How I Fell in Love with Mexican Food

I’ve not been a big fan of Mexican food. But the way we’ve all warmed up to Indianised or desi versions to the Chinese cuisine, I still couldn’t enjoy the desi versions to a Mexican dish at some restaurants. Also invariably, if we were going out to eat, we usually would land up ordering for Chinese, Thai or Tandoori/ North Indian food.

Recently I met my cousin for lunch in Bandra and we spent hours catching up on good old days over some brilliant Mexican food, yes Mexican at this cosy little place in Bandra.

So I now have to admit, that I have finally fallen in love with Mexican food served fresh, hot and yummy at Uba Tuba in Bandra. I remember having crossed this café so many times, but never realised such a delightful little place was dishing out incredible Mexican food!

The Menu

You’ll love their menu – it’s quirky and fun to read. As you settle down at the covered patio scanning through their brilliant menu options, you’re going to start drooling from the variety of options available right from tacos, quesadillas, tortas, burritos, salads and more.

We asked them why they have named their dishes in a certain way, and this is what Uba Tuba had to say, “We wanted quirky names for our Juices and Salads something that would induce a smile and make that dish memorable or personal. Since we have a Mexican theme, the Salad/Juices have been named after Latino Celebs or Latin/Mexican references. Sofia’s Very Gora is obviously named after the gorgeous Sofia Vergara who is rumoured to like this combination!”

“Border Crosser’s Mix is a big crowd favourite”, mention the founders of Uba Tuba. “Pomegranate and Mint are just the right combination to elevate Watermelon Juice which is a street side staple in Mexico. Why Border Crosser’s? That is a slightly comical reference to the fact that Mexican cross over to America and change their street food to suit American tastes…hence the pomegranate and mint addition to watermelon. Cruz Control is named after the lovely Penelope Cruz. It’s a green and mean drink to rev up your metabolism and allow you to take control of your day like Penelope :)”

Salads

So our gossip session started with an Aloha Mex Mix (Rs. 270) where roasted bell peppers, cheddar cheese, olives, assorted nuts, roasted pineapple are tossed in with smoked chicken sausage and fresh lime-cilantro dressing.

From the vegetarian section we opted for Frida Says Khalo (Rs. 260) a luxurious mix of avocado, monetary jack cheese, cilantro, red beans and mixed bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and the best part being it comes with a beautiful chipotle southwest dressing and those yummy crunchy nacho bits added that superb salty crunch to this salad.

Fresh Juices

If you’re here at Uba Tuba it would be sacrilege to dig into a salad without a delicious juice on the side because they compliment each other incredibly well. So we started our gupshup session with a refreshing Sophia’s Very Gora (Rs. 155) – a healthy blend of apple, carrot and ginger, a Border Crosser’s Mix (Rs. 170) a perfect blend of pomegranate, watermelon and mint and a Watermelon Basil Seed (Rs. 125) where you’ll love the soft and slippery basil seeds slide in to your throat with every sip.

Food

Now to some serious business – our favourite part – the food of course. We ordered for a Creamy Roasted Zucchini Quesadillas (Rs. 220) which was an absolutely delight. We loved how the flavours of the roasted zucchini and the cream beautifully blended in to create that perfect taste.

For those who love fish, you must try the Vera Cruz Fish Tacos (Rs. 280) with your choice of three soft flour tortillas, pico de gallo, radish and cilantro. It’s not too fishy in flavour and you’ll love the chunky fish bits filling in the tacos.

Ambience & Staff

The overall ambience at Uba Tuba is fun, carefree, relaxed with a creative tinge of kitschy bottle art to lighten things up. Don’t forget to ask for the ‘Hapi Drum’, to create some soft music while you wait for your food to arrive.

You’ll love the community table at the centre 0f the patio that’s meant for a big group of friends and family dropping by for a meal. The staff are courteous and helpful, so if you’re a bit confused with what to order, feel free to ask for help.

Now you know that Uba Tuba is a place that offers great Mexican food at affordable pricing and the ambience is nothing but fun!

Meal for two: Rs. 1,000 approx 

Address:

Uba Tuba

12 Pearl Haven, 86, Chapel Rd,

Bandra West, Mumbai- 400050

Phone: 022 6565 7860

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