WEEKEND GETAWAY : Lobster Land of Puerto Nuevo Will Do in a Pinch

Less than 20 years ago, the tiny lobster village of Puerto Nuevo in Baja Norte was one of the area’s best-kept secrets.

Those in the know were able to find the poorly marked Puerto Nuevo turnoff and make their way to the village. There, fishermen’s wives cooked fresh Pacific lobster in their kitchens and served them to ever-increasing throngs of hungry Norte Americanos.

But eventually, the lobster got out of the bag. Restaurants began popping out of the ground like wheat stalks, and today, about 28 lobster restaurants and a 150-room hotel stand where the small fishing village once existed. Baja Norte lost a fishing village, but gained a resort.

In a resort dedicated to the langosto, lobster lovers should know a few things before embarking on the intimidating task of choosing a restaurant.

Most lobster here is prepared Puerto Nuevo-style, where the crustacean is cut in half, then fried in a skillet and seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. With very minor variances, nearly every one of the 28 restaurants get their lobster from the same ocean, cook it the same way and charge the same prices.

So don’t worry so much about where to eat. Pick a restaurant that looks comfortable, and chow down. The main varieties are either converted homes or the gaudier two- and three-story El Torito-style restaurants that dominate the village.

Some of the best that I’ve sampled include the Miramar, Puerto Nuevo No. 1, Ortega’s Cafe, Ortega’s Place, Chela’s Restaurant, Josefina’s y El Negro’s Restaurante and La Casa de Langosta.

At whichever spot you choose, a waiter will likely appear promptly at your table with a bowl of small limes, chips and fresh salsa. Some restaurants don’t even have menus; you just choose one of three sizes of lobster--small (about $12), medium (around $16) or large (about $25). One tip: larger isn’t necessarily better. The large lobsters are the old salts, and their meat tends to be a little chewier.

Just before the beast is served, the waiter brings large, steaming bowls of rice and refried beans, then puts down a dish of steaming, hand-made tortillas and a ramekin of warm, drawn butter. Make lobster burritos or eat it au natural; it’s a feast either way.

A few hundred yards down the road, the 150-room New Port Baja Hotel opened a little over a year ago to the delight of the restaurant owners, who needed to give people a reason to stay in the area. The hotel is attractive, clean and reasonably priced at $65 for most rooms on holidays and weekends and $55 Sunday through Monday.

With a hotel in town, Puerto Nuevo becomes a good central location for tourists who want to spend a weekend in Baja Norte. Ensenada is only a 40-minute drive south, Rosarito just 10 minutes north and Tijuana can be reached in about 35 minutes. But there are adventures to be had even closer to Puerto Nuevo.

Huge sand dunes frequented by hang-gliding enthusiasts are located just a couple miles south of Puerto Nuevo off the old highway in a small community called Primo Tapia. Roadside stands also rent dirt bikes and three-wheelers for use in the dunes.

About 6 miles north of Puerto Nuevo is the fishing village of Porta Popotla. It’s small and shabby, but your fish is fileted, fried and served right in front of you at small stands along the shoreline. Look for the huge white arches off the old highway and take the unpaved road into the village.

Puerto Nuevo is an excellent weekend getaway. But don’t be surprised if your visit turns into a week long getaway.

To get there, take the San Diego Freeway to the border crossing. Follow the signs that say Ensenada/Rosarito. In about 10 minutes, the highway will take you out of Tijuana to the toll roads marked cuota (toll). The free (libre) road winds through the scenic hills outside Tijuana and adds about a half-hour to an hour to your travel time. Rosarito is about 20 miles south of Tijuana and Puerto Nuevo is about 10 miles beyond that city. Just take the exit clearly marked Puerto Nuevo off the toll road and it’ll lead right to the village.

For hotel reservations and information regarding Baja Norte California tourism, call (800) 522-1516. You can also call or write the Mexican Government Tourism Office, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90067; telephone (213) 203-8191 or (800) 262-8900. Or contact the Rosarito Beach Chamber of Commerce at 011-52-661-20396. For reservations at the New Port Baja Hotel, write P.O. Box 139 Plaza Patria, 22441 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico. Or call (800) 582-1018.