Chelsea unquestionably has a broader offering in terms of diversity and authenticity of regional cuisines than it ever has done, but it’s no secret that SW3 has always suffered a dearth of quality Mexican food. Until relatively recently, it's been a struggle to come by options that aren't of the kind you construct via a conveyor belt style selection of rubbery cheese and etiolated 'guacamole'.
Gracias a Dios, Chelsea now has an excellent Mexican cantina in the guise of Mezcalito. As its name suggests, the focus here is as much about getting jolly on endless Mezcal and Tequila as it is feasting on Mexican fare. Indeed, on first impression, you’d be forgiven for thinking, as my husband and I did, when we rocked up one Saturday night in April, that you’d stumbled across a nightclub in Cabo, not Chelsea. After a brief wait, the amiable bouncer checks us off his list, and we are ushered in past a buzzing bar, through a cosy dining room strewn with sombreros and twinkling fairy lights, into a covered garden patio area festooned with bamboo and wicker, barrel style tables. The place is packed with hip young things and the music is booming, but not obtrusive.
We order a couple of cocktails from the extensive menu (a Jalisco for my husband and an Acapulco for me). The Jalisco arrives in a hand-painted clay cup, and is sharp and citrusy, but not acidic. My Acapulco (Mezcalito’s signature take on the classic pina colada) is fruity and creamy in equal measure – the first sip transported me straight to the beach.
The food menu is short but sweet – and helpfully segmented. We ordered elote (corn on the cob with chipotle mayo, tangy chilli powder and parmesan), nachos and sweet potato fries to start. We shared jacko tacos, enlivened by the acidity and subtle sweetness of salsa verde, a vegan burrito, served on a spinach wrap and stuffed with a riot of flavours – a far cry from the foil-swaddled, fast-food variety – and a quesadilla natural, oozing with mouthwatering melted cheese. Stuffed, but indefatigable, we shared churros rellenos and flan mexicano on the recommendation of our waiter, and were glad we did: both desserts were delectable.
Tequila, here, is an object of appreciation, rather than a vehicle for oesophagus-scorching intoxication synonymous with thumping dance floors. The list of the quintessentially Mexican spirit, along with that of its trendier, more classic cousin Mezcal, is long, and helpfully split by style and region, enabling aficionados to find their favourite drop with ease. Ulysses, the Belgian maitre d’ with a twinkling smile, presses a couple of shots of Gran Patron Piedra upon us – as a digestif – before we leave.
Mezcalito is food and a fiesta, all in one: just neck a few Mezcals, order a huge plate of nachos, and pretend you’re on spring break on Mexico’s sun-drenched, lime-scented shores with your nearest and dearest.
Mezcalito
119 Sydney Street, London SW3 6NR
Tel. 020 7993 5248
