Reasons to miss Austin: Mexican food in London
mercado.jpg
Originally uploaded by wotanseyepatch
Went to our local Mexican cantina, Mercado, on Stoke Newington Church Street last night. There I was given
- a warm
NegroNegra Modelo for £3.50 ($7 US) - a surprisingly flavorful sizzling veggie fajita plate with fresh tortillas, decent guacamole, and fantastically fresh sour cream for £9.50 ($19 US)
- a side order of extraordinarily bland black beans for £3.50 ($7 US).
I want to like Mercado. But it's hard to go there and not think about the awesome $8 plate of enchiladas I used to get at Julio's in Hyde Park, or the salsa at Trudy's, or the insane array of cheap mexican ingredients at Fiesta. I'm also really disappointed that they changed their menu since I was last there - they used to have mole enchiladas! Now it's all boring tacos and burritos and fajitas, all with the same basic fillings. I guess that makes it easier for them to make lots of food which they can then charge lots of money for but serve lots of customers at the same time.
Their ingredients - at least their veggies and guac and stuff - are very fresh. The black beans were disappointing. And Tim's meat-based dish was dry. We probably won't go back. Tim's been honing a pretty mean refried bean recipe here at home. And I've got a few enchilada tricks up my sleeve. Still haven't mastered the corn tortillas yet. But practice makes perfect. And I've got a bunch of jalapenos growing in the parking lot (albeit, all too slowly). But I'm ramping up for some serious Mexican home cooking of my own. And I can guaruntee this: the beer will be ICE cold.
Comments
Mercardo did give you a replacement Negra Modelo so I think it is more that you should have asked them to replace it sooner rather than putting that off until after your second beer. They also felt bad that they had given you a warm beer.
It is really sad that they've started dumbing down their menu... I guess people just don't know what a mole sauce is over here.
When I was there with Rory they almost put him off the mole sauce by replying to his order "Really? Are you sure? Do you know what Mole is like?"
Posted by: Tim Harding | October 14, 2007 03:49 AM
Monica, no wonder you're missing Austin. But I'm not surprised there is a modified Mexican menu. But no mole? Gosh, I love mole... the chocolate adds a velvety smooth note which compliments the heat so beautifully. Even so, I'm glad that restaurant is there. They are to be credited for trying to bring such an exotic cusine to a risky market.... I suppose.
Posted by: Mom | October 15, 2007 09:15 AM