Tonight Ian and I finally got around to heading to Dishoom. We've been meaning to go for ages, and after great recommendations from a lot of people we finally got around to going.
We plumped for the Kings Cross location, firstly for ease, but also because 'that one will probably be quieter'....ermm...yeah...more fool us.
We arrived to a 45 minute queue in the cold, and just as we arrived it started to rain - as much as I love food, I do NOT love it that much. We bailed.
A little lost as to where to head next I remembered my Mexican friend telling me her favourite place to go for real Mexican food was not far from where we were, so we hailed an Uber and headed to this secret little Mexican joint: Mestizo.
From the outside we couldn't see in: the windows were steamed up which is always a cause for concern. But as we pushed open the door we were immediately sucked into the buzzing clinking and clattering of a busy restaurant, and the smells of something awesome.
We were seated at the bar while they found us a table and were faced with hundreds and hundreds of bottles of tequila, in all shapes and sizes. We sipped fresh fruit margaritas while we oohhed and aaahed at all the choice.
Once seated it was beers all round; Ian's was spiked with lemon juice and salt...I was not convinced.
The general sense of the place is all about the food and the tequila...the decor is a deep red, with strange 'visit Mexico'-esque films running silently on repeat on large plasma screens. The tables are bare and there is no attention to detail, as these 'spitits' will attest...
But the food? Well the food is an array of authentic flavours; jalapenos, melted cheese, tortillas, salsa, guacamole...
We started with queso frito with sesame (yes they are just fried cheese sticks and yes they taste amazing)
Flautas (deep friend tortillas with chicken, covered in queso fresco rachero)
Fresh tortillas kept warm and soft in this cute little cosy
And my favourite: Jaladas (deep fried jalapenos with cream cheese and a minty coriander dip)
Slightly overloaded with cheese and deep-fried tortilla goodness we finished off with a few tacos; carnitas, nopales (cactus, which just tastes like pickled green pepper) and rajas con crema (creamy peppers and corn).
I LOVE Mexican food, and this place is such a well kept secret; totally authentic and no-nonsense.
Check it out if you can - but keep it our little secret OK? Now excuse me while I go and lie down...all that cheese has made me sleepy.