Mexican Café

If I'm honest, I was in two minds about whether to kick this blog off with a few words about this restaurant or not - certainly when I found out that I'd be going here I'd sort of written it off as another sorry Mexican attempt with plastic cacti all over the place and watery margaritas etc etc etc. You know the type.

However, two things made me decide to include it. Firstly, because on this blog I'd committed to writing about every eating out experience I had whilst living in Auckland, and secondly because it was actually really rather good.

Purists, sticklers for authenticity, Mexicans, look away now - Mexico City this isn't, but what they do turn out here (your usual fajita / chimichanga / burrito fare) they do exceptionally well. Again, authenticity demands tapas-style servings, multiple dishes per person and the occasional belt of eye-watering chilli heat, but the Mexican Café simply isn't about that.

What you can expect here is hearty servings of flavoursome, well-handled food, veering more to the Tex-Mex than just Mex. Some of the chaps around the table went for the fajitas and were rewarded with huge sizzling plates of meat with soft, warm tortillas to build their wraps with; others went for the loaded nachos and struggled to finish it. Personally speaking, my choice was the beef chimichanga, slow-cooked beef wrapped in a tortilla and deep fried. It's a tricky thing to get right - often greasy, heavy and overcooked, but this was spot on, light, crisp and packed with flavour. The accompanying refried beans hit the spot too, with a cheeky tickle of spice in there alongside beans which were, correctly, just about to turn to mush but not quite.

My only criticism was the rice, which was some sort of odd super short grain, almost the texture and consistency of cous-cous, and with none of the usual tomato / chilli flavour you'd expect.

On the liquid side, you'll be sensibly ignoring the wine list, I imagine, so plump instead for a Dos Equis, or perhaps a Modelo Negro, both great imported lagers to see, with ripe hoppy, malty flavours to stand up to the robust Tex-Mex standards. Margaritas are so-so, served in plain tumblers and crying out for a salted rim.

So all in all, it's not haute cuisine, it's perhaps not an ideal date venue, but if there are a few of you and you fancy a lively night out without spending a fortune, this is just the ticket. Expect to pay about $20-30 each before drinks.

 

Mexican Café
67 Victoria St West
Auckland Central
(09) 373 2311

www.mexicancafe.co.nz