’ll boil the marinade with hoisin sauce to make a sauce (see below). Have the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl at grillside. Dip each chicken wing in sesame seeds to coat completely and arrange the wings on the grill grate away from the heat. Close the grill lid.
Step 5: Indirect grill the wings until the sesame seeds are browned, the skin is crisp, and the meat is cooked through to the bone (make a little slit in the largest wing to check for doneness), 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 6: Meanwhile, make the sauce: Boil the reserved marinade for 3 full minutes. Then, whisk in the hoisin sauce, adding more as needed to taste. Let cool to room temperature.
Step 7: Mound the wings in a shallow bowl or on a platter. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens. Serve the sauce in small bowls on the side for dipping.
Recipe Tips
Variation:
For Vietnamese-style wings, substitute fish sauce for 2 tablespoons soy sauce in the marinade and 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (the pale parts only) for the lemon zest in the marinade. Dip the chicken wings in finely chopped
peanuts instead of sesame seeds.
For Pac-Rim buffalo wings, douse the Sesame Soy Chicken Wings with the fire butter.
As always, buy organic chicken when possible. For sesame oil, use an Asian brand, like Kadoya from Japan. The most cost-effective way to buy sesame seeds is at an Asian or Middle Eastern market or in bulk at a natural foods store.
Insider Tip: Smoke isn’t really part of the Asian flavor palate, so I don’t call for hardwood chunks or chips here. You can certainly add them if you want to.Beaches, sand, and surf are probably not the first things that come to mind when most people picture Oaxaca. But those are the main attractions in Puerto Escondido (i.e., Hidden Port), a town on the state’s Pacific coast that attracts dedicated surfers and beach bums from around the world. I spent this past weekend exploring the natural beauty of this charming city, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for amazing beaches and exposure to small-town Mexican culture.
This was my very first excursion based out of Mexico City, and I’m glad to say I had no safety issue here (unlike my last trip). As you might guess, Puerto Escondido is most famous for its gorgeous beaches, but the local cuisine was also a major highlight of my 48-hour adventure here. I’ll start with the culinary experience, move to the four different beaches in town, and finally explain how easy it is to make a weekend getaway out of this resort town from Mexico City.
The City of Oaxaca is one of Mexico’s major food capitals (so I will definitely be visiting soon), but visitors to Puerto Escondido will also find a huge selection of delicious options, both local and international. I had some typical meals, like shrimp tacos for dinner or eggs and bacon for breakfast, but my favorite restaurant was a place called Cayuco Cocina y Mezcal. Not only did I try straight mezcal for the first time here, but I also tried teritas de pescado (pictured below), which reminded me of ceviche. It was an amazingly fresh and filling dish consisting of raw fish, peppers, and onions.
I also really loved the brunch I had at El Cafecito on Benito Juárez Boulevard in the Rinconada neighborhood. This was clearly a street packed with restaurants, but El Cafecito was one of the only ones open on Sunday around noon. The steak I had there was only 98 pesos (or about 5 USD).
I've also discovered a new joy in life: bread with butter and salsa.
For my last dinner here, I ended up at a Thai restaurant called Wok-xaca; obviously, that great pun name was what eventually won me over. I just ordered a plate of beef fried rice, but it came with three sauces that gave it a truly authentic Thai flavor. Don’t forget to save room for dessert: a refreshing scoop of mango ice cream with fresh pomegranate served in a fancy glass!
This is the longest beach in town and also the most touristy. The street that runs adjacent to it, El Morro, is lined with eateries and bars where you’re equally likely to overhear conversations in Spanish and English. With so many sit-down restaurants nearby, this is the best place to stop and eat if you’re looking for a full-service meal.
If you head west on Zicatela, you’ll eventually end up on Playa Principal, which has a much more local feel to it.
If it's actually "prohibido" to enter, there's clearly not a lot stopping you...
There were quite a few fishermen near the beginning of the path, and you should be aware that at one point the ocean (or a storm, or something) has completely washed away the stairs, so you need to climb up onto the surrounding rock in order to keep going. It’s not impassable, but you should proceed with caution.
At the end of the path, you’ll climb a staircase and end up back on street level next to what looks like a fancy resort (pictured below).
Proceed forward and turn left (west) onto Calle Quinta Sur, which has a another staircase leading down to the beach. If you make it this far, you’ll finally find yourself at Playa Manzanillo!
Playa Puerto Angelito, shown here, is only separated from Playa Manzanillo by this huge cluster of boulders in the foreground. In other words, they're basically the same beach.
In this case, I saved the best for last. Playa Carrizalillo is accessible from Benito Juárez Boulevard (the beach access point is a block away from El Cafecito). You’ll find yourself at the top of a very long stone staircase leading down to the beach. Prepare for an amazing view as you make your descent!
Once you make it down, go for a swim, have a drink, or lay in the sun for a bit. That climb back up is going to be a workout!
Getting here is easy and cheap from Mexico City. I flew in on a Friday night after work and left the following Sunday night with direct flights both ways. Aeromar offered round-trip tickets for about $170, and the flight each way takes about an hour and a half.
Once you arrive, you can either take a taxi van (rideshare) which will drop you off at your hotel for 50 pesos, or you can take a normal cab for 100 pesos. Uber and Lyft don’t operate here, so unless you arrange a private driver with your hotel, these are basically your only options.
And don’t forget about that $25-per-night hotel! I stayed at the Hotel Aqua Luna, which has some listings on Airbnb. It was a beautiful place with its own pool, restaurant and bar, and a lookout deck offering some amazing panoramic views of Zicatela Beach.
The view from the hotel's top deck.
My only complaint is that they didn’t have AC, but as I become a more seasoned traveler I’m learning to get by without it. Whether you stay here or somewhere else, you should be able to find similarly enticing deals throughout town.
Although I didn’t encounter any dangerous situations here, travelers should remain vigilant. The beaches and main streets of town were pretty populated throughout the day, but I returned to the hotel after dinner and ended up crashing early so I wasn’t wandering around after dark (spending all day under the sun can be pretty exhausting, after all). Use common sense and don’t carry anything you don’t need and you should be fine, too!
Looking back, Puerto Escondido was relaxing, fun, and budget-friendly. You don’t have to be a surfer to have a great time here, but if I come back I’d love to take a beginner’s surfing lesson! I’m hoping to explore another town in a different part of Mexico this upcoming weekend, so stay tuned and have an amazing week!
I’m ready to go here just for the food!! YUM!! But this looks like such a vibrant, fun place to visit, but still off the beaten path. Those beaches are gorgeous!
This really looks like you could relax there well. In the pictures with the food, I get hungry and the beach just invites you to enjoy the sun. Beautiful!
We are sold on Mexico. Right now we are in Mazatlan. Last year we were in Ensenada and Cozumel. Oaxaca seems to be another great Mexican beach town, especially with Puerto Escondido!
I just have to say that mango ice cream with pomegranate looks heavenly! Zicatela is beautiful and I love the colorful I love Zicatela sign! I thought the same thing about the Prohibido sign-didn’t look too prohibido to me! I also love how that guy beside it is posing for your photo (or how it looks)! LOL!
It is strange that i had not heard about Puerto Escondido, before. The views from your hotel, cozy bed, the yummy food and the colour of the water are enough to make me want to go there.