31 Wellesley Street West,
Auckland CBD,
Auckland Central
Auckland,
09 366 7001
The ViewAuckland Review
3 out of 5 stars
Little Mexico is leveraged into a compact spot on Wellesley St that used to form part of Tony’s steak and seafood eatery. First impressions are excellent, with a warmly decorated interior promising authentic tastes. Dark wooden floors combine with aged terracotta walls trimmed with gilt mirrors and Latin American style murals. A bar loaded with scores of different tequilas is manned by an efficient and effusive barman. Our waitress is apparently from Uruguay, so at least we’re hearing a relatively authentic accent.
We take a seat near the bar avoiding a group of rugby widows that have commandeered Little Mexico’s larger downstairs space. It’s only 6.30pm but tequila shots and jugs of sangria and margarita are already being dispatched from the bar. Fast forward a couple of hours and it could be an interesting night.
There’s only Speight’s innocuous Summit lager and Mac’s Gold on tap, so we also dive into margaritas. They’re actually damn good; tart and tangy, and avoiding the cloying too-sweet taste that margaritas sometimes have. Hidden in the bar fridge but not listed on the menu is a selection of Mexican beers; all good reasons to return for a drink at the rustic wooden bar looking out onto Wellesley St.
Unfortunately it’s not the food that will cause a return. My beef fajitas ($25) are unremarkable, lacking chilli heat, and the kind of meal any Sunday night home chef could pull together after a quick stop at Foodtown. The beef is slightly dry and overcooked, and a miserly dab of salsa is bland in the extreme. The spice setting in the kitchen currently defaults to innocuous, but new menus will apparently adopt a one- to three- chilli rating for more adventurous dinners. Apparently there’s also a range of hot sauces available behind the bar, but we only find this out when we’re leaving. Carol’s chicken enchilada ($20) is better, with a good-sized pollo y tortilla parcel teamed with a zingy mesclun salad and guacamole.
Downstairs the rugby widows are having a great night, and that’s the essence of Little Mexico. The décor and ambience produce a thoroughly unpretentious spot for a few drinks. I might even be tempted back for a couple of Mexican beers and a burger ($15).
I’ve been waiting a long time for a great Mexican restaurant to open in Auckland, and guess what? I’m still waiting.
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