Churchgate gets a vibrant Mexican hotspot

Cutlery can be triggering Immaculate cutlery can worsen matters for a minority that uneasily shuffles amidst a crowd and muffled voices Hands turn clammy and the mind canrsquot string food and relish together in a thought A proud member of the cluster we feel welcome in Mezcalita mdash a little sunbeam behind a lime green door Hola says the embellished coyote The buoyant walls pick up the mood for a jaunt by the bay But more importantly the mirrored wall to the far right shouting mdash tacos tacos picoso and esta chilosa mdash relaxes the conscious eater with clammy hands Do we smell a Yucatan streetBuff alambreItrsquos a hot summer day and we begin with a margarita fruta fresca passionfruit Rs 800 Although the kick of tequila arouses us we sip on for the subtlety of lime agave and orange liqueur Itrsquos served frozen mdash a mini iceberg of sorts mdash and the tropical freshness of passionfruit trickles in as we drink We noisily bite into some crunchy nachos and plantain chips Mildly salted the chips ferry us to raw flavours when dunked into their inhouse guac Guacamole de Mezcalita Rs 490 is succulent and sour The guac spruced with pomegranate seeds is partly mushy and partly chunky Itrsquos hard to look away from the guac but we go slow remembering to save room for other delights that await usEnsalada nopal and Tres leches con amarettoChef Pablo Benitez who helms the kitchen has been in Mumbai since January But his relationship with India has stood the test of 11 long years ldquoI visit the country every year It is my spiritual callingrdquo What else can the Subcontinent have in common with Mexico mdash ldquoA lotrdquo he quips ldquoBoth countries believe in strong flavours Therersquos no shying away from spices And both cultures like colours and are deeply religiousrdquo The writer realises that Mexicans share the desi sensibilities of feastsBenitez who also happens to be a professor of Mexican preHispanic cuisine confirms that back home celebrations mean big portions messy eating and chatter spread across a long table This writer is excited to try cactus for the first time The ingredient we are told is imported to ace a balance between good quality and reasonable pricing Ensalada nopal Rs 425 has a layered appeal The taste improves as we chomp onTulum tamale right Margarita fruta fresca passionfruit PicsAshish RajeThe cactus in itself is sour but has a slight sweet quality mdash all of which comes together with cherry tomatoes julienned tortilla and avocado in an oregano vinaigrette We then traverse a range of meat preparations Nachos con chile served with chicken Rs 525 prawn habanero Rs 425 and birria taco Rs 525 The chicken dish spells comfort Crisp tortilla chips pair well with a creamy plate of chili loaded with cheese chipotle sauce and truffle oil This is a dish we want to return toLike onepot meals this too is memorable The prawns have a textured coating that pops in our mouth And then we taste the juicy meat We wanted to lick our fingers Our mind was blown by the birria taco especially for the broth that accompanies the dish The soft tacos need a thorough dab of the broth to transport diners to heaven It has lamb cheese onion and a spicy red sauce conspiring for the best of spirits At this point we order our second cocktail mdash tulum tamale Rs 750 The charred corn on top of a honeyedcitrusy mix steals the showMezcalita hosts everyone who treats food as an occasion With deacutecor and highlights sourced from the streets of Mexico itrsquos the perfect retreat for tired shoppers and thrilled stadium attendees It has the soul of an afterparty We end our meal with an airy dessert A three milk cake with amaretto liqueur Rs 595 that has us convinced to never fall for the American tres leches againMezcalitaAt 82 Nagin Mahal Veer Nariman Road ChurchgateOn 12 pm to 130 am March 20 onwardsCall 8657406120Cost Meal for two without alcohol Rs 1700 with alcohol Rs 2400 approximately