Club Mexicana, the home of ?Mexican-Californian ?inspired street food that ripped up the vegan rulebook, is firing up the spit and throwing open the doors to its very first restaurant on Tuesday 1 September.
Five years on from their humble food market beginnings, the Club Mexicana journey has seen founder Meriel Armitage crowned London’s favourite street food trader and make star appearances at the UK’s biggest festivals.
Having originally planned to open in Spring, Meriel and her team are excited to put down permanent roots and begin a new chapter amidst the hustle and bustle of Soho.
Inspired by the lively roadside stalls of Los Angeles and Mexico City, Club Mexicana will sling expertly-made tacos, burritos and other street food classics all night long, each designed to be enjoyed with a margarita (or two) in hand.
Guests will be able to watch the open kitchen hard at work, as Meriel and her team slice into the star of the show: a sizzling al pastor spit. The shawarma-style dish of house-made seitan is smothered in Meriel’s top secret marinade, with the punchy kick softened by tropical flavours from the fresh pineapple sitting atop.
Taco-lovers can expect cult hits such as Meriel’s famous Baja Tofish Taco reimagined with a panko crust and the BBQ Short ‘Rib’ Tacos smothered with hickory smoked BBQ sauce, topped with pickled cucumber, slaw and garlic mayo. Banging new tacos include the Chick’n & Avocado with the much-loved vegan fried chick’n, corn salsa, pink onions and lashings of hot sauce, and the ‘Chorizo’ with salsa roja and pickled jalapenos.
On the side, expect shoestring fries seasoned with chilli lime salt and Club Mexicana’s take on the classic Mexican-style street food snack of Elote with their own corn and black beans salad with a tangy lime-jalapeno dressing. For those looking to roll up their sleeves and really get stuck in, Club Mexicana will be dishing up plate after plate of loaded nachos and much-loved burritos wrapped in a toasted flour tortilla or in a bowl.
For something sweet, guests will be invited to take their pick from raspberry sorbet spiked with a frozen margarita or rich dark chocolate mousse topped with salted caramel popcorn.
To counter the heat, guests can grab a stool at the bar and watch busy bartenders pouring vibrant cocktails, natural wines and Mexican beers throughout the night. Cocktails on tap from Tottenham drinks company Black-Lines include boozy ice-cold margaritas made exclusively for the Soho restaurant, as well as smoky Palomas with mezcal and pink grapefruit.
Elsewhere on the drinks list there are Club Mexicana’s favourite frozen margaritas, which can be ordered in classic sour lime or pink hibiscus, as well the Chelada - a Pacifico beer served with plenty of lime and chili salt. For those really looking to get the party started, bottles of artisan tequila and mezcal will line the bar, ready to be sipped or slammed.
A slice of East London cool slap-bang in the middle of Soho, guests can also grab one of the outdoor tables to soak up the sunshine with tacos and a few chilled Mexican beers.
