Fodor's Expert Review Playa Blanca

On a white-sand beach shaded by coco palms, this understatedly cool seafood restaurant is efficient, friendly, and fun. Start with a perfectly executed cocktail—like a lime or mango daiquiri—then dig into the savvy menu, where fresh fish and shrimp done three ways are staples. The prices are an excellent value for the amount of creativity and skill, which seems to increase each season. Refreshing salads and cooked appetizers never disappoint. And there are paellas, pasta, risotto, ravioli, and grilled lobster and meat. Sides are usually extra but worth it. The best dessert is the coffee rum trifle. Live music weekly is just one aspect of the beachfront entertainment; another is watching the kitesurfers—poetry in motion—just next door.