Our Jack returns to Chiquito after a decade or so. He’s here to put their new and supposedly improved menu to the test. Verdict…? Mixed, but the food is definitely better than we remember…
In A Word
Lighthearted
Rating
Cuisine
Tex-Mex
Ever been to Chiquito?
If you’re a UK native, you probably have at one point.
Mexican food only became ‘trendy’ in the UK a few years back, but the guys at Chiquito have been soldiering on for quite some time now – it’s 20+ years and counting, with just under 90 restaurants all over the UK at this point. In fact, the last time I visit Chiquito (and not coincidentally this very same one) about 10 years back, I remember it being very different, and not quite so good.
Of course, this was all before the ‘food revolution’ of the mid 2000s (a thing I can’t currently come up with a better name for) that saw the standard of food in the UK (and perhaps how many fucks the average Brit gave about food…) increase dramatically.
So yeah, Chiquito are a chain restaurant, still going strong, and making no allusions at anything different. However, keen to shake off a rep for lacklustre food, ‘The Original Mexican Grill & Bar’ have made a very vocal point of upping their game/menu offering. And, if what I try here is anything to go by, in this they have succeeded!
What’s the deal with Chiquito then? They’re known for a few things. Generous portion sizes, seriously hamming up Mexican/TexMex culture and what is on the main part a family friendly dining experience (which *doesn’t* mean that the ordering of a tequila tasting menu is off the cards). I am told that they also have a film club and regular film screening schedule – though I don’t see any evidence of this whilst I am here.
The Ambiance
But yes, if you’ve not yet paid them a visit, expect stereotypically Latin American music (not necessarily Mexican and not that this is a bad thing). A ‘never ending party music playlist’ – more Cuban than Mexican on the whole that around 20:20 abandons all pretence and morphs into charting RnB music.
Look around and you shall discover strategically positioned sombreros lying about the place (so that you too can become a bandito, without having to do anything particularly illegal). Some of the staff might be wearing them too.
Decor? It’s a kinda…faux rustic, ‘South Of The Border’ type approach; walls decorated with Mexican pop art posters, Mesoamerican designs, that kinda stuff. They really go there on the stereotypes. At times it feels a little like a holiday in a tourist trap full of British people. I’m OK with this.
The decor is, on the main part wood, and new – it’s well looked after and looks like it has been recently refurbed. Probably too slick for a Mexican cantina, and too obvious for a Mexican restaurant.
I’m here on Friday night. The place is lively, very busy and, full of oddly well behaved children. There’s a mainly young clientele – I think I see one or two people in their 50s or older. It reaches near to full capacity at around 1930. At 1945 there is a short queue out front and some waiting to be seated. Lots of high chairs and space for buggies – family friendly, I suppose, but not to the detriment of everything else.
The service? You could sum it up as ‘very friendly but very fkn slow’. It takes ‘a while’ for everything. To get seen, initially, then for things to arrive, then for plates to be taken away. Waiting to get a drink at the beginning is long and drawn out. Thank God I have my mother to talk to.
Each course also takes quite some time to get served – particularly so on the second course. By the end of it I have caught up almost completely on Mum’s hectic social life and come up with a new way to break down Plutonium 239 (…one of these things is not true)
During one of these prolonged pauses, I ask mother (who has been to Mexico many a time) how Chiquito compares to dining in Cancun. Apparently it’s more Mexican cantina than Mexican restaurant. About ’20% authentic’ – her words.
The Food and Drink
You know what else they have here? CHOICE.
A HUGE a la carte menu. Not just huge portions necessarily, but an almost overwhelming amount of Tex Mex food choices. As far as chains go, they’re not the cheapest, but the quality of the food may just surprise you. I’m not gonna say that I’m a convert, but I am gonna say that I am…pleasantly surprised by how good the stuff I try is.
As for drinks, there’s a few less choices here but again, ‘choice’ is the theme – particularly on cocktails. No drinks for me, I’m still suffering from yesterday. Mother will later opt for a Passion Fruit Mojito (x2).
A glance at the drinks menu gives me something to tell you about. There’s quite a lot of cocktails but more of the sweet variety. I would say cocktails at the expense of everything, but there’s a lot of beers on there too, include beers I’ve never seen (what).
Drinking (excessively) with friends? Plenty of opportunities to upgrade to a pitcher here. They’re lacking on the neat drinks front, but they do have a few (delicious) oddities such as Colorado’s Tincup whiskey. They’re also the only restaurant I’ve seen to offer Echo Falls’ ever popular White Zinfandel.
So yes, CHOICE is the word here. There’s also a respectable selection of powerful looking dessert cocktails because clearly there’s not enough cocktails on the menu already. 😀 It is the kinda place that does refills on drinks if you come at the right time.There’s a separate dessert menu, plus a large, formidable looking breakfast menu.
Note, there is no Mexican chocolate (mole) on menu. This seems like an oversight and a missed opportunity.
I’m also here to find out about this new Street Food menu, which is an ideal opportunity to try a whole load of things all in one go, and share with a few friends!
Passion Fruit Mojito £6.95
This cocktail appeases mother and she orders yet another *music tails off…*
The Starter/Sharing Platter
(From the Street Food menu, 3 for £12.95 or 6 for £23.95)
Meatballs (left)
“Succulent beef meatballs in our tomato & hot Habanero sauce”
Mini Classic Burrito (centre)
“Classic chicken burrito, topped with our homemade guacamole, tomato salsa and sour cream”
Sweet Chorizo Croquettes (right)
“Two homemade sweet potato croquettes, filled with chorizo, sweetcorn and onion. Served with a sweet jalapeño jelly”
Fiesta Salad Vegetarian (left)
“A light salsa of cucumber ribbons, chilli beetroot, orange, pomegranate, and pineapple, then garnished with fresh red chilli and coriander”
Mexican Frittata (centre)
“Omelette slice packed with potatoes, chorizo, sweetcorn, coriander and served with a tomato salsa”
Tortilla Stack (right)
“Beef Chilli or Five Bean Chilli (v) layered with melted mozzarella between soft tortillas. Baked in our tomato sauce and topped with sour cream and pink onions”
The Main
Hero Burger £13.75
This is a STRONG burger. It is ample, almost too thick to eat, whilst leaking BBQ sauce and chipotle mayo everywhere. I guess ‘satisfying’ would be a good way to put it to words.
It wouldn’t be out of place in one of the many smokehouse restaurants that have popped up over the last few years…
The Sides
Mexican Spiced Rice £3.75
Grilled Halloumi £3.95
Cranberry salsa and halloumi is not a combination I am familiar with, but it works. Unsweetened cranberries have a distinctive natural tartness, which Chiquito have managed to retain here.
The Dessert
Chocolate Orange Cake £5.95
This is a truly delicious cake. With a caveat: they were asked to serve it for dessert (as you’d expect) but this is not the order it arrived in.
Whichever way you slice it – cake should not come before burger (lol)
The Verdict
To be honest, I was expecting something closer to fast food. It’s not ‘fast’ by any means (lol) but it is definitely better than expected/suspected.
Prices are about average, which does’t really justify this level of service (or lack of service) but ain’t so bad for the food (the portions for mains are usually quite generous). The street food/sharing platter, combined with one of those massive cocktail pitchers, would probably be great for a large group of friends or a work function.
So to answer the question posed/challenge issued by Chiquito at the beginning of the article – yes, compared with a few years ago they have definitely upped their game on the food. You still probably don’t come to Chiquito for an ‘authentic Mexican dining experience’, but if it’s something lighthearted you are looking for, and you don’t mind a more… lively vibe and waiting a little longer than is comfortable for things to arrive…
The Details
http://www.chiquito.co.uk/menus