Leaky Palapa
Restaurant & Bar
| Leaky Palapa Restaurant & Bar, Leona Vicario, Xcalak, Quintana Roo, Mexico |
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What brought two women from Canada on a journey across miles and experience to a pleasingly sleepy Mexican
fishing village - A melding of individual talents and a mutual desire to leave northern stresses behind brought them
to the southernmost part of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
In 2004, the couple sold all their material possessions and headed south, eventually following a tip that brought
them to the small fishing village of Xcalak. After beaching it for six months, some of the ex-pats that make up the
Xcalakian population of 400 convinced them to open a restaurant. And so this little fishing village of Mexicans,
expats and tourists became the unlikely home to a palate tempting, gastronomical treasure – The Leaky Palapa
Restaurant.
Chef Marla Stiles and her partner Linda Bestard have created a fusion of Marla’s French culinary background and
the local ingredients, flavors, colors and ambiance of Mexico. This unique dining experience continues to delight
both locals and tourists and makes this a must-have gastronomical experience.
fishing village - A melding of individual talents and a mutual desire to leave northern stresses behind brought them
to the southernmost part of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
In 2004, the couple sold all their material possessions and headed south, eventually following a tip that brought
them to the small fishing village of Xcalak. After beaching it for six months, some of the ex-pats that make up the
Xcalakian population of 400 convinced them to open a restaurant. And so this little fishing village of Mexicans,
expats and tourists became the unlikely home to a palate tempting, gastronomical treasure – The Leaky Palapa
Restaurant.
Chef Marla Stiles and her partner Linda Bestard have created a fusion of Marla’s French culinary background and
the local ingredients, flavors, colors and ambiance of Mexico. This unique dining experience continues to delight
both locals and tourists and makes this a must-have gastronomical experience.
Marla Stiles
From a Saskatchewan, Canada farm, Marla cultivated an
early appreciation of food and where it came from. From
growing grain to milling it for flour, raising livestock to smoking
the meat, she developed a relationship with food that made
her choice of a profession as a chef and restauranteur almost
inevitable.
Starting in the restaurant business in 1982, she was chef in
and/or co-owned some of the best restaurants in Southern
Ontario. Mainly self-taught, Marla earned her Red Seal Cook's
Papers following a successful apprenticeship. After meeting
her life partner, Linda, together they partnered in a new
venture “Marla Jane’s Restaurant” which they successfully
ran for 8 years
From a Saskatchewan, Canada farm, Marla cultivated an
early appreciation of food and where it came from. From
growing grain to milling it for flour, raising livestock to smoking
the meat, she developed a relationship with food that made
her choice of a profession as a chef and restauranteur almost
inevitable.
Starting in the restaurant business in 1982, she was chef in
and/or co-owned some of the best restaurants in Southern
Ontario. Mainly self-taught, Marla earned her Red Seal Cook's
Papers following a successful apprenticeship. After meeting
her life partner, Linda, together they partnered in a new
venture “Marla Jane’s Restaurant” which they successfully
ran for 8 years
Linda Bestard
Linda grew up on a dairy farm in southern Ontario.
Dreaming of a more exciting life, she decided to enroll in
Theatre school and after finishing her schooling she
apprenticed at London Ontario’s Grand Theatre, she spent
the following 15 years working at the Shaw Festival and the
Grand Theatre as the properties mistress there she
developed her skills that have become an important part of
the Leaky Palapa
As though cast in one of her own productions, she met
Marla at one of her restaurants and life shifted dramatically.
She began a new journey with Marla and the restaurant
business.
Linda grew up on a dairy farm in southern Ontario.
Dreaming of a more exciting life, she decided to enroll in
Theatre school and after finishing her schooling she
apprenticed at London Ontario’s Grand Theatre, she spent
the following 15 years working at the Shaw Festival and the
Grand Theatre as the properties mistress there she
developed her skills that have become an important part of
the Leaky Palapa
As though cast in one of her own productions, she met
Marla at one of her restaurants and life shifted dramatically.
She began a new journey with Marla and the restaurant
business.
Together, Marla’s culinary abilities and Linda’s visual and spatial talents meld to create The Leaky Palapa – a restaurant with a
warmly inviting and friendly atmosphere reflected in both the quality of the food, the twinkling glow of hanging jeweled lights and
the smiles of its owners.
warmly inviting and friendly atmosphere reflected in both the quality of the food, the twinkling glow of hanging jeweled lights and
the smiles of its owners.
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