The lobby of Belize's Machaca Hill Lodge is appointed in neutral safari tones, with splashes of Mayan color. The lodge's staff is extraordinarily accommodating, from arrival to departure, and will assist you in planning local excursions -- from a kayak trip down the Rio Grande, a birdwatching hike, or a jaunt into Punta Gorda.
Above the lobby, the Arbor restaurant serves gourmet breakfasts, lunches and dinners with organic ingredients and Belizean flair. Among the entrees I enjoyed during my stay was the grilled chicken with coconut milk (extremely Belizean!) and vegetables, a salad topped by Creole-flavored local fish, and a four-cheese linguini. I loved the corn chowder so much, I ordered it two more times.
Breakfast at Machaca Hill is varied and delicious. I'm addicted to fry jacks, a Belizean staple. Similar to French beignets, Native American fry bread or Southwestern sopapillas, fry jacks are wedges of deep fried dough flavored with cinnamon, sugar and honey. Other Belize-style breakfasts include refried black beans, tortillas, scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions, and fried plantains.
