Mexican food in London, or the lack thereof
I give up, the British are hopeless when it comes to Mexican food (or shall I say, Tex-Mex?).
After a long day of studying ethnic conflict, the stagnation of the Communist Party under Brezhnev, and other mind-numbingly boring topics, Crystal, Taline, and I headed off to a nearby pub for dinner. For an appetizer, Taline ordered the "Mexican platter" which apparently consisted of nachos.
This is what the waitress brought us:
Our first reaction was "Oh no, that's not ours. We ordered the Mexican platter" to which the waitress replied "This IS the Mexican platter."
Now you may be thinking, but Lindsay, where are the nachos? Why are there onion rings on that plate? And what are those things that look like reject chicken McNuggets?
Well, as I mentioned in my previous post about nachos, many British people do not understand that the vital ingredient of nachos is CHEESE. So where's the cheese? Well, on this "Mexican platter" there was no cheese, therefore the pub needs to take a big fat black marker and cross "nachos" off the list of items included in the Mexican platter.
Secondly, the chips were Doritos...even worse, though, was the fact that they were COOL RANCH FLAVORED DORITOS. UGH! What self-respecting Mexican platter has cool ranch Doritos? That's right, none...unless you are in Britain.
And look at those small bowls of guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. Are they serious? We could dip maybe four chips into that thing of guacamole before it was gone! And the guacamole, of course, is the pre-packaged stuff you can buy at Sainsbury's or Tesco...not really deserving of the name guacamole.
About the onion rings...uhhh I really have no idea why there are onion rings on a Mexican platter. They weren't on the menu. I can honestly say that I have NEVER been to a Mexican restaurant that served onion rings. However, this was not too surprising, as I had already noticed that Tesco included onion rings in their "Best of Mexico" section of their online grocery store. This "onion rings are Mexican food" business needs to stop...NOW.
As far as the things that look like McNuggets, they were breaded peppers stuffed with ricotta cheese, which is very authentic, considering ricotta came from...oh right, ITALY, not Mexico.
You're probably thinking "Well, duh, Lindsay, you shouldn't have expected there to be real Mexican food in a tacky British pub in the center of London. How about the Mexican restaurants in the UK?"
Right...Mexican restaurants. There are a few that I know of in the city. One is Chiquito's in Leicester Square (a HUGE tourist area). I haven't eaten there, but have had drinks there, and the atmosphere is so ridiculously funny. There is a girl that walks around wearing a bandoleer filled with shot glasses (instead of, uh, shotgun shells) and two holsters that carry big bottles of Jose Cuervo. When you order a shot, she makes an announcement and blows on a whistle or something. It's really authentic, especially with that British accent she has...makes me feel like I'm back in SoCal.
One place I have eaten at is Cafe Pacifico in Covent Garden. I've been there twice, and so far, have not been very impressed. It is a decent meal, and a nice change from British/dorm/take-away food, but is nowhere near authentic.
First off, you only get one complimentary small bowl of chips and salsa (and they act like this is a big deal...oooh, a free bowl of chips, thanks!). If this restaurant was located in California, it simply would not survive due to this issue. Unlimited baskets of warm chips and big bowls of salsa are CRITICAL for a Mexican restaurant, and Cafe Pacifico truly fails in this regard.
Second, the menu is kind of weird. "Lobster & Papaya Quesadillas with Mango Cream" freaks me out. Like, whoa, where did THAT come from? Also, they have "Mango, Jalapeno, and Brie Quesadillas." Uhhh...brie? The, uh, FRENCH cheese that ALMOST KILLED ME?
There is also a whole section of the menu dedicated to "Modern Mexican" (whatever that is) and a ton of seafood dishes, which I don't particularly like. I had the chimichanga the last time I was there, and while it was decent, it was sooooo small. I couldn't believe it! It was maybe half the portion you would get at a restaurant in California. And the refried beans tasted like they were from a can (which they probably were).
Also, Cafe Pacifico is insanely overpriced for what you are getting (I know, I know...it's in Covent Garden, and should therefore be expected). If you ever want to try the fajitas there, perhaps you should first drop by your local bank to take out a loan...you might need it once you see the bill.
Oh, the drinks there are good...especially the pina colada (VERY hard to find good pina coladas here) but at �4 per drink (aprox $7.25), you might want to have just one and then head down to the Three Tuns for �1.70 pints of Strongbow.
I came across this review of Cafe Pacifico that a British guy wrote. He mentioned that his wife is from LA, so he's probably had some real Mexican food:
"They deserve to be sued by the Mexican embassy in London for the insult to Mexican cuisine. They make Taco Bell look like cordon bleu. Save yourself money and have a McDonalds, it will taste better and be spicier. If you value your taste buds eat elsewhere."
Heh...gotta love the British.
So, basically, my experience with Mexican food in the UK had been rather disappointing. Right now I'm craving some greasy taquitos from Robertito's in Oceanside (oh, you know what I'm talking about...the ones slathered in guacamole and sitting in refried beans and rice...sooo good, yet so unhealthy).
I wish I could import entire restaurants into this country. I'd take El Mirasol, Las Casuelas, El Gallito, and La Gran Fiesta from the Coachella Valley (R.I.P. Taco Shop), Old Town Cafe from San Diego, and Anita's and Robertito's from Oceanside. Then the British will be able to enjoy some REAL Mexican food.
I should probably mention that this problem is not confined to London, though. Washington DC's Mexican food sucks, too. And don't leave a comment saying that "Lauriol Plaza is good", because it's not (I don't care what the Washington Post says), or "There's a place in southeast you should try..." because I have, and it sucked. I did have some amazing fajitas in Moscow, though...go figure.
(If you have come across good Mexican food in London, though, let me know, because I would be willing to try it out...yes, I'm that desperate for some good Mexican food!)
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I promise not to praise the food at Lauriol or Las Placitas, but I WILL praise the obscene margaritas, free-flowing chips, and especially Eduardo, proprieter of the now defunct Las Plas on 8th SE and El Jefe de Cocaina.
Posted by: Emily | June 11, 2005 05:24 PM
LoL, I totally forgot the name of the place in SE...Las Placitas! I remember the first time I went there was "Ladies Night Out" for the College Dems E-board...good times, good times.
Posted by: Lindsay | June 11, 2005 11:37 PM
You should try Cafe Sol on Clapham High St. Well worth the trek down to South London. The only decent Mexican in London! Beware though, it should not be confused with its sister restaurant in Greenwich, as although they are related the Greenwich one is definitely from the dodgy side of the family!
Posted by: Gayle | June 15, 2005 10:21 AM
I howled with delight at this post! TY for hitting The Texas Embassy and warning me ahead of time. I love the onion rings and Cool Ranch Doritos. I'm convinced I should just move to the UK to start up a great Mexican restaurant; I think I could make a kililng.
I was talking to a friend who lives in Windsor about the whole Mexican restaurant thing. She had lived in the States for a while. She was just laughing when I told her about this post. Especially the chips and salsa thing. I told her I couldn't believe they didn't give out free chips and salsa; she laughed and said that nothing is free in the UK.
If I get to hit the UK this fall as I plan to, I'll have to send over some stuff for some proper Mexican food (my infamous green chile, cheese, and chicken enchiladas) and give you a proper meal. Keep up the great posts!
Posted by: Cincysundevil | June 15, 2005 01:43 PM
What about the Rock'n Baja Lobster Bar and Grill in Newport Beach? Even better, good old Lil' Alberto's still has THE best carne asada burritos.
Posted by: El Capitan | June 15, 2005 07:40 PM
I still contend that La Taqueria was good, bitch.
Posted by: Ryan | June 16, 2005 07:18 PM
Gayle, thanks, I'll give Cafe Sol a try
Cincy, you seriously need to open a REAL Mexican restaurant here...you'll be a millionaire. I know that I would be there everyday...and my friends from CA, too...they miss real Mexican food just as much as I do.
Capitan, Oceanside also has a Rock'n Baja Lobster...love that place...I miss the shrimp tacos!!!!!!!
And Ryan, La Taqueria was so overrated!!!! (but still better than anything I've had in the UK, lol)
Posted by: Lindsay | June 16, 2005 11:24 PM
Found your blog totally random while googling for "Mexican" and London. I agree with everything you wrote spot on! I'm from Boston, not known for it's equisite Mexican but what I wouldn't kill for a decent frozen Margarita over here! Heck, at this point I'd be happy with some genuine tostitos, let alone some warm, freshly made chips with real salsa...
A friend did take me to Cafe Sol after a fit of desperation and it was not bad, but if you come across better, please post!
Posted by: Kelly | June 26, 2005 06:40 PM
HAHA
very good, loved your 'review' of Cafe Pacifico even more because i used to work there and you certainly hit the nail on the head!
can't really go in to details but you are spot on with the tortilla chips. they were adamant that customers were only allowed one free bowl of each.
not sure what kind of chimichanga's you are used to if the ones they do are small, besides thats hardly mexican and also not that great a dish anyways.
interested in many of the recommendations people are making, and having just come back from mexico i too am desperate for real mexican food
Posted by: Cion | June 28, 2005 05:00 PM
Maybe you came to London a while ago...? I am Mexican (100%, not Mexican-American, and not Californian!!!), and I have travelled around my country quite a bit.. I am so proud to announce that there IS an A U T H E N T I C Mexican restaurant in London.. its called MESTIZO... try it... mole, tortillas de maiz, nopales, agua de horchata.. you name it.. they got it. You can even buy cans of zanahoras en escabeche!
Posted by: Glenda | September 7, 2005 05:30 PM
I think this is hilarious, and so true. Its even hard to find decent Mexican on the East coast, so I held out no hope for London. But, at the Camden Town market there is a little Mexican vendor with not half bad food. It's not anywhere near stuff from CA or Mexico, but it holds its own.
Posted by: Sara | July 13, 2006 05:03 PM
I would be very interest in your opinion
Mexican Food in London Is a Joke? Think Again: Richard Vines
By Richard Vines
Sept. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Good Mexican food is about as hard to find in the U.K. as a decent curry in the U.S. It's there. You just have to know where to look and tourist areas are the wrong places.
Try a random Mexican restaurant in London and you may face a jumble of sombreros, cactuses and mariachi bands before catching sight of a menu top-heavy on Tex-Mex specialties such as fajitas, nachos and chili con carne. Here are three eateries that serve authentic fare at prices that won't break the banco.
Pick of the bunch is Mestizo, near Euston station. The menu is long and the food authentic. There are a dozen starters, a dozen varieties of tacos and 20 mains. The salsas on each table come in mild (with avocado), hot, and scorching (with habanero).
A couple of Mexican friends took me along and said the chef is from southern Oaxaca, where a lot of time and care goes into the preparation of food. The house specialty is Molcajete ``Mestizo,'' a stone bowl crammed with beef or chicken or a combination, with cheese, chorizo, spring onions, cilantro and avocado and a choice of salsa roja, tomatillo, mole or chipotle.
It's almost a meal in itself at 11.50 pounds ($21.75) a head for a combination bowl. (The vegetarian version is 8.80 pounds.) It's steaming hot and a social event as you load contents onto tortillas and mix in your favorite salsa.
My Mexican guests recommended the sopa de tortilla, a rich, fresh tomato soup with fried corn tortilla strips, sour cream and sliced avocado. They also enjoyed the mixiotes, lamb shank with chili, garlic, onion and oregano wrapped in banana leaves.
Crepes and Caramel
There are so many tempting dishes, it's easy to over-order. Desserts include the flavorsome crepas de cajeta: crepes with caramel sauce, chopped walnuts and a dash of wine, served with vanilla ice cream. Margarita pitchers are 26 pounds for two pints.
The ground-floor room, with large windows, has a high ceiling and a rhubarb-and-custard color scheme. An illuminated Aztec calendar decorates one wall. The real action is in the downstairs lounge. It's packed on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Mexican nights, when fresh tacos are 1 pound and Corona beers 2 pounds.
Mestizo is a meeting point for Mexicans and worth seeking out.
Green & Red, on the edge of Shoreditch, offers home cooking from Jalisco, the central state that is home to tequila. It's a cool place, with DJs in a basement bar that can be hired for private parties. The ground-floor dining room has a utilitarian look, with wooden walls, dim lighting and an absence of stuffed donkeys. The waitress and the chef are both from Mexico City.
Watery Salsa
Green & Red is good, though not great. The menu is too short - - five starters, six mains, four desserts -- and the salsa served up as a snack is watery. The starters also lack bite.
Ceviche of sea bass is bland and chewy. Salad of chayote (a kind of squash) with grapefruit won't have you hopping on the plane to Guadalajara for more. Chile Relleno -- a chili stuffed with aged ewe's milk cheese, spring onion and herbs -- is mild.
Chargrilled shrimps with a roasted cherry tomato and habanero salsa (Camarones Puerto Vallarta) are better -- meaty and fresh, while pan-fried chorizo with shallots and coriander (Chorizo Asado) finally adds oomph.
Among the mains, slow-braised lamb shank cooked with beer cloves and ancho chilis (Birria) is rich and peppery. All dishes come with corn mini-tortillas (in a pot with a lid), refried beans, shredded cabbage salad and house salsas.
My favorite main was carnitas, a Mexican classic of slow- roasted pork belly and ribs with pasilla chili and orange salt, served with an avocado sauce. This is a sensual treat.
The salsas were all freshly made, and a rib-eye dish (carne asada) came with salsa de chipotle, one of Mexico's best-known and hottest chilis. My Mexican guest, who appreciated this, along with a side dish of whole arbol chilis (chile de arbol) prepared the ``toreado'' way, scorched under the grill.
Margaritas and More
Desserts include watermelon dusted with crushed piquin chili and lime, an acquired taste that I picked up in seconds. There's also creamy baked vanilla custard with cinnamon and orange zest (Jericalla) and churros con chocolate, a stick of sweet fried dough served with a thick spiced chocolate dip.
Portions aren't huge at this restaurant, owned by the same people as Hawksmoor steakhouse. If you tire of the food, there are plenty of good cocktails, such as a pineapple and sage margarita.
Drinks are also a feature at Crazy Homies, a west London bar that is owned by Tom Conran -- son of the restaurateur Terence Conran -- whose venues include the Cow and Lucky Seven.
The basement was the site of the original West Indian shebeen in London, which in its day was visited by Christine Keeler, Stephen Ward and other figures in a 1960s scandal that brought down the minister of war, John Profumo, according to the Crazy Homies Web site.
Crazy Homies is a very cool bar, especially if you can get there around 6 p.m. and grab the table at the door. The cocktails are excellent and the platters diners can share are surprisingly good. If you don't like it, I'll eat my sombrero.
The Bloomberg Questions
How much? About 20-25 pounds a head, plus drinks.
Sound levels? Lively.
Special features? Basement lounges.
Private rooms? Yes, for parties.
Date places? Si.
Will I go back? Yes, in this order: Mestizo, Crazy Homies,
Green & Red.
Green & Red, 51 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA. Tel. (44) (20) 7749-9670 or go to http://www.greenred.co.uk/ .
Mestizo, 103 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EL. Tel. (44) (20) 7387-4064 or go to http://www.mestizomx.com/ .
Crazy Homies, 125 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QL. Tel. (44) (20) 7727-6771 or go to http://www.crazyhomieslondon.co.uk/ .
(Richard Vines is London food critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the reporter on this story: Richard Vines in London at rvines@Bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: September 1, 2006 00:45 EDT
Posted by: Adam Pode | September 5, 2006 09:51 AM
We decided to look for a venue for my birthday party . We decided to have it at TU CHICAS KHAYA 12-14 Leopold Road , wimbledon , london , sw19 7bd - a mexican restaurant with a touch of South African & ZIM .Our party of 34 decided to choosethe party menu @ £15/person which a glass of wine ( we were given 7 bottles of wine ) a choice of starter anda choice of main meal - an excellent value for many.
All kept seperate tabs and paid seperately for all their fantastic cocktails/shooters , draft/bottle beers
My birthday drink was something to remember FLAMING FERRARI
We had a a very very good night and all of us enjoyed ourselves and we look forward to returning soon.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED
Posted by: tony | October 11, 2006 08:31 AM
Adam, I'm no longer in London but would definitely like to try the places listed in the article if I ever move back. They sound much better than Cafe Pacifico, et al
Posted by: Lindsay | November 19, 2006 12:47 PM
Lindsay - enjoyed your review of the dire london mexican food scene :) now a year later things are changing. A new burrito bar has opened up in Islington called Mucho Mas. It has had a bunch of good reviews including a spot on market kitchen last week. I've never been to california but i'm reliably informed it is up to your standard - see this American ex pat forum thread: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=37987.msg517472#msg517472 I am betting in a year these will be all over london
Posted by: Simon | November 1, 2007 07:05 PM
I am certainly greatful that I am not alone in my disdain for the Uk's version of mexican food. I am new to the uk recently married to a brit
and originally from Southern California with Nicaraguan parents. I love mexican and cuban food. I live in the west midlands and have tried to locate something similar to my experieces growing up in neighborhoods where there were mexican eateries and taco trucks within walking distance but have been unsucessful. I was very shocked at the chips and salsa quality and to be honest baffled at the menu options I have encountered at these "Mexican Restaurants" I have been to here. Chili beans in a Mexican Restaurant? Oh god and the mushy rice and canned beans. Ofcourse I was polite and only fumed to my husband..its not the poor cooks fault...he's English! In my desparation now that I am pregnant as well and can't stand to look at bangers and mash which I enjoyed before, I have begun a search for Mexican markets where I can get my own ingredients for Mexican homecooking which I have never done but am sure I can accomplish better then Chiquititos. I wish I would have known of Mestizos for my November Birthday because it sounds like its the bomb...London has to be a special trip for me. Does anyone know of any great little mexican joints in Birmingham, Worcester or even Bristol? What a about a Latin or Mexican market?
Posted by: Michelle | December 28, 2007 04:50 PM
Try Mexicali in Notting Hill. The resaurant was recommended to me recently and it was everything I hoped for. Run by an American it has a really cool vibe and the food was to die for. Margaritas made from any of the dozens of tequilas they stock helped the night along swimmingly. Apparently they also have cafes in Soho and Chelsea so I'm checking them out next.
Posted by: Suzanne | January 12, 2008 09:54 AM
I just discovered a tequila bar in Chelsea that is 'experimenting' with a food menu - fabulous tacos! Check out the link for more info. I highly recommend it!
http://blog.isango.com/2008/05/01/oops-we-just-stumbled-across-the-best-mexican-food-in-london/
Posted by: Carrie Daniel | May 2, 2008 04:53 AM
I found everything you say to be absolutely true! Im half mexican and half english but have grown more with that mexican culture :D. I live in the UK and i am not at all ashamed to say the the UK SUCKS when it comes to mexican food.. sorry let me rephrase.. REAL Mexican food! not any of that tex mex crap like shell tacos with shredded chees on top, but the real deal like: taquitos al pastor, sopes, tacos de pollo en salsa roja etc. i really could go on a never endin list!
I have been to almost every mexican resturant there is in london and in the middlands! but nothing has yet to impress me or the 'Don' that is my proud, strong blooded mexican mother :P.
i was slightly enlightened by the tacos at ' La Taqueria' in notting hill, London. the atmosphere was decent with all the waiting staff either from mexico, spain or colombia. but its a nice to enter and just hear all the chatters of spanish speaking people :] and they even had a little tortilla press shop where you could buy fresh tortillas and other little what nots that would be needed in a mexican household.
But i have to admit the one place you will ever! i mean EVER find tacos or mexican food and im talking REAL MEXICAN FOOD is the 'Carnaval del pueblo' its on this year on the 3rd August 2008 on burguess park south london. >>> www.carnavaldelpueblo.co.uk
all food is hand made by u guessed it MEXICANS! and you can watch how they prepare it! it is probably the best you will get in the UK!! and well worth it if you missing that homecook taste or just a good well prepared meal that you dont regret paying for.
and the ambience will just take your breath away :D:D:D
i recommend you come take a visit.
but keep with your search for good mexican food and keeps us all posted :D
Posted by: Kimberley Gorse-Macias | July 20, 2008 03:41 PM
Trust a Gringo to moan about everything and anything. Whatever the food,from whatever country, will never be like it is in it's native country. Ask an Indian if their traditional food they try in another country is the same as back home, the answer will be,no. It is the same with Mexican, Chinese and whatever world cuisene you would like to mention.I guess you will never find a Quarter Pounder like you will in The States.Funny question, do you have anything other than McDonalds and KFC in The States, and Restaurants making Gross Coffee? If anyone is looking for a really great place to buy stuff like Groceries(Proper Coffee), traditional mexican cookware and a lot more, try Casa Mexico in Winkley Street London, it is not far from Bethnel Green Station, you will find all you will ever need, and you will get a feel of Mexico(without the weather). They have another shop in Guadalajara, Mexico so everything is for real,(where the shop is in Guadalajara, there is a street market every Sunday, with Miles and Miles of stalls selling all kinds of traditional hand made goods, it's a really great place, and a very proud historical city) and all Mexicans will know all the brands in the shop.(jajaja, Moaning Gringos are every where, what would we do without them).
Posted by: Juan | August 24, 2008 05:48 AM
I owned a mexican resturant in bury st edmunds until i got ill and could nt chef anymore i was born and raised in Santa Barbara Ca and surfed up and down Mexican and californian coast during 50s until i left in 1992 I agree Mexican food in uk is mostly crap. I was on bbc for my cooking and being near American bases was hugely popular with them. We only gave one helping of chips and salsa at our res because of price of corn tortillas plus they are generally crap I made my own at first but got so busy had to buy ready made and they really were horrible Our menu had homemade tamales,chilli rellenos etc Health better hoping to start cooking again soon got 37 chilli plants tomatillos etc growing in my garden let you know when I start burning stuff again not always able to get to computer phone 0787 7576008 gary
Posted by: gary olmstead | August 25, 2008 03:34 PM
Just to let you know if your in Santa Barbara try Lilys taqueria just 8 kinds of tacos on menu carnitas, carne asada,cheek,eyeball,and the rest of the pig 6or7 different salsas plus fresh cilantro,onions radish and limes 1 dollar 25 a taco
Posted by: gary olmstead | August 26, 2008 09:57 AM
Hi, how I can send PM?
Posted by: proslaviy | September 16, 2008 12:13 PM