous for its great restaurants, so guests of this resort have the opportunity to live the resort life as well as explore everything Playa del Carmen has to offer.

The resort has a weekly ritual (weather and water permitting) called Catch of the Day which occurs on Saturdays around 12-12:30 p.m. at the Fuego beach area of the resort.  Select local fishermen get off their boats and bring their coolers of freshly caught fish over to the resort’s head chef and culinary team for them to inspect, weigh, clean, and fillet the fish and it’s all done in front of guests who are interested.  Guests also have the opportunity to choose fish they want prepared for either a late lunch or dinner at the resort’s beachfront Fuego restaurant and also tell the chef how they want it prepared.  Want your red snapper seared?  All you have to do is ask.  Guests wanting their fish for dinner have to make a reservation at Fuego; while it is an extra cost to do this, the ritual and freshness of your lunch or dinner cannot be beat as a resort amenity.

Here’s a short video of the process–looks amazingly delicious!  What do you think about it?  Would you participate in this ritual?