Address: Emiliano Zapata #50
Phone: 766-3666
Webpage: www.gorestaurant.wordpress.com
Reservations accepted
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 6pm - 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 6pm to 11pm
Directions: From WalMart, drive west on the Carretera, approximately 1 mile. Turn right at Donas Donuts, across from the Guadalajara Farmacia. Travel 1 block north. Go, Le Club is on the corner of Emiliano Zapata. Take the first door and up three flights of stairs to the dining room.
A narrow, cobblestone road leads up the mountain from the Carretera to Go, Le Club restaurant. We have lived in the area for over a year and had never dined here because of the limited parking along the narrow road.
This evening, we invited friends to join us for dinner so drove up the hill to the restaurant, dropped everyone off, then drove to the bottom of the hill to park along the Carretera, hiking back up the hill to meet our party.
Go, Le Club, is located on the upper floor of a three story building and is not accessible to those who have difficulty climbing stairs.
But, once you scale the stairway you are rewarded with a pleasant, inviting dining room with the best view of Lake Chapala in Ajijic. The setting is low-key, sophisticated without being pretentious.
Paintings by local artists grace the walls and there are plenty of low tables and comfortable chairs, suggesting an evening of unhurried conversation over dinner.
Perhaps this is why we were disappointed with our table. We had made reservations for four, but upon arriving were relegated to one of two small tables with high, metal-backed chairs.
The waiter promptly appeared at our table with menus and took our drink order. This particular evening featured meals from the Provence region of France.
Our drinks arrived accompanied by a basket of bread, crackers and pretzels, something we expect at a pub-style restaurant, but certainly not at one that specializes in international gourmet cuisine. A selection of breads, or breadsticks made in house, would be more appropriate for a restaurant of this caliber.
The owner visited our table to describe the special menu he had created for the evening, detailing each selection and why he had chosen the dish to highlight the region of Provence.
The tantalizing description of the dishes heightened our anticipation of the meal ahead. We decided to make our choices from the special menu.
We began our meal with escargot, served accompanied by four crostini and prepared in a rich mushroom sauce. Though the escargot were small, they were flavorful. We also ordered cups of delicious garden-fresh tomato basil bisque.
We chose two entrees, the pork medallions in a caper and Dijon mustard sauce and shrimp with pasta, flavored with Herbs de Provence.
The pork dish was tasty, though the cut was not the medallions of tenderloin we expected, but rather slices of pork from a less tender cut. The sauce was heavy, the capers over- abundant.
Though the dish had been described as accompanied by chunky mashed potatoes, by the time we ordered, the potatoes were no longer available so buttered pasta was substituted.
The Shrimp Provence featured large meaty shrimp that were cooked just right, though the sauce was unbalanced. The rosemary and butter overpowered the other flavors.
The extensive dessert selections were detailed during another visit by the owner. We ordered bread pudding, apple crumble and a raspberry flambé over ice cream.
Once again, a too-heavy hand applied the chocolate sauce, masking rather than enhancing the flavor. The raspberry flambé was, frankly, disappointing.
We were served flaccid, over-cooked strawberries, not raspberries, poured over melted ice cream. For a chef that boasts Cordon Bleu credentials, this is simply unacceptable.
Service at Go, Le Club, was prompt and attentive. Having the owner/ chef come to the table to present the specials lent a nice, personal touch to the evening. A full bar is available and we were served a good quality Sauvignon Blanc with our meals.
The bathrooms are located down one flight of steps, separate rooms for men and women that are modern and scrupulously clean.
The prices are a bit higher than many other lakeside restaurants. We went anticipating great meals and left vaguely disappointed by the food and a presentation that did not meet our expectations.
The cost for two meals with appetizers, entrees, dessert and wine came to $690 pesos, less than $50, though more than we usually spend on a night out in Ajijic.
Go, Le Club, promises so much. We really wanted to love this restaurant, but the disappointments are hard to overlook.
What we liked: The lovely, sophisticated ambience that is one of the best in Ajijic and the gallery style dining room with a great view of Lake Chapala. The owner is welcoming and attentive to his guests, visiting each table to chat and to explain the menu and specials. The food is tasty, in spite of the missteps mentioned above.
What we didn't like: The three flights of stairs leading to Go, Le Club means it is nearly impossible to access for those with physical limitations. Beginning the meal with a basket of pretzels and store bought crackers instead of specialty breads is something that ought to be changed right away.
The food was not the caliber we had hoped for, the sauces were too heavy. No rack was offered for our hats and purses, something that is customary in even the most humble cafes lakeside.
The chef obviously has a wide knowledge of international cuisine so it is unclear what keeps Go, Le Club from being a truly gourmet establishment. Perhaps it is the desire to do too much, beyond what the chef is capable of with his limited staff or maybe we visited on an off-night. Whatever the reason, Go, Le Club has great potential and one of the best views in the area and for this reason we recommend it with the above caveats.
Learn more about the Lake Chapala area at www.lakechapalavisitor.com
Phone: 766-3666
Webpage: www.gorestaurant.wordpress.com
Reservations accepted
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 6pm - 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 6pm to 11pm
Directions: From WalMart, drive west on the Carretera, approximately 1 mile. Turn right at Donas Donuts, across from the Guadalajara Farmacia. Travel 1 block north. Go, Le Club is on the corner of Emiliano Zapata. Take the first door and up three flights of stairs to the dining room.
First Impressions
| We were seated at the small tables on the left - disappointing since we had made reservations and there seemed to be plenty of tables available. |
This evening, we invited friends to join us for dinner so drove up the hill to the restaurant, dropped everyone off, then drove to the bottom of the hill to park along the Carretera, hiking back up the hill to meet our party.
Go, Le Club, is located on the upper floor of a three story building and is not accessible to those who have difficulty climbing stairs.
| Go, Le Club, dining room with a beautiful view of Lake Chapala. |
Paintings by local artists grace the walls and there are plenty of low tables and comfortable chairs, suggesting an evening of unhurried conversation over dinner.
Perhaps this is why we were disappointed with our table. We had made reservations for four, but upon arriving were relegated to one of two small tables with high, metal-backed chairs.
| Escargot in rich mushroom sauce |
Menu
Our drinks arrived accompanied by a basket of bread, crackers and pretzels, something we expect at a pub-style restaurant, but certainly not at one that specializes in international gourmet cuisine. A selection of breads, or breadsticks made in house, would be more appropriate for a restaurant of this caliber.
| Shrimp Provence, served with buttered pasta and stir fried vegetables |
The tantalizing description of the dishes heightened our anticipation of the meal ahead. We decided to make our choices from the special menu.
We began our meal with escargot, served accompanied by four crostini and prepared in a rich mushroom sauce. Though the escargot were small, they were flavorful. We also ordered cups of delicious garden-fresh tomato basil bisque.
| Pork in Dijon and Caper Sauce |
The pork dish was tasty, though the cut was not the medallions of tenderloin we expected, but rather slices of pork from a less tender cut. The sauce was heavy, the capers over- abundant.
Though the dish had been described as accompanied by chunky mashed potatoes, by the time we ordered, the potatoes were no longer available so buttered pasta was substituted.
| Apple Crumble with a bit too much Chocolate Sauce |
The extensive dessert selections were detailed during another visit by the owner. We ordered bread pudding, apple crumble and a raspberry flambé over ice cream.
Once again, a too-heavy hand applied the chocolate sauce, masking rather than enhancing the flavor. The raspberry flambé was, frankly, disappointing.
We were served flaccid, over-cooked strawberries, not raspberries, poured over melted ice cream. For a chef that boasts Cordon Bleu credentials, this is simply unacceptable.
| Pedro, the engaging owner and chef |
Service and Price
Service at Go, Le Club, was prompt and attentive. Having the owner/ chef come to the table to present the specials lent a nice, personal touch to the evening. A full bar is available and we were served a good quality Sauvignon Blanc with our meals.
The bathrooms are located down one flight of steps, separate rooms for men and women that are modern and scrupulously clean.
The prices are a bit higher than many other lakeside restaurants. We went anticipating great meals and left vaguely disappointed by the food and a presentation that did not meet our expectations.
| A narrow, step stairway leads to the dining room |
The cost for two meals with appetizers, entrees, dessert and wine came to $690 pesos, less than $50, though more than we usually spend on a night out in Ajijic.
Our Recommendation ***
Go, Le Club, promises so much. We really wanted to love this restaurant, but the disappointments are hard to overlook.
What we liked: The lovely, sophisticated ambience that is one of the best in Ajijic and the gallery style dining room with a great view of Lake Chapala. The owner is welcoming and attentive to his guests, visiting each table to chat and to explain the menu and specials. The food is tasty, in spite of the missteps mentioned above.
| Entry to stairway leading to Go, Le Club |
The food was not the caliber we had hoped for, the sauces were too heavy. No rack was offered for our hats and purses, something that is customary in even the most humble cafes lakeside.
The chef obviously has a wide knowledge of international cuisine so it is unclear what keeps Go, Le Club from being a truly gourmet establishment. Perhaps it is the desire to do too much, beyond what the chef is capable of with his limited staff or maybe we visited on an off-night. Whatever the reason, Go, Le Club has great potential and one of the best views in the area and for this reason we recommend it with the above caveats.
Learn more about the Lake Chapala area at www.lakechapalavisitor.com
