Issue 03 — Manzanillo, Emerald of the Pacific

The third volume moves Querida from the arid heart of Mexico to the humid, salt-heavy air of the Pacific coast. Manzanillo — Mexico’s busiest port, the Sailfish Capital of the World, anchored by the iconic blue Pez Vela monument and the white-washed architecture of the colonial old town.

Why Manzanillo

Querida is not just about a single coordinate on a map; it is about the evolution of the Mexican spirit. The transition from the desert to the coast reflects our own journey at Querida Mexican & Friends here in Dubai. We started with the foundational heat of traditional recipes, and now, we are infusing that soul with the freshness, the salt, and the maritime energy of the coast. — Mama Lalis, Editor’s Letter, page 3

Pacific flavours on the Dubai menu

Manzanillo sits on Mexico’s central Pacific coast in the state of Colima. Beyond the busiest port in the country and the white-washed colonial old town, it’s a salt town — salinas in Cuyutlán have produced artisanal sea salt for centuries. Pacific-Mexican cuisine is fundamentally different from the Northern desert cooking of Volumes 01 and 02: lighter, fresher, seafood-forward, with citrus from Colima limes and aguachile preparations that lean on raw fish + lime + chile.

For Querida in Al Barsha, Volume 03 documents the evolution of the menu — the addition of shrimp tacos, the fried fish tacos, the ceviche, and the salt-cured details on the desserts. The famous “birria from fish” feature on page 13 is a real Manzanillo dish, an adapted version that may show up as a Querida special on the right night. The tuba drink (fermented palm sap) inspires the agua frescas. Even the plating language changes — the Pacific palette of the magazine (turquoise, emerald, salt-white) carries into the styling of the dishes themselves.

If Volume 01 was the Querida foundation and Volume 02 the broadening into central Mexico, Volume 03 is the menu’s coastal expansion. Read it with the Fried Fish Tacos menu page open on a second tab.

In this issue

• From the Editor (page 3) — salt as the bridge between memory and flavour; the Pacific inspiration finding its way into the Querida kitchen.
• Flavours of Mexico: Manzanillo (page 4) — Emerald of the Pacific, Sailfish Capital of the World.
• The Capital of the World (page 5) — the port town’s claim and what it means for a kitchen.
• The White City (page 6) — the white-washed colonial old town.
• Lights, Camera, Action (page 7) — Manzanillo on screen (the films and the actors who came through).
• La Campana Historic Site (page 8) — the archaeology and pre-Columbian footprint.
• Mining Salt in Cuyutlán (page 9) — salina heritage; the artisanal salt that finds its way into every plate.
• Pirates and the Green Ray (page 10) — the Spanish galleons, the Manila trade, and the Pacific’s elusive optical phenomenon.
• Classic Tuba Drink (page 11) — the fermented palm-sap beverage of the region.
• Flavours of Manzanillo (page 12).
• Birria… from fish??? (page 13) — the coastal twist on Querida’s signature lamb dish.
• Comala and a Little Bit of Magic (page 14) — Pedro Páramo’s town, Juan Rulfo’s literary magnetic field.
• Swimming in the Pacific (page 15).
• Biggest Port (page 16).
• Ibrahim in the House!!! (page 19) — Ibrahim front-of-house portrait.
• Unsung Heroes (page 20) — the kitchen brigade.
• Meet Ernesto (page 21) — the Artwork Head behind the Querida murals: Catrinas, Day-of-the-Dead skulls, Talavera-tile motifs.
• Like a Pokémon, It’s Evolution!!! (page 25) — what the brand has become as Querida moves from the founding North to the coastal Pacific.
• Activations in Querida (page 30) — the campaign calendar.
• Its Weight in Gold (page 31) — the kitchen’s most-valued plates.

Closing

Welcome to the Pacific. Welcome to Volume No. 3.