We're staying in the Galapagos for this Monday Munchie, specifically San Cristobal, although there is another Midori located on Santa Cruz as well. Earlier in the week I had done a snorkeling tour where we ate some fresh caught tuna and I was addicted to it the whole time I was in the Galapagos. I've never eaten so much tuna in my life, and it was ALL so good. What stands out about Midori is there small tasting menu of tuna prepared many different ways. It's only 4 courses so it's an easy tasting menu to do for a normal dinner or lunch without having to plan ahead, like I had to do with the 8 course tasting menu in Quito that we'll be talking about later. Another added bonus is that the tasting menu comes with a glass of wine or a beer included in the price- that's a win right there!
The outside of this place is eye-catching, especially for Japanese enthusiast me...plus I'm just a sucker for paper lanterns (that scene from Tangled? I want to live that one day). It looked too fancy so I avoided it in Santa Cruz, but on my last day in the Galapagos I decided to treat myself by going here...and the prices were actually pretty reasonable. I again ate outside, because nothing inside could have beaten the water view that I had out here, then I got one of the most fabulous sunsets that night and I was truly a perfect last night in this picturesque place. Just look at that photo!
The first course that came out was called "Tiradito" and consisted of "fine slices of tuna with leche de tigre, coriander, and onion" as stated in the menu. Leche de tigre is basically a citrus-based marinade that you see on top of the tuna in the picture, its usually a bit spicy as it's typically made with aji peppers, and this dish definitely had a kick to it. But nothing too bad for this spice baby. It's used to cure fish in ceviche, but it worked well in this instance too and gave the dish a bright pop of flavor with a little heat at the finish. A nice light dish that was perfect to start the tasting menu off with, and the Sauvignon Blanc I chose paired well with it.
The second dish brought to the table was a tuna tartare which was mixed with avocado, Midori's exclusive soy-based sauce, and togarashi dressing. On the side, crispy wonton triangles were served for dipping. This dish was honestly just as good as the first, but without the heat. The crispy wontons were the perfect vehicle for (elegantly) shoving the tartare into my face. Though, not always very sturdy. Again the wine paired well with this light dish and the wontons gave another, welcome texture to the dish while the avocado added a nice creaminess. The flavor of the tuna itself was delicate and well balanced with everything else in the dish.
The third and final dinner dish was tataki; slices of seared tuna crusted with sesame seeds, drizzled with some sort of sauce, and served on top of a bed of ginger rice. Wow! The combination of flavors and textures here were, again, wonderful! The flavor of the ginger rice was subtle and paired well with the nuttiness from the sesame seeds while the scallions gave the dish a tangy bite. The outside of the tuna pieces were seared to perfection while the center was kept raw, just as it should be. Another well-balanced dish that was light, but filling with the other dishes under my belt. It was nice because I didn't feel stuffed, just comfortably full and happy and I still had dessert left to go, a nice palette-cleansing and homemade lemongrass ice cream was on the menu.
But they were out of it for the night. They did have rum raisin ice cream as a back up, which I ended up going for, even though I wasn't very sure about that flavor. Turned out to be delicious. Sweet without being overly sweet, and just a scoopful, which was the perfect amount to finish off the meal. Plus, the nights in the Galapagos are absolutely warm enough to warrant a nice cold treat to cool off with before walking back to the hotel. I saved the last sip or two of my wine for my dessert's dessert and walked off into the night very happy!
I highly recommend checking this place out if you're in Santa Cruz or San Cristobal! Both are easily accessible, right on their respective main streets by the water and you can find more information about them, including booking a table, at their website: https://midorigalapagos.com/
You'll also find them on:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/midorigalapagos
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/midorigalapagos/
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