Cocina 38 is one of the newer fine dinning establishments in the burgeoning north end of Playa del Carmen. Decorated only with traditional masks from Guatemala, the home of the chef and his family, the dinning room is simple yet elegant, a wonderfully small and romantic setting.

The staff could not possibly be nicer nor more knowledgeable, and the food was thoughtfully created and properly executed.  The quality of the food and the service make up for the lack of 5-star decor.

For an amuse bouche, we had mouth full of the tuna tartar with lime sea foam and banana crisp and the Kobe beef Carpaccio with lime, ginger and soy sauce.  It was just enough to wet our appetites for our main courses.  For our main courses, we had selected, black cod with herb crust, cauliflower puree and wild mushrooms and risotto with fennel, calamari, chorizo, and grilled scampi.

Enjoying a wonderfully prepared meal while sipping on Mexican wine from a vineyard in the northern region of Mexico, Cocina 38 made one of our last nights in Playa truly memorable.