Savor delicious pizza made with heart at Casa Hule, now in the beautiful Octopus Garden!
Recently guests told me they visited Italy in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. After shopping for groceries in our little town I was driving home and passed two extremely happy guests and they raved about the pizza at Casa Hule; “This is the best pizza we’ve had, we feel like we’re in Italy!” That was a double compliment as I said “I just wrote about them in the Vallarta Tribune… they said, “We know, that’s where we learned about them!”
When Casa Hule moved there were many who thought they were gone and that created quite a ruckus! Max, Rocio, and that marvelous wood-fired pizza oven are alive and well in their new local further down the street still on Coral in the beautiful Octopus Garden courtyard.
Max is Italian, from Turin, the capital city of Piedmont in Northern Italy, which is known for its cuisine. Growing up at the base of the Alps, he was a mountain man. Max says “It’s funny how life goes, in 2003 I met my wife Rocio, an Argentinian from Buenos Aires, in the middle of the desert in San Luis Potosí, Mexico!” They settled down in that region where their two children, Julieta and Vicente, were born. Max was inspired to build his first brick oven and started baking bread and making pizza.
They used to visit Sayulita to work during the high season. In 2013 they came to Nayarit with the idea to open a pizzeria. Max explains “Our friend, Cat Tibo, told us about the village of La Cruz and the town’s beautiful Marina. On a Saturday morning, we came to look around and saw a brand new ‘For Rent’ sign on Langosta. The moment we entered, we immediately fell in love with the place and its majestic rubber tree, Hule in Spanish; the name of the restaurant was born ‘Casa Hule’ and our adventure as restaurant owners began!“ They built a clay oven and made many other modifications, opening in the low season. The first few months were tough but they quickly built a Mexican clientele from the village and from the Canadian and American expatriates. They spent three years in that location.
The striking atmosphere wasn’t enough; the State’s sanitary regulations couldn’t be satisfied due to its rustic natural environment; always open to the outdoors. They’re very happy with their new location, Max is especially pleased “I built my third oven and it’s the best so far! Little by little, we’re creating a cozy atmosphere. However, the most important thing for us is that the quality of food remains the same. We make everything ourselves from the freshest ingredients daily. The food is handmade from traditional recipes: tomato sauce, dough, and fresh pasta.
My wife, Rocio, can’t keep up with the production of our pesto and chimichurri sauce that she sells at the La Cruz Sunday Market. Even though my wife and I were raised in cities, we have always liked small, quiet villages and that’s why we’ve found ourselves at home right here in La Cruz.”
Max learned to make real Neapolitan pizza with an Italian friend who had a restaurant in Germany, at that moment, he knew it was his passion. He also has a real passion for music. “My best friends in Italy are dedicated musicians and introduced me to different genres and moods. I love creating my own playlists for the restaurant.”
Though water sports have no pull for Max he told me he has always been very athletic and was lucky to find a very good group of friends who he gets to enjoy playing tennis with. Shy and quiet, Max is always delighted to serve you with his knowledge and passion in the art of making traditional Italian cuisine. “I promise my wife and daughter will compensate with the conversation!”
To visit Italy in La Cruz… make your reservations and be a part of the success of this families life journey. 329 295 5087.
