Mestizo is a restaurant in central London that aims to cater authentic Mexican cuisine. Mestizo is situated near Warren Street, but almost seems tucked away on an unlikely stretch of road, giving it the feel that it’s only people ‘in the know’ that would ever think to wander down to find it.
Upon entering Mestizo, it was clear that it caters to a range of diners, from old to young and from the Mexican-born (this, deciphered through stellar detective work, also known as shameless eavesdropping) to those born and raised in London. In short, Mestizo had a very open, friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Given that my knowledge of Mexican food does not extend much further than burritos, tacos and guacamole—it was a nice surprise to find an overwhelming number of meals on the menu that did not mention any of the above.
(Pictured Above: Flautas)
To start, the waitress recommended Flautas, which is rolled corn tortillas—some filled with chicken and others with potato and cheese—deep fried then topped with shredded lettuce, green tomatillo salsa and sour cream. Of the two flavours of flautas, I certainly preferred the chicken, but on the whole I was not overly enamoured by the tangy and dairy taste combination of the entire dish.
(Pictured Above: Pollo Arriero)
Nonetheless, the mains were certainly more delightful. The Pollo Arriero, boasted three chicken medallions on a base of sautéed potatoes and a sauce of ground garlic and onion, served with steamed vegetables. It was beautifully presented and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. The meal also came with a side of tortilla wraps, which I did not think the dish needed at all, as it seemed like an already complete dish without them. The Mixiote de Cordero, a shank of slow-cooked lamb marinated in Mexican spices, made a grand entrance cocooned in a banana leaf. The meat fell off the bone wonderfully, however, I wished that more of the spices had penetrated the meat more for a fuller flavour. That said, the side of beans complemented the dish well and also gave this main a homely feel.
(Pictured Above: Mixiote de Cordero)
(Pictured Above: Side of Beans)
For dessert came Crepas de Cajeta, which were thin crepes topped with a caramel sauce, chopped walnuts and served with vanilla ice cream. The menu suggested that they were ‘perfect to share’ but I opted to not do that! Although there was nothing groundbreaking here in terms of taste, crepes are a surefire crowd-pleaser—I certainly enjoyed them. The Pastel de queso y coco however was a more interesting dessert: it was a baked cream cheese and coconut cheesecake, in a pool of fresh mango sauce. Though it had no biscuit crumb base, the coconut base added a lighter but still substantial twist to the classic cheesecake.
(Pictured Above: Pastel de queso y Coco)
(Pictured Above: Crepas de Cajeta)
Overall, despite the starter hitting a rather low note, the remaining courses just got better. Moreover, what I appreciated about Mestizo was that it provided a more extensive peak into Mexican cuisine, above that which I had known. If you want to venture into a world (that caters to but goes) beyond burritos, Mestizo may well be worth exploring.
Written by Kazstarlet
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