Hi Elainee! It's almost time for your trip back to Cancun, I can't beleive it. Seems like yesterday you took your other trip there.

Ok, here goes, my recs:

1) For Italian, we like Italiannis in the La Isla Mall. Great red checked tablecloth place. Good italian style seafood and all pastas are good, esp. like the lasagna. Many times you get "Mexican style Italian food" in Mexico (yok, can't stand that) but s place would do fine in NY or NJ, it is that good and authentic. And you can stroll around the nice outdoor mall (I like the little outdoor massage booth w/the mayan ladies, good foot massages there).

http://www.italiannis.com/italiannis_esp.php

2) With so much variety age-wise and so many in your crowd, you might like a music or a show w/dinner one night, maybe New Yrs Eve? Hacienda Sisal is very good, like dining inside an old Hacienda, with courtyard, fountains, murals, etc. They have a mariachi band nighty at 7, but also have two different dinner shows each week. Food very good, great menu with both typical Mexican dishes and fish and meat that are more traditional (NY steak, chipotle shrimp, fish cooked in banana leaf is VERY good). Make reservations.

http://www.haciendasisal.com/default.asp

I will ask my daughter about others, she has a better food memory than me, and get back to you w/more.

emd3, I knew you would come thru. Haciendasisal does sound great for NYE or maybe Christmas Eve or both. We are pretty laidback about restaurants but will need to eat somewhere. I could not recommend any of the places we ate last March.
Please send as many as you can! We will be there quite a few nights. We are doing a 5 day roadtrip in the middle.