BORDERLESS CUISINE
CALI-MEX BAR & GRILL CALIFORNIA AND MEXICAN CUISINE 8am-2am, Sukhumvit 22 fb.com/CaliMexBarGrillThailand
THE MENU
Before I get specific about what I tried, almost everything on the menu can be paired perfectly with a cold beer. Thankfully, some of the tables have their own tap with two kinds of beer that customers can pour themselves, so there’s no need to go through all the fuss of having to get the wait staff’s attention and it’s also up to you how much or how little you want to drink since you’re charged by the millilitre and not by the glass.
What the restaurant serves is brutally obvious in its name, so the menu is cut neatly down the middle for you to choose what you prefer to feast on. A number of grilled items, whether you want something from the land or sea, are available if you opt for the California cuisine route. If you choose the alternative, a number of Mexican favourites are ready for you to devour.
A few starters were necessary to warm me up so I had the Spinach and artichoke dip (B290++), a must-try for cheese lovers. Served with their homemade tortilla chips, which are thin and seasoned right, the creaminess of the cheese and the contrast the chips provide was enjoyable. Apparently, the resto received some criticism regarding a similar dish because of its small portion. If you feel the same way, maybe you shouldn’t count on a starter dish to be so big and fill you up. Another starter I dug into was the Snack platter for two (B599), which serves up cajun wings, chorizo and Camembert bites along with a side of veggies and guacamole. The variety and quantity served makes it a great starter when eating for two and gets you prepped for the feasting to come.
On to the Cali side, the El mexicano (B499) burger, is succulent beef with a smattering of jalapeños to give it a bit of a spicy kick, which is balanced out by the slight creaminess of the guacamole and cheese. Although that’s the only thing I tried on the Cali route, you can also get a bunch of seafood dishes like Seafood shepherd’s pie (B499) and Baked Canadian lobster (B699), as well as a number of grilled steaks like Australian wagyu flank (B799).
On the other side of the wall — I mean, border — I had two Mexican favourites: the Burrito (B299) and Quesadillas (B299 for half, B499 for full). You have the choice of either having it filled with beef (for an additional B100), chicken, pork, fish or baja shrimp (also for an additional B100). You can also have it completely vegetarian or gluten-free. The burrito was jam packed with chicken, veggies, beans and saffron rice, which is obviously filling but what I loved about it was that it didn’t break apart as you ate it nor was it soggy. The quesadilla, which was filled with beef and cheese, was something I could feast on day after day. The only qualm I had was I would have preferred if they served the toppings — guac, salsa and sour cream — separately and not have it all on top of the quesadilla.
INSIDER’S TIP
Aside from the two beers available on tap at the table, they’ve also got a variety of cocktails. I tried the Mango margarita (B269), a great drink if you want something fruity, and the Mezcal Mule (B329), a refreshing drink with a bit of ginger beer to give it a kick.
You can also have tortilla chips served with varying spice levels of salsa. They specially added one more level of spiciness for Bangkok, “Super hot”, but it’s small potatoes and can definitely be handled by any Bangkokian.
Finally, if you’re thinking the restaurant is small, don’t worry. By the end of the year, they’re planning to have two other locations open. They’re in the process of opening a taqueria at Silom where they’ll serve only the Mexican side of the menu, and they’re also planning to open their flagship store with 150 seats on Sukhumvit 11 at the end of the year.
VALUE & VERDICT
Affordable, delicious and a great place for friends to hang over a meal and a beer or two. If you’re craving Mexican or you just want to spoil and stuff yourself, this is the place to go.