Jaltemba News

Tired of Ordinary? Experience Petra’s Exceptional German Deli

Tara A. Spears

It’s rare to find quality German cooking in Mexico, but in cosmopolitan Jaltemba Bay, Petra’s Bavarian Deli, is a great café offering fantastic breakfasts and lunch. When it comes to German cuisine, it is much more than just food; this style cooking reflects history, warmth, and hospitality.

German food, especially as Petra Huerta does it, weaves flavor, culture and memories into every dish. With her partner, Kristi Hudsonpillar as the hostess-server, this charming duo works hard to make your visit comfortable and satisfying.

Open Monday thru Friday 8 am til 4 pm, Petra’s has fresh baked specialty breads available in the deli as well as cheeses, sausages, potato salads, sauerkraut, lots of great take out foods. Best yet, you can call 322-240-5006 to order tasty party platters to your specifications!

Located on the parallel street south of the La Penita Avenida, Petra’s Deli is easy to walk, drive or take a cab to Alfedo V. Bonfil #9. Many people wrap up their visit to the Thursday outdoor market with lunch at Petra’s.

A traditional German proverb is ‘A meal without sausage is like a life without love.’ I enjoy eating the bratwurst plate and buying a bag of specialty sausage to take home to enjoy throughout the week.

If you appreciate a good breakfast, you simply must try the Alpine plate- to die for- with more than one type of meat. Be sure to come hungry because this is a hearty dose of protein.

As customer Sally Zedillo says, “Petra is a great cook. Her deli provides a nice selection of cheeses. Kristi serves the food with a smile; together they are a great team. Their breads and apple strudel are out of this world!”

German Sausages(wurst) is not a hotdog: Sausages are enjoyed during festivals, beer gardens, or family meals. They symbolize joy and community, showing the dedication to quality that defines German cuisine.

Whether sizzling bratwurst or poached weisswurst, sausages are more than just a meal—they symbolize regional pride and German culture. My German grandmother used to say “A sausage a day keeps the sadness away.”

Besides the stellar breakfast options, the menu includes several traditional entrees that are exceptional. In addition to the full menu, Petra has whiteboard           daily specials for breakfast and lunch.   

An example of a daily special is a fresh home baked English muffin with Canadian bacon, cheese, eggs and fried potatoes. OMG, it’s delicious!

All of the pork and steak plates are excellent.  If you have a vegetarian in the family, no problem, Petra makes wonderful fresh salads.

I recently had family visiting from out of town. I was not feeling like cooking another big meal so I let Petra do the work for me:  I ordered X number of the daily special entrée.

I could play with the grandkids all day and not have the stress of preparing the meal and entertaining, but because Petra’s method is home style preparation, the family still felt loved and I was not as worn out.   Win, win, win!

If you ever see Petra and Kristi out dancing, be sure to ask Petra to sing. Besides being a super cook, she has a beautiful voice and probably could have been a professional entertainer.

A life long cat ‘mama’- her fur baby shared her life through three countries for  more than 20 years.  Not only does Petra work hard  but she can dance til the band quits. Petra and Kristi are always giving back to the community they love by supporting the various groups- thanks, ladies!

A visit to La Penita is not complete without at least one meal at Petra’s Deli. It’s an authentic German beer garden in a capsule.  One can still love tacos and enjoy asavory plate of  Jager schnitzl with potato pancakes and red cabbage.

 

 

 

 

Look at those Fees! Using ATM in Mexico

Tara A. Spears

While it’s exciting to explore another country and trying to learn another language, it’s a bit intimidating to deal with another currency. Most people embrace a new culture except when it hits their pocket- no one likes overpaying out of ignorance. On social media many try to get insider’s help to navigate the Mexican banking experience and specifically to find the golden goose: an ATM with low fees. 

While electronic payments are increasingly common in urban areas and tourist destinations throughout Mexico, cash remains essential for about 60-70% of daily transactions across the country. If you’re moving or traveling to Mexico, understanding the ins and outs of using ATMs is essential for safely and stretching your money. With the increase in rent and other expenses, you need to plan to make multiple trips for getting enough cash because of the daily withdraw limit.

There are several things that we need to keep in mind when using the ATM (Cajero Automático ) in Mexico. Firstly, there are several mandatory fees: an international transaction fee; a local withdrawal fee; dynamic currency conversion rates fees, and a significant amount of ATM fraud. You need to take all of these issues into account when choosing to make a cash withdrawal and selecting the best ATM for your needs.  Before you leave home, talk to your bank to find out their international fee structure. 

Make certain that you understand the potential fees and limitations associated with using a debit or credit card from another country while in Mexico, so you can decide whether or not to go through the lengthy, expensive process of getting a card from a Mexican bank. Be aware that the current Mexican banking regulations require a person to have a permanent resident visa in order to open an account.                                                          

There have been many cases of money laundering in Mexico (and all over the world) which is why there are the withdrawal limits. Of course, this only applies when you take cash from the ATM machine. You can always access your money with a higher limit when you go over the counter but the only hassle with OTC withdrawals is that you need to go through long lines and it can take hours. The physical banking system in Mexico is very painful and inefficient, just accept it.

Secondly, you want to know what limits your bank places on ATM withdrawals. I prefer to take out the maximum so that I don’t have to use the ATM regularly and that I have enough pesos on hand. Because this limit is denominated in US/ Canadian dollars, the number of pesos that you can withdraw will fluctuate with the exchange rate. Before making the withdrawal, I use my favorite dollar to pesos conversion app to see what amount of pesos I will receive, make the withdrawal, and very shortly after verify the transaction with my foreign bank.*  

Initially, I simply did the withdrawals as needed without checking but the fees added up significantly plus I was electronically robbed. It took THREE MONTHS to correct the robbery: it took weeks to receive a new card, month for the bank to return stolen funds but at least my bank insured the theft. What saved me is that I had only used my ATM card at the same four machines in Mexico, so a transaction in Russia was obviously not me. After this very traumatic experience, I instigated a personal three-step process to be safe: check online, withdraw, check my bank account as soon as possible.

Next, consider that the maximum cash withdrawal limit from a Mexican ATM depends on the bank and the ATM itself, but it’s generally between 6,000 and 11,000 Mexican pesos per transaction:  The bank you’re using may have its own daily, weekly, or monthly withdrawal limits. 

Especially in touristy areas there are many privately owned ATM machines that have a maximum withdrawal limit and  Banks and independent ATM owners typically set their own exchange rate, which often differs from the official rates. These private machines tend to have very high withdrawal fees as they have the best location, it’s the price of convenience. 

These are 2024 withdrawal rates: The cheapest ATM in Mexico is Inbursa, which charges just 22.04 pesos, closely followed by Banbajio at 23.20 pesos and Banca Mifel at 26.68 pesos. The best ATM in Mexico is probably Citibanamex as it’s the cheapest of the most available ATMs. BBVA is definitely the worst ATM in Mexico with a whopping fee is 184 pesos!

 Some banks are more accommodating to international cardholders, including Santander, Intercam, Banorte, Inbursa, and Banco del Bajío.  According to #NomadicBackpacker, the current  out-of-netw0rk ATM withdrawal fees are: Inbursa – 22.04 pesos; BanBajio – 23.20 pesos; Banca Mifel – 26.68 pesos; BanCoppel – 29 pesos; CitiBanamex – 30.74 pesos; Santander – 34.80 pesos; Banorte – 58.00 pesos; Multiva – 67.28 pesos; HSBC – 74.24 pesos; Banregio – 81.20 pesos; Banco Azteca – 115 pesos; Intercam – 116 pesos; Afirme – 162.40 pesos; BBVA – 184 pesos. However, if you have a NOTB account with Scotiabank in Canada at a Scotiabank ATM in Mexico, you won’t have to pay any withdrawal fees.

The Tax Administration Service (SAT) is known to monitor bank movements in an effort to detect suspicious activities, such as money laundering or tax evasion. In Mexico, financial institutions must report to the SAT when a customer makes cash deposits that exceed 15 thousand pesos per month. When this deposit limit is exceeded, the SAT may request documentation that justifies the origin of the funds, whether they are receipts, contracts or invoices. If you can’t prove the legitimate origin of the money, you could face tax penalties, investigations for tax discrepancies, or even additional tax charges for the amount exceeded. 

There a limit to the number of times money can be withdrawn from an ATM every month. Usually, banks allow customers to make five withdrawals at no additional charges in a month. After that, a charge will be levied for each withdrawal at an ATM. To avoid these extra fees, check the bank’s policy before using your account debit card.

In addition to the possibility of an ATM not having money, the bank you’re using may have its own daily, weekly, or monthly withdrawal limits. Some ATMs charge a percentage of the money you withdraw instead, typically 1% of the amount you want to withdraw, but the machine will list the fee before you complete the transaction, so if it’s too high for your liking, you can cancel and try another brand ATM.

Mexican ATMs have daily individual withdrawal limits, typically between 3,000 pesos to 10,000 pesos per transaction, but HSBC offers a high withdrawal limit at 15,000 pesos. If you need to take out more than that in a day, you may have to use multiple ATMs, but don’t forget that your home bank also sets a withdrawal limit. Check with your bank to determine that limit before you travel as your transactions will be rejected if you go over it unknowingly.

Most of the banks will have a screen showing the cost for the transaction and ask do you to accept them. If you don’t like the rate, press no, retrieve your card and try another brand ATM.  When using an ATM, there is frequently a screen showing the conversion rate (which is a separate fee.) Always decline the ATM exchange rate when it appears, you will still be able to withdrawn cash but by your home banks’ rate.

These key takeaway tips regarding using a Mexican ATM are a means to help you manage your money while traveling. Be aware that not every machine has the same withdrawal limit and the transaction fees vary significantly among brands. Only use an ATM that belongs to a major bank in Mexico when possible, and one that is located indoors.