Finally comes the day when chips and salsa have become one of the most popular restaurant snacks in Bangkok, as tacos and quesadillas have successfully made their way into the gastronomic agenda of Thais.
An unfinished wall, weathered wooden furniture and handicrafts add to the warm atmosphere of the frisky eatery.
Back in 2000s, there was only a couple of decent Mexican restaurants in the City of Angels. Now the number of eating joints serving Mexican fare — from authentic to Tex-Mex to contemporary — seems to be relentlessly multiplying.
Decked out in vivid pink and black, with an unfinished wall, weathered wooden furniture and handicrafts adding a warm vibe to the frisky atmosphere, Mejico regards itself as a modern Mexican restaurant offering the authentic taste of the country’s cuisine.
The 135-seater, which opened a little over a month ago, follows the success of its original outlet in Sydney, Australia.
The menu is an accumulation of Sydney favourites and new dishes. A wide selection of creatively crafted tequila-based cocktails enliven the dining experience amid lounge-mixed pop music.
To go with the bar-centric concept, the food comes in small portions and modern, sometimes swanky, presentation.
A feast at Mejico is never complete unless it starts with its signature snack: banana chips and guacamole (235 baht).
Churros fondue.
Arriving at our table was a platter containing a perfectly ripe avocado, chopped onions, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, fresh chillies, lime juice and seasoning spice (a house secret, of course). The guacamole was prepared before our eyes in a stone mortar, in which it was also served. I found the banana chips intermingled well with the silky, tangy avocado dip.
Offering as much an impression to the taste buds were the chicken tacos (185 baht). This bestselling dish may sound a bit unexciting but proved well worth its popularity. It presented aromatic chargrilled, spice-rubbed chicken, chunky morsels of chorizo, yellow peppers, cucumber and cumin salsa on soft flour tortillas, and was tasty without any extra condiments.
Another flavourful taco option I’d recommend is the Texcoco-style braised pork tacos (185 baht), which came with thinly sliced pickles, guajillo chillies and scallion-ginger mayonnaise.
Those looking for something crispy may want to order the tuna tostada (235 baht). I found the platter of corn tortilla chips topped with supple cubes of fresh yellowfin tuna, ripe mango, avocado, Japanese cucumber and ginger enjoyable, if bit faint in taste and pricey.
Mejico’s Corn Lollipop (135 baht), another signature delicacy, is a fancy rendition of a common Mexican street-side treat. The grilled corn on the cob, turned gourmet with creamy chipotle mayonnaise, sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, paprika powder and popcorn, is a satisfying option should you be looking for fanciful bar grub.
For a main course, don’t miss the Australian beef short ribs (475 baht). Served on the bone and sprinkled with slices of pickled red onion, lending a sharp contrast, the generous portion of short ribs, which had been braised for six hours, was super tender and nicely retained its flavour. The pungent glaze exhibited the characteristic tang of American-style hickory BBQ sauce and was lent a perfect fiery touch by chipotle peppers.
From a collection of sweets, we sampled churros fondue (185 baht) and peanut cajeta flan (175 baht).
The first, showcasing the Spanish deep-fried breadsticks with warm chocolate sauce made with goat milk, was enjoyable though could have been improved with a stronger touch of cinnamon. While the second, presenting the nutty caramel custard with sugared flour tortilla chips, coconut ice cream and blueberry sauce, was fine.
Service was lovely.
