YAYA at Chileno Bay

An open hearth sits at the center of YAYA, the second restaurant at Chileno Bay Resort (COMAL, the Mexican room, is the other). Mediterranean and Latin American dishes come off that fire, and the kitchen is led by chef de cuisine Eliana Godinez, who previously worked with Massimo Bottura. It serves lunch from noon to 4 PM and dinner from 5:30 PM to 10 PM.

We couldn't find a published menu, so we won't pretend to know the dishes; ask what's coming off the fire that day and let the table share. The format suits a group that doesn't want another round of tacos or a formal tasting menu: bread, vegetables and fish from the hearth, a bottle of wine and a long lunch.

Lunch is the time we'd choose. Chileno Bay is one of the few calm, swimmable beaches on the corridor, with good snorkeling off the rocks, so you can spend the morning in the water at the public access and then walk up to lunch. The resort is a gated property, so book first (OpenTable or by phone) and give your name at the entrance.

It's about 20 minutes by car from Villa 1. If your group splits between Mexican and Mediterranean cravings, COMAL is in the same resort, and Talay Thai at Montage is five minutes away. As with any resort restaurant on the corridor, expect resort prices. We think YAYA is worth it for a beach-and-lunch day; for dinner, COMAL is the resort's better-known room.