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Returning to Mexico after a recent trip to Toronto, I knew I was home when I stepped off the plane and my husband, Rob, whisked me straight to a neighbourhood taco stand without stopping to drop off my luggage.

At Antojitos Lulu, a 20-minute drive north of our hometown of Manzanillo, a steady stream of locals were perched on stools, chowing down. The specialty: open-faced corn tortillas called sopes topped with stewed or barbecued meat, cream, cheese, beans, nopal cactus and salsa, all served with a plastic bag for easy cleanup. The bill? Less than $10.

Nestled between the Sierra Madre and the Pacific coast, Manzanillo is set on two curved bays surrounded by verdant, overgrown jungle and wide beaches.

But tourism is secondary to the food here. With a port that is one of the largest on this side of Latin America, and no McDonald's or Burger King in sight, I have come to identify this town through indigenous flavours, textures and scents.

To introduce visitors to Manzanillo's cuisine, we head to La Boquita (literally "little river mouth") at the north end of Santiago Bay. The sand here sparkles with tiny gold flecks and a sunken tanker just 50 metres offshore has become an artificial reef that dive groups often explore.

On weekends, though, what really draws the crowds are toes-in-the-sand beach restaurants offering up platefuls of freshly shucked oysters, seafood ceviche "cooked" in lime juice, and whole fish priced by the kilo and grilled with fiery spices.

Served at plastic tables under a kaleidoscope of colourful beach umbrellas, the bill rarely tops $60 for four.

For dessert, kids hawk tropical fruit -- peeled mangos on sticks and whole pineapples -- for a few dollars, as well as baked goods such as pineapple cake and carrot muffins, out of giant reed baskets. Or there's homemade coconut, lime and tequila ice cream.

I also invariably order a coconut. At just a dollar a nut, it's a slice of tropical heaven and brings me utter joy to sip the sweet water fresh out of the green husk, then scrape out the tender white meat, so soft it's like coconut jelly.

Other local favourites include fruit-infused water in flavours such as tamarind, hibiscus flower, lime and cinnamon rice -- which we served at our beach wedding last year -- and buttery cornmeal pouches steamed in banana leaves and stuffed with green mole chicken or barbecued pork sold from large pots set up on street corners.

For the ultimate mix of Mexican food and fiesta, we take a one-hour drive inland to Comala. Near the colonial capital of Colima City, which lies in the shadow of two volcanic peaks (one extinct and one among the most active in North America), the cobblestone village is known for its pretty town square and handmade masks, wrought ironwork and wood furniture. It's also home to botaneros: a rowdier version of Spanish tapas bars.

To a first-timer, the botanero experience is a bit unnerving. You enter a dim, jammed cantina off the main square, sit at a crowded table and order a round of drinks -- usually beer or a shot of tequila. Then food on the house starts arriving: fried tacos, flautas smothered in cream, tostadas topped with seafood ceviche, and on and on.

That's when the party really gets started. Wandering mariachis in costume appear with their instruments and soon the whole place sings old Mexican classics in happy, drunken disharmony.

Back in Manzanillo, there are definite perks to living in a port that dubs itself "the sailfish capital of the world."

Once we were treated to a dinner of tender, seared marlin steaks when our friend, Victor, a local fishing hand, shared his catch of the day -- an enormous blue marlin measuring more than six feet and weighing upward of 200 pounds.

Occasionally, we've tried our own fishing expeditions. A few months ago, we left the safe harbour of Manzanillo's two bays at daybreak with some newfound friends from Dallas, Danny and Sasha. Trailing six lines dressed with colourful lures, we hoped to inspire strikes from marlin or sailfish.

Unfortunately, Sasha and I had no sea legs and found ourselves fighting waves of nausea as our boat charted the waters. After a few agonizing hours trolling around offshore, we headed back toward town.

Then the line hit. With Danny's help -- amid squeals of "my arms are killing me" -- Sasha pulled in our first catch, a yellowfin tuna weighing 60 pounds.

Our deck hands wasted no time preparing thin slivers of sashimi and a plateful of tuna ceviche dressed with chopped tomatoes, onions and lime juice.

Suddenly, our seasickness dissipated.

Pack your appetite

GETTING THERE

Transat Holidays: http://www.transatholidays.com. Non-stop direct flights to Manzanillo from eight Canadian cities during the winter months, plus week-long air and hotel packages.

WHERE TO STAY

Karmina Palace: 888-234-6222; http://www.KarminaPalace.com. This 324-unit all-suite all-inclusive hotel has eight interconnected swimming pools, high-speed Internet, a spa and nightly entertainment. Rates start at $158 a person, double occupancy, including meals and drinks.

Las Hadas: 888-559-4329; http://www.brisas.com.mx. A 234-room resort with Moorish-style architecture, this hotel brought fame to Manzanillo during the 1970s when Bo Derek and Dudley Moore filmed 10. Rates start at $160, double occupancy.

Pepe's Hideaway: 52 (314) 333 0616; http://www.Pepeshideaway.com. At this six-bungalow hotel inside the exclusive gated community of La Punta on the Santiago Peninsula, owner Joe Webb offers guests the run of his jungle home starting at $194 a person, including meals and drinks.

WHERE TO EAT

Antojitos Lulu: Calle Juarez, Santiago. Find this taco stand just down from the ceramic store Las Primaveras. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

El Rinconcito: Boulevard Miguel de la Madrid, Manzanillo. Sample tacos al pastor or shepherd's tacos -- slow-cooked meat on a spit served with a slice of pineapple. Open from 8 a.m. until midnight.

La Boquita beach: Inside Club Santiago, a residential neighbourhood at the northern end of Santiago Bay. Restaurant Marildo's at the end is the best. Open from mid-morning until 6 p.m.

El Fundador Don Comalon: 5 Progreso, Comala; 52 (312) 315. 1120 Boulevard Miguel de la Madrid, Manzanillo; 52 (314) 333 9440.

Manzanillo food market: Avenida Mexico and Maria Galindo. This open food market has some of the best deals for lunch.

El Fogon: Boulevard Miguel de la Madrid, Manzanillo; 52 (314) 333 3094. Mexican food cooked over a wood burning stove with homemade tortillas, steaks and chamoro.

MORE INFORMATION

Mexican Pacific: 888-508-2405; http://www.mexicanpacific.com. Travel portal with news and on-line booking engine for hotels along Mexico's Pacific Coast.

Hectours DMC: 52 (314) 333 1707; http://www.hectours.com. Specializing in personalized tours of Manzanillo.