Crazy Homies vs. Mexicali
Crazy Homies
125 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QL - 020 7727 6771 (no reservations)
www.crazyhomieslondon.co.uk
Mexicali
147 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3LF - 020 7243 4148 (reservations)
125 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QL - 020 7727 6771 (no reservations)
www.crazyhomieslondon.co.uk
Mexicali
147 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3LF - 020 7243 4148 (reservations)
It's almost boring, complaints about the lack of Mexican food in London. We know already! But it has so greatly improved in the past four years that we're almost feeling spiced up. Here we consider two more options.
Crazy Homies has been around since the end of 2004. When it opened, it felt like an East Village dive relocated to a quieter part of the world. The nice enough hipster wait staff clearly had their hearts in their acting/art/music, but we didn't care. It was a small price to pay for the fab margaritas, chips, salsa and guacamole. We went all the time - and then didn't go for a year.
In that year, the place received a lick of paint and some properly functioning servers, but nothing else has changed (thank God). The trio of salsas that comes with the chips is still amazing, the guac is still fresh, and the margaritas are still strong. It just feels like a nicer place.
Last week I went with three girlfriends. Between the four of us we had had a taco salad with steak and chipoltle sauce, a chicken burrito, pork gringas, and steak tacos. Everyone tried everyone else's and deemed it all perfect.
Already I need to go back. I shall never wait a year again (no matter what side of town I live on).
Mexicali, on the other hand, has its origins in the wildly successful Beach Burrito Cafe, which used to be on Berwick Street. Damn, was that place good. It almost felt like a San Diego burrito joint (except you could bring your own beer and not get busted).
For reasons unknown, Beach Burrito closed, and Mexicali opened several locations (Chelsea and Notting Hill). They're proper, grown-up restaurants, and although we loved our Mexican waiter, the food was a mixed situation.
We started with nachos (since chips & salsa didn't seem to be on the menu) and calamari. Both were good but not great. Our mains were better - the chicken burrito was very good, as were the chicken and pork tacos had. Our fourth meal was day's special - Mexican steak served with tortillas and salsa. Also a winner.
And so we realised: chips and salsa (and guacamole) are half of the Mexican dining experience for us. We need to have them to even like a place, and if they're good, we're fans for life.
Without them - even with acceptable nachos - we can only get so warm.
And what we really want to get is hot!
In that year, the place received a lick of paint and some properly functioning servers, but nothing else has changed (thank God). The trio of salsas that comes with the chips is still amazing, the guac is still fresh, and the margaritas are still strong. It just feels like a nicer place.
Last week I went with three girlfriends. Between the four of us we had had a taco salad with steak and chipoltle sauce, a chicken burrito, pork gringas, and steak tacos. Everyone tried everyone else's and deemed it all perfect.
Already I need to go back. I shall never wait a year again (no matter what side of town I live on).
Mexicali, on the other hand, has its origins in the wildly successful Beach Burrito Cafe, which used to be on Berwick Street. Damn, was that place good. It almost felt like a San Diego burrito joint (except you could bring your own beer and not get busted).
For reasons unknown, Beach Burrito closed, and Mexicali opened several locations (Chelsea and Notting Hill). They're proper, grown-up restaurants, and although we loved our Mexican waiter, the food was a mixed situation.
We started with nachos (since chips & salsa didn't seem to be on the menu) and calamari. Both were good but not great. Our mains were better - the chicken burrito was very good, as were the chicken and pork tacos had. Our fourth meal was day's special - Mexican steak served with tortillas and salsa. Also a winner.
And so we realised: chips and salsa (and guacamole) are half of the Mexican dining experience for us. We need to have them to even like a place, and if they're good, we're fans for life.
Without them - even with acceptable nachos - we can only get so warm.
And what we really want to get is hot!
Here Is The Writer : Madame B
Foreign-born Madame B thinks she's a City girl, but mostly just walks our streets checking things out and searching for the best wi-fi hotspots offered by The Cloud. You can spot her typing furiously on her shiny white MacBook, wearing dark sunglasses and drinking a glass of champagne. She's one half of the Shopaholics, which might explain things...
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no web 5th Oct, 3:57pm
good news.. Mexicali is opening in Berwick St. the other end of the market from where Beech Burrito used to be.
They re fitting out the kitchen area so looks like it will be open soon
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