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Mexican restaurants in South Africa place more emphasis on festive atmosphere than haute cuisine. However, the food is hearty, well prepared and while not always authentically Mexican, at least conveys a sense of being in a hacienda.
Without exception local Mexican restaurants are painted in reds, greens and oranges and feature cacti, sombreros and chillies in the décor. The word ‘Mexican’ in South Africa goes hand in hand with the word ‘party’, so for the young and young-at-heart looking for a jolly time, these are the places to go.
Tequila is the drink of choice at every Mexican joint, and patrons at the rowdier of these places should be prepared to have it forced upon them, preceded by a lick of salt and followed by a slice of lemon (or orange, if you’re at Deez, the tiny, rollicking Mexican bar and restaurant in Hout Bay).
The margarita – tequila-based cocktail with lime juice served in jugs or glasses with a salt-crusted rim – is also a popular drink, particularly on hot summer days.
The food at Mexican restaurants seldom varies from the well-known favourites: chicken wings, crispy nachos, flour tortillas, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and enchiladas, served with chicken, beans or beef mince and accompanied by salsa, guacamole, melted cheese and spicy sauces. The food is not hot in the spicy sense of the word, as Jalapeno rather than fiery chillies are used, but extra firepower can be requested if desired.
Renowned for its energetic ambience is the Cantina Tequila chain, with branches in North Riding, Johannesburg and at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The latter is set right on the harbour, where customers can watch boats coming and going and seals playing in the water. Both restaurants have dance floors where live bands play Latin American music on weekends and patrons are encouraged, in some cases by a shot or two of tequila, to show off their moves.
Also in Cape Town is Mowbray’s Fat Cactus, which has a cosy, relaxed, somewhat rustic atmosphere. Chillies used in the food are grown organically on the owner’s chilli farm, and can be purchased in the adjoining Chilli Café.
Cricket lovers watching international test matches at Centurion Park near Pretoria can get their Mexican fix at Lord’s Restaurant in the Centurion Lake Hotel. Every Friday night there is a Mexican Fiesta Dance with a seafood buffet prepared Mexican style and accompanied by all the traditional dishes.
Mexicasa, at the Village Walk in Sandton, Johannesburg, is more sophisticated than most Mexican restaurants. The food has variations on the usual, with a unique Mexican breakfast and much-praised stuffed calamari with creamy lime tequila sauce. Fresh fruit juice is squeezed on the premises and used in all cocktails.
For those visiting the unspoilt Eastern Cape coastline, The Mexican in surfer-town Jeffrey's Bay is a neighbourhood restaurant where shirts are optional, the view of giant ocean waves is sublime and the food (standard Mexican with the addition of a hotter-than-usual chilli con carne) is superbly prepared.
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