When we decided to head south of the border for a New Year’s Eve vacation with our friends Ryan and Amy, we all wanted to have a relaxed vacation which meant we spent very little time doing research or making reservations ahead of time for any of the meals or activities.

This worked out just fine until New Year’s Eve. We wanted to go “off campus” for our New Year’s Eve dinner versus going to the included prix fix dinner and show that our resort hosted.

After spending an hour on Fodor’s and with our Cozumel guide book we had a list of three restaurants which sounded like perfect options. Unfortunately, our first two options were fully booked except for an 11pm availability. We decided to try La Cocay, a Mediterranean restaurant in Cozumel.

Located on a small quiet residential block, the restaurant is in a small converted home and courtyard. Very cozy and inviting, we knew this would be a perfect New Year’s Eve restaurant for our small group.

We were immediately greeted with a glass of champagne and their prix fix menu.

The menu gave diners an option of three appetizers, main courses, and dessert in addition to the two welcome tapas. For 890 pesos, or $64, this was a wonderful deal versus what we would normally pay for a similar experience in New York City or Savannah.

The tapas and champagne were the perfect way to start our meal and both were delicious, especially the smoked salmon with capers.

Between the four of us we were able to sample all the appetizers as Ryan chose the soup, Bo and Amy indulged on escargot, and I went with the salad. The mixed green salad was the unanimous winner and was not only plated beautifully but was bursting with flavor. Topped with baked goat cheese, the mixed greens, apples, and pears were held together by a spiralized beet and then dressed in a tangy pomegranate vinaigrette.

The escargot was good but too rich for my liking.

Ryan said the crab soup was delicious as well and included a large baguette crouton and plenty of seafood.

The main courses were where the restaurant truly showed their skill. The scallop entree, paired with a sweet potato and pumpkin puree was beyond my wildest dreams and is a meal Bo and I would love to recreate back in New York. The scallops were cooked perfectly, tender on the inside and seared to a nice crisp on the outside.

Ryan’s rib eye was cooked to perfection and exactly what he wanted. Much to our delight, it was also large enough for him to enjoy while also sharing a few bites with the table.

This dining experience was phenomenal due to the wonderful food and even better service. We truly felt like a guest in their home and a personal friend the entire evening. The staff was very attentive, never letting a wine or water glass get less than halfway full.  One of the most memorable parts of the evening was when the staff confirmed that Santa indeed vacations in Cozumel after his arduous Christmas tasks.

A Fayetteville native, Santa comes down to Cozumel for two weeks post Christmas each year and has become a local favorite while he’s in town. He carries candy canes and happily obliges photograph requests!

It was a wonderful evening and the perfect way to celebrate the New Year before returning to our resort for a New Year’s Eve beach party complete with drinks, party hats, and a DJ.