Life for a vegetarian can be tough especially when it comes to the westward countries, keeping that in mind, we decided to try Mexican for the first time in Kuwait. Here the menu listed, real Mexican food, quite unlike the dishes found in most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in India that are often over-priced.
If you have a taste for adventure you’ll be well rewarded here, if not stick to a few simple and traditional dishes that are almost always excellent and not too spicy. Mexican cuisine has some superbly spicy dishes, but it is best recommend that you take it easy initially until your stomach can grow accustomed to it.
Chilis; a 3 decade old restaurant opened its first branch in our neighborhood, offering authentic tex -mex cuisine. (A combi of Texan and Mexican cuisine) On quick surf of the menu, there was no trace of a vegetarian dish! Mexican dishes primarily consists of corn, maize, loads of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli etc. my culinary senses could not be that bad! My better half sighed and gestured to leave, poor guy generally struggles to eat in an Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesdays just cause he cant stand me staring at him and eating mundane salads; the only choice for the veggies!
But seeing the damsel in distress appeared ‘Toto’ (he liked to call himself just that, short and sweet!) He suggested Fajita Quesadillas; a dish that had buttery toasted tortillas, stuffed with various vegetables (otherwise marinated fajita steak, chicken or meat), jack cheese and grilled onions. It was served with rice, black beans, sour cream and crispy cabbage. Beggars can’t be chooser as they say, I nodded in affirmation. I also ordered a iced tea, to give me company to some unknown spicy Mexican ques ques.. (No offense; just couldn’t get the name right at first). My better half now happy and wanting to sail in the same in the boat, ordered a regular Fajita Quesadillas.
Food arrived on our table; the plate size was gigantic with huge portions of stuffed tortillas, Mexican rice, frijoles (beans) and blob of sour cream floating on some crispy cabbage. There was this first bite of apprehension and then we sunk into our seats relishing until the last bite. My iced tea, presumably my only companion, lay aside, waiting, until the end.
Other than the infamous tequila, I could now relate to more than had met my eye, basics like tortillas (staple food made of flour or maize served alongside a meal, rolled and baked for enchiladas, fried for tacos, grilled for quesadillas or thin and crisp for tostadas) Frijoles (beans) proteineous, different varieties, commonly boiled and than fried and Guacamole that has avocado mashed with onions, chilies and coriander, served as a dip or as a garnish.
Btw I also learnt that Salsa, that I knew only as a form of south / Central American dance form is also a hot sauce commonly made of red or green mix of tomatoes, onion, chili and coriander to be taken only in tiny portions to avoid your stomach on fire!
For those who don’t mind the rare and exotic, ingredients in the dishes can range from iguana to rattlesnake, deer, spider monkey, and even some kinds of insects. This is usually known as comida prehispánica (or prehispanic food), and although not very common, is relatively well known.
After digesting huge amount of Mexican food yesterday, please find my Mexican hotlist revised:
1.Food (ques ques)
2.Tequila
3. Salma Hayek (frida and desperado, loved her)
4. Tequila
5. Tequila
