Cozumel Restaurant Time Machine

[El Graduado]

Such is Life was a different kind of restaurant back in the 1977, with great salads and a slight lean towards Mediterranean style foods. It was started by Moises Treves (Moi, as I knew him) after he quit his job as a waiter working for Fito Gracia at San Francisco Beach.

Above: Moi was a real character.

There are different versions of how he got the money to start the restaurant. The story he told was that an American tourist who he befriended during her visit to Cozumel left him an envelope with $500usd with which to start the restaurant. (Although another version was told to me by a Rotarian on Cozumel, who said he was the real money-man/silent partner.) The woman tourist was Judy Friedkin, who apparently went back home after leaving Moi the envelope and never looked back.

Moi, too, moved on. One day I heard he had moved to Miami. That may or may not have been true, but it is true that he eventually ended up in Phoenix, where he opened another restaurant there by the same name: Such is Life.

But Moi apparently still wanted to thank Judy, so he managed to get back in touch with her in 1997 via the TV show Unsolved Mysteries when it aired their story. Judy came to Phoenix where they were reunited for the first time since 1977.

Above: Moi and Judy, reunited.

Moi’s second reincarnation of Such is Life in Phoenix was very successful, but due to legal and Health Department problems, he sold the restaurant in the late 1990s. In 2000, he opened Coyoacan steak house in Phoenix. In 2006, he tried again with Cocono's in Glendale, but it closed not long after it opened. I heard that in 2001, Moi’s son had opened a restaurant in Cozumel, but I can’t swear to that.

Moi died in 2014, but the Such as Life Phoenix restaurant he founded still lives on today under new owners as Asi Es La Vida.

 

[El Graduado]

Back in the day, there was a lobster and turtle packing plant on the malecon.

Later it was torn down and a new restaurant was built on the spot.

Now it looks like this:

 

[flyboy08]

Kool info!

I have had some great steaks at Pepe’s!

 

[Dave Dillehay]

New one to add is "Sal de Mar" on Calle 3 just west of ave 5. One of the best filet mignon's ever tonight, and I mean ever!

Dave

 

[El Graduado]

New one to add is "Sal de Mar" on Calle 3 just west of ave 5. One of the best filet mignon's ever tonight, and I mean ever! Dave

Dave, Sal de Mar belongs on MSTEVENS Magna Opus Restaurant list, not on my "time travel" pre-1985 list. Have you tried their hamburgers?

 

[flyboy08]

New one to add is "Sal de Mar" on Calle 3 just west of ave 5. One of the best filet mignon's ever tonight, and I mean ever!

Dave

We ate there two December’s ago....took a few DM from The Occidental. They thought they died and went to heaven....lol...kool spot, especially out back!

 

[El Graduado]

A long time ago, I was heading to Pizza Rolandis (now named Guido’s) when I ran into Guido talking to a man and a woman on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. I stopped to say “hi” and he introduced me to his friends; a couple from the tiny country of Andorra. They said they were visiting Cozumel for a few days with their two adult sons. We all chatted for a while there on the sidewalk and then I took my leave and went inside to the bar and ordered a drink. A little later the couple came into the restaurant with two young adult males, whom I assumed were their sons. The couple went to take a table on the patio and the two young guys sat down at the bar, a bar stool away from me. They started discussing the day, and as they did, I had an idea. “Howdy,” I said and introduced myself. “I have a knack of telling where people come from based on their accent. I will bet you a drink that I can guess where you guys are from.” They looked at each other and smiled, figuring I’d never guess Andorra. I told them “Just say three words for me and I’ll name your country of origin. Say elephant, orangutan and python”. They repeated the three words and their smiles got bigger, figuring they had me fooled. “Wow, that’s a tough one,” I said. “Don’t run into that one much. I’ll say Andorra”. The smiles froze and they looked at me unbelievably. Easiest bar bet I ever won.

 

[ccannon707]

Ric, your list brings back some memories, thanks. I'll add one: El Moro is still with us, albeit back in the hood. When I first came to Cozumel it was located on the corner of Juarez and 10, kitty-corner to the church. Loved their Sopa de Lima.

 

[El Graduado]

Tenth line: "Tortas Moros (on the corner of Av. 10 and Juarez. Pure bliss!) Pork Tortas (from the greasy plancha with the buns French-dipped in pork broth)"

Yep, it is on the list. Everybody called it Tortas Moros back then, because that is what they were famous for. Why they quit making those mouth-watering pig-licious pieces of heaven I do not know. I bet they used to sell thousands a week, as small as the island's population was back then. I miss those tortas more than anything! Their other dishes were fine, but the tortas were outa this world.

 

[ggunn]

I would add Santiago's to the list. They used to make a dorado pinwheel steak with embedded shrimp that was scrumptious. It closed years ago but briefly reopened under another name (El Gallo, maybe?). It wasn't as good.

I remember Morgan's and the Naked Turtle - now the crumbling into the sea Playa Bonita.