When I was eating the last three pieces of this Pulpas La Mexicana it felt like that moment when you’re reading the last few pages of a novel and have become so attached to the characters that you don’t want it to end. That is how tender and balanced this octopus dish was. I hardly had any tortillas with it because I didn’t want anything to cover up the taste, though the earthiness of the black beans and the sweet sourness of the lime I added for some bites accentuated the complex taste of the octopus. (I sound like someone on Iron Chef!)

Ed had the grilled fish. It was good too, but I was all (emotionally, sensorially) wrapped up in my octopus.

To date, my best octopus experiences have been:

-In Japan at a very fancy very traditional restaurant in Kitakyushu city that the high school I was teaching at took us to for New Year’s. There it was just one perfectly chosen and artfully cut piece of tentacle with yuzu juice.

-In New York City at a tiny little Italian place that my voice teacher and a couple other students of his that are based in NYC took me to. There it was pieces marinated in truffle oil with kalamata olives.

-And now. Tulum, Mexico. A busy open-air seafood restaurant on the edge of town. Eating during a downpour and being in food bliss.