LITTLE MEXICO Traditional eats in a quaint setting

ust like Greek cuisine (see p41), finding authentic Mexican food in Abu Dhabi can be a struggle. There are a handful of restaurants that serve dishes from the old country, but they are few and far between. Enter Little Mexico, a new, cantina-like restaurant serving traditional fare on Saadiyat Island.

The main seating area features colourful bar stools, framed fabric on the roof and vibrant murals on the walls (don’t miss the luchador, or Mexican wrestler, near the entrance). While the inside is cramped, the outside terrace adds some muchneeded space to the venue.

The menu features a little bit of everything including tamales, tacos, burritos and enchiladas. The restaurant has even managed to source Jarritos soda and an authentic tortilla machine from Mexico.

Our meal though started with a mishap – after ordering, the staff brought all our grub at once, leaving us overwhelmed with plates of food, and dishes went cold before we could sample them.

To start, the empanadas tasted of corn, as they should, but the shredded mince

Jneeded more seasoning. The flavourful beef carnitas were better. While they did require some assembly, we made quick work of the slow-cooked beef brisket in corn tortillas topped with guac, sour cream and salsa. On to the mains and the Mexican pizza was a good option, even if it wasn’t as authentic as other items on the menu. The pizza came topped with smoky beef bacon, roasted green tomato and jalapeños for good measure. The massive skirt steak tacos however felt underwhelming. While packed with toppings, including a dangerously hot habanero salsa, the dish felt lacking. The churros with chocolate sauce were crispy and tasty, but for something truly mouthwatering try the humble sopaipillas. A fried square of buttery pastry was topped with a scant dusting of cinnamon sugar, meaning they weren’t overly sweet but surprisingly moreish.

While there are a number of dishes that caught our eye – including a cactus salad and turkey mole – for a return visit, the restaurant does need to sort out the timing and spacing of dishes so diners don’t feel rushed out of the venue.

Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, daily 10am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 6761954. Taxi: Saadiyat Beach Residences. facebook.com/weLoveLittleMexico