Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Chef & Hotel Profile

It was a short but extremely winding uphill taxi ride to the artistic iron gates of Casa Kimberly, where a Spanish front gate with a single bell to ring for entry gave a first glimpse of the respect for privacy awarded guests at the former residence gifted to world renowned actress Elizabeth Taylor by her two-time husband Richard Burton in 1964 on her 32^nd birthday. The bell signifies to all who approach that this is a private place for guests only, with

admittance to dinner guests who arrive with an advance reservation.

A smiling hotel manager answered the bell as we sent the taxi away and he then requested our names and reservation confirmation number. He welcomed us upstairs to a lovely lounge area to wait while The Iguana Restaurant & Tequila Bar Matre d’ was notified of our arrival.

The lobby centerpiece was a beautiful antique case containing samples of the very costly gold trimmed Casa

Kimberly porcelain dinnerware priced at nearly five-hundred dollars per plate. This level was also the entrance area to the bridge that once joined Liz and Richard’s side-by-side casitas in the 1960s when they were hiding their love affair from the paparazzi. The 2010 Casa Kimberly renovation included a beautiful re-do of this bridge, as well as the 9 gorgeous suites with names like Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Velvet, The V.I.Ps, Sandpiper and more.

We were then invited to climb the steps to The Iguana rooftop restaurant & Tequila Bar. A stunning painting of Elizabeth Taylor crowned with a crystal chandelier was hung at the top of the staircase, and it was captivating as she appeared to be looking down on us as we entered.

The outdoor-indoor dining room overlooking Banderas Bay and Sierra Madre Mountains is like something from an MGM movie set. We were given the best table with a magnificent view and ordered a wine to sip while reviewing their contemporary Mexican menu. This venue is renowned for their Tequila and Mezcal cocktails as well. The indoor dining room has an elegant style done in deep blues, silver and white with a bevy of mirrors to catch the light.

The menu described their cuisine as local cuisine, Mexican, vegetarian friendly with vegan and gluten free options. Our order included the grilled salmon on asparagus, snap peas, and potatoes covered by a light lemon crème sauce, and we also ordered a

gorgeous chili relleno filled with luscious cheese,

chiles and tomato with dollops of colorful accompanying sauces. We both loved the crispy green salad with green apples, sugared pecans, and goat cheese in a light Mexican vinaigrette dressing, and the sweet ending flan dessert with fresh fruit was the best I’ve ever tasted. I was extremely happy to meet our talented chef, who was delightful, and pleased we enjoyed the dinner he prepared for us.

This peaceful and elegant dinner experience was such a sweet ending to a busy visit in Puerto Vallarta filled with a Carnitas celebration on the Malecon and a Day of the Dead experience in the public cemetery with a Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities friend, and the Mayor of Puerto Vallarta and family. The Iguana provided a blissful experience of the best of then and now in Puerto Vallarta, and provided a small glimpse into the magical lives of two beloved actors who adored this private get-a-way, but who unknowingly made it one of the most desired travel destinations in the world.