Fodor's Expert Review Fonda Las Mercedes

A dramatic, narrow entrance lined with stone pillars topped with geodes—round rocks collected from the surrounding countryside—lead into this restored colonial mansion's plant-filled stone patio and covered atrium. The bar and ceiling are covered in vines, and paintings hang everywhere else. Offerings from the eclectic menu include numerous soups plus various kinds of crepes. The chicken a la portuguesa is stuffed with cheese, rolled in bacon, and cooked in a white-wine sauce—it's quite memorable.