Mumbai Food: New Lower Parel eatery offers Mexican fare, that goes beyond nachos

Enjoy the true flavours of the central American nation at a new restaurant in Kamala Mills that ropes in chef Scott Linquist of NYC's Dos Caminos fame

Barbacoa de Chivo. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

"All you need to get the party started is a good guacamole and margarita," chuckles chef Scott Linquist as he scoops the flesh out of an avocado and tosses it in a mortar, along with chopped onion, tomato, sea salt and a dash of lime juice, to whip up Xico's Famous Guacamole right at our table. Fresh, creamy and rustic, the dip (Rs 650), served with warm and crisp tortillas, momentarily transports us to a Mexican carnival, replete with the sounds of drums, saxophones and trombones.

As if on cue, Five Finger Death Punch Margarita (Rs 650) appears before us. Though it's still lunch hour, we're ready to start the party as we soak in the summery, fruity notes in the tequila concoction laced with orange juice and honey agave syrup. The glass is rimmed with a Bengali panch phoron spice mix, adding a desi twist to the margarita.

Five Finger Death Punch Margarita

Chilli fever
However, that's the only Indian connect, besides the owners (the guys behind Versova restaurant Trikaya), which you'll find at Xico (pronounced: Zico), Kamala Mills' latest entrant that opens next month. The 69-seater restaurant, with kitschy Aztec print walls and pop yellow sofas, ropes in the expertise of Linquist to offer contemporary Mexican fare, which goes beyond nachos and burritos and uses a variety of imported Mexican chillies and cheeses made in-house.

"In Mexican cuisine, chillies not only increase the spice levels but also add flavour. For instance, there's a chilli with fruity notes," informs the Miami-based chef, who comes armed with 20 years of experience in Mexican cooking, including stints at COYO Taco and the NYC hot spot Dos Caminos.

Pastel Tres Leches

Corny talk
We start with Cochinita Pibil Gordita (Rs 525) starring maize flour pockets stuffed with slow-roasted pork, pickled onions and cojita cheese made in-house. We're told the Mexicans usually marinate a whole pig and roast it overnight in a hole dug in the ground. In a restaurant-kitchen setting, Linquist has adapted this technique to wrap the pork in a banana leaf and roast it for 12 hours in an oven. The result: extremely tender shreds of meat packed with smoked, spicy flavours. They cut through the grainy texture of gordita, with a distinct taste of freshly ground corn. The onion crescents add a tangy aftertaste while the cheese offers a crumbly, feta-like effect to the dish.

Cochinita Pibil Gordita

We move on to Pescado Tacos (Rs 650), comprising barrels of beer batter-fried basa fish topped with crunchy cabbage slaw, roasted garlic aioli and pieces of avocado, encased in soft and fluffy tortillas. We can taste the malt flavour of beer in the coating, which elevates the tacos.

Tres delicious
From a variety of large plates, we try Barbacoa de Chivo (Rs 795), where the savoury, falling-off-the-fork strips of mutton are slow-cooked in a sweet and vinegary jus. They arrive on a bed of starchy, roasted baby potatoes, and are accompanied by salsa borracha, a delightful smoked chilli dip with a hint of sweetness from roasted pineapple. We mop up the dish with soft tortillas, which makes for a hearty meal.

Chef Scott Linquist makes fresh guacamole

Though satiated, we cannot resist Pastel Tres Leches (Rs 450), where a milky, vanilla sponge cake that melts in the mouth is layered with tangy-sweet strawberry compote and whipped cream. It is studded with almond slivers. If this isn't a heady trip to Mexico, what is?

OPENS ON: October 3, 7 pm to 1.30 am
AT: Gate No 4, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
CALL: 24978910

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