[Mini bites] - Mestizo

The general word on the street is that there aren't that many places to eat decent Mexican food in London. I can't say I know what real Mexican food is, but there are plenty of places that I enjoy. I've eaten at Lupita since it opened and generally enjoy each meal I have had, there is the Wahaca group of restaurants which do a good job in the casual dining market, takeaways such as Benitos hat and El Burrito which always fill the void and even higher end restaurants such as Taqueria which are meant to be excellent.

NY chic in Soho streets: La Bodega Negra, Soho

If the old adage of "you are what you eat", then right at this moment, I am probably 90% tacos. I've probably overdone it, I admit, but I couldn't help contain the excitement when La Bodega Negra on Moor street finally opened it's doors to the public.With two main areas, a bar and taqueria on the ground floor, and a much more illicit dining room downstairs (located through a fake "sex shop" entrance, it's just a little of the exclusivity and NY buzz that the owners are trying to bring to the place), Serge Becker, an impresario of the New York night life has brought his take on the Mexican taqueria to London alongside Will Ricker, a London restaurateur. With the rich heritage of Mexican food in America, I had hopes.

El Burrito: Celebrating Mexican Independence Day

The 15th of September is Mexican Independence day, and in order to celebrate such a joyous occasion, I was led to a small restaurant priding themselves on "antoijitas and margaritas", translated loosely as snacks and booze. Above and beyond your standard burrito fare, the menu is extensive and contains lesser known Mexican delights such as flautas and tamales. Do not be deceived by the slightly tacky frontage and ramshackle appearance, this is a place run by passionate Mexicans, offering out tasters of their frozen margaritas as if it were water.

Poncho Number 8...number 3, Old Compton St

What this part of town doesn’t really need is another shop selling burritos. Within 5 minutes stroll of my office there are four alone, with Mas Burritos and Chipotle the poorest (in my opinion), the burrito man on Earlham street which is untested, and my burrito peddler of choice, Benitos Hat on New Row. The introduction of the new Poncho Number 8 to the area is aggressive, but so has been their growth in the last two years, with this Soho branch number 3 in the chain.

Long live the #Meateasy: The Rye, Peckham

Hardly a day goes by that I don't ponder fondly about the #meateasy. Remembering the drinks, the atmosphere, things I cannot repeat on here nor should ever be repeated again. There were also the burgers. Meatwagon burgers made to order served with an array of delicious sides, smothered in cheese and mustard and all things good. When the day arrived when the #meateasy locked it's doors, we went mental one last time and we showed our respects by drinking the place dry.

Ever since that day, Yianni and his new and improved (physical/mobile) meatwagon have kept a relatively low profile. The money made from the Meateasy has been reinvested into a brand new meatwagon (a real old American ambulance) and kitted out with all the gadgets a travelling purveyor of food would ever want. Yianni's plan is to go back to his roots and take his wagon out on the road to the many festivals around Britain (including the recent Glastonbury festival, Henley Regatta and Soho House Summer party.).

Lupita: Mexico City in London town, Charing Cross

Following London's obsession with Mexican imports (yes burritos, i'm looking at you) I approached the opening of Lupita with trepidation. It claimed to be London's first truly authentic Mexican restaurant, quite a claim with so many other protaganists claiming authenticity within the capital. The difference lies in its provenance. Brought to London by the same team who run El Farolita in Mexico city, a well regarded taqueria, they use as many authentic Mexican ingredients as they can lay their hands on to produce food as good as you can get back in Latin America. So in order to test out such grand claims, I turned to my fountain of Latin American food knowledge and probably the harshest judge of anyone I know, and headed on down to Villiers street to see what it was all about.

The menu is very much focused around Mexican street food, tacos, quesadillas and other hand held bites, with each plate designed for sharing. Whilst we pondered the choices, margaritas aided our decision making as well a as plate of tortilla chips and salsa (good salsa, chips unfortunately out of a bag). I gave up on the menu shortly after and left Carla to it.

Tacos arrived first, corn and not flour (apparently flour tacos are for heathens). The taco pastor were sweet and juicy, with a delicious mix of slow cooked pork and bacon marinated in a huge variety of ingredients, ending up in a fruity concoction. These did not last long. The taco nopales (or cactus to the uninitiated) had the taste and texture of okra, not something I am particularly fond of, so didn't really rock my world.

We went for an interesting mix of quesadillas, with one choice of chorizo erring on the normal, whilst the other of huitlacoche being downright odd. As with all the greatest delicacies in the world, the Mexicans saw their corn being destroyed by fungus and curiosity (as well as hunger) drove them to eat it. The chorizo was perfectly pleasant (if not cheesy enough), but the huitlacoche (also known as "corn smut") was quite an experience. An unpleasant looking black sludge, it had a herbal taste with a muted nuttiness. Not all that unpleasant, but I found it quite rich after a few mouthfuls.

The alambre was described by my dining partner as close to fajitas as you would get in a Mexican restaurant, and mighty fine they were too. We were flagging at this stage and we began to chat with one of the managers Rafael as there were a few unanswered questions. I say we, the conversation was very much led in Spanish, but at the end of it, I think he passed the inquisition. One stickling point was regarding the rather expensive guacamole, which seems to be following the trend of having it freshly made at your table and then charging you £7 for the privelege. Rafael agreed that it wasn't a decision they took fondly, and that he would much rather his staff were taking orders and serving, than wasting time at each persons table. He then told us that this was going to be removed in the next menu and replaced by a cheaper, not-made-at-your-table version. A good move. He also proceeded to send some over for us to try, and we managed to shovel a few mouthfuls of excellent creamy guac into our pieholes.

This brought an end to our food binge, and coming to just over £15 a head for the food, it was thoroughly excellent value. I looked over to the harshest judge of them all. She had been quite muted for most of the meal and I was unaware of her verdict, but she smiled and said that she would quite happily come back again. I need no further proof, Lupita is excellent value and definitely bucking the trend. A Mexican restaurant actually run by Mexicans.

Lupita - 13-15 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6ND

Chipotle: A bad import

Part of the excitement of starting a new job is the discovery and research of nearby lunching options. Three weeks in and I have already established a good noodle place, somewhere that makes a half decent bacon sandwich, where I can get my morning coffee and probably more importantly, considering London’s obsession with "Mexican" food, somewhere I can rely on for a decent burrito.

Therefore it was more with curiosity than actual need that I thought I would give Chipotle a go. A popular chain out in the US, its arrival in London  got people excited. American friends told me about how Chipotle would thrash the competition in London if it was anything like it was "back home". If only. You see, that was the bottom line, was it going to be a successful import? Early indications were not great and it wasn't really enticing me to try it out, but now my office was so close, I really couldn't resist.

A mere six minute stroll from my office, I strode into a restaurant in full swing. A queue had formed nearly to the door, packed with workers from the nearby area, all probably as eager as I was to try one of these famed American import burritos. I checked out the menu and my first observation was that it was slightly dearer than most of its competitors, weighing in at £6.95 for a steak burrito. Add the additional and frankly staggering sum of £1.40 for a smear of guacamole, chuck in a soft drink, and you will have forked out nearly a tenner for lunch.

The cost may be on the high side, but the chunks of meat looked the business. Nice char on the outside with a ruby pink centre, I knew it was too good to be true. I trudged back to the office, took it back to my desk and took my first bite. A wave of disappointment immediately came over me. If you want a blow by blow account, the first taste to hit you is the intense sourness. Odd and unpleasant, a heavy handed squeeze of lime assaulted my taste buds. The intense smokiness from the chipotle chilli sauce wasn't too bad but could have done with a bit more heat. You may be wondering why there has been no mention of the beef so far, mainly because it was totally tasteless and chewy. What promised so much had turned out to be chewy and bland chunks of meat. Very, very disappointed, I discarded the last few mouthfuls in disgust.

Chipotle is bad value for money. Not only is it an expensive burrito in comparison to its local rivals, but it comes nowhere near to the others in terms of flavour. It's a shame as I have heard from multiple sources that Chipotle in the US is the "dog’s danglers". I’m afraid to say, using yet another animal analogy, that London’s Chipotle is pony.

Chipotle - 114-116 Charing Cross Rd, London, UK WC2H 0JR

Benitos Hat: It's all about the tequila

One of the perks as a food blogger is that on occasion, you get a letter drop into your virtual inbox asking you to try a new restaurant or sample a few drinks. Many of these can be dull and no more than a simple PR exercise, but the odd one flies in and get your taste buds buzzing. When I was asked along to the new Benito’s Hat in Covent Garden to learn about tequila, make tequila cocktails and eat tacos, how could I say no?

Upon arrival, I immediately had one of their house cocktails thrust into my hand. The Paloma is slightly less "edgy" version of their standard margherita and was perfectly light and refreshing. After mingling and catching up with a few other people I recognised, we all soon settled down to an education in tequila from Alex, their consultant mixologist and teacher for the evening.

(taken by Tikichris)

A thoroughly fascinating 45 minutes followed. A potted history of tequila followed by a lowdown of all the house cocktails, with the enraptured crowd hoovering up the remains. If you ever pop in, I highly recommend the Juarez Summer Cup, a light summery drink akin to a Pimms, really delicious. After all that was said and done, we got down to the business end of this event, designing a tequila cocktail that will be on the Benito’s Hat menu for the next few months.

We settled into teams and worked away, testing our creations. As you can imagine, copious amounts of tequila require copious amounts of food, and Ben certainly did not disappoint as an unlimited flow of tacos descended. Soft tortilla and a fantastic array of meaty fillings, they were delicious but merely a distraction as my team of Tikichris, Anniemole and Cowfish feverishly developed our cocktail....the TikiLa!

The TiKiLa:

2 parts tequila

1 part triple sec

1 part horchata

3 parts crushed watermelon

Agave syrup for extra sweetness (if needed)

Shake all the ingredients together with ice (adding agave syrup to sweeten if necessary) and strain into a tumbler over fresh ice. Edge and garnish the glass with a bruised mint leaf.

This was yet another competition I was never destined to win, but I did have great fun making sure the tequila balance in our cocktail was just right, as well as stuffing my face with tacos. I would definitely try out our cocktail; we were all big fans and will definitely be making it again in a less competitive environment.

I have been quite an advocate of Benito’s Hat for quite some time. With the huge influx of restaurants peddling burritos and other food items of Mexican origin, you are going to get your fair share of "bad heuvos". Alongside Chilango, I don't really think that there are any better, and since I work a mere two minutes away, you will often see me in the queue sampling one of their excellent chicken tacos. Thanks Ben and keep up the good work!

Benitos Hat - 19 New Row, Covent Garden WC2N

(for a more booze focused account of this event, please check out Billys Booze Blog)

Eating for charity...again! Chilango in Angel

Twice in a week I have eaten for charity. Todays event, a burrito eating competition at Chilango in aid of the NSPCC.

I have to be honest, I am a bit of a burrito virgin. I have had one before but it was nothing memorable. They seem to be far more popular these days. In fact, burrito "emporiums" are popping up all over the city to satisy the appetites of Londons workers. Varying from the burrito vans dotted across the city mimicking Mexican street food, such as Daddy Donkey, to the sit down establishments such as Burrito Bros and in this case, Chilango.



If you have never had one, they are essentially flour tortillas filled with as much as you can fit into them. Fillings vary from beans and meat, to guacamole and cheese, all rounded off with a good heap of chilli.



Now, I wouldnt say a burrito eating competiton is a great introduction to the burrito. The heats were broken down into groups of five, and I tentatively took my seat. I wanted to have a go early so the crowds couldn't build to mock my humble efforts. The burritos were placed before us. This certainly was no small burrito, it was in fact massive and I think I let out a little whimper. The rules were read out and eventually the word "Chilango" echoed across the room. Bite, chew, swallow and repeat. Two mouthfuls in and I felt ill. I couldn't taste anything, just the taste of defeat. There was no way I was going to win this heat. Not long after, I heard the word "Chilango" screamed across the room yet again, this time from one of the contestants. He had finished his in 56 seconds flat. This man was a machine. A not that lean, mean eating machine.



I was relieved, I had managed to get through half of mine, but if I had pushed myself to finish the other half, I would have been really ill. Instead I got to savour it in my own time and slowly, I could finally actually taste the flavours. And damn, it was good. The chicken inside was tender and seasoned perfectly. The combination of cheese, sour cream and guacamole is always a winner and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my burrito at my own pace. The only negative I would say, is that it was rather rice heavy. Next time, no rice in mine.

The contest was great fun and all for a good cause. I've always been a keen supporter of the NSPCC and am glad I could contribute to such a great event by making an absolute fool of myself. If you would like to add a contribution, there is a justgiving site set up. As well as charity and great burritos, I got to meet a few other twitter friends. @foodbymark joined me in my heat and failed as badly as I did. He swears it was because Mr 56 seconds was sitting next to him and was putting him off. @oliverthring and @eatmynels fared rather better, both winning their heats. Not quite 56 seconds although for one moment, we all thought Ollie might just do it.

Im glad its over. No matter how tasty, I think it will be a while before I can face another burrito.

(for more pics of the event, please click here)

Chilango (website) - 27 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0PN

North America - Burgers, Ribs, Hot Dogs and all things Mexico

BURGERS
Byron and the Big D (Multiple/£20)
Hache (Multiple/£20)
Giraffe (Multiple/£20)
#Meateasy (*was* SE14/£20)
The Rye (*was* SE15/£20)
Bar Boulud (SW1/£30)
Lucky Chip (Mobile/£)
Mother Flipper (Mobile/£)
Patty and Bun (Mobile/£)
The Admiral Codrington (SW3/£££)




THE REST
Big Apple Hot Dogs (Hot Dogs/N1/£)
Pitt Cue Co (BBQ/*was* Southbank/£))
Spuntino (NY Diner/W1/££)
Dante Chicken (Fried Chicken popup/*was*EC2/£)
Spit and Roast (Mobile/£)




MEXICO
Chilango (Multiple/££)
Lupita (WC2/££)
Benitos Hat (W1T/£)
Chipotle (Multiple/£)
Poncho No8 (Multiple/£)
El Burrito (W1T/£)
Buen Provecho (SE1/£)
La Bodega Negra Taqueria (W1/££)
Mestizo (NW1/£££)

Key - (Info/Location/Rough price per head with no alcohol)