Weekend vibes, lively Mexican fare at Tomatillo
Tamara and Daniel Chavez’s new eatery is aimed at the casual dining crowd
NEW RESTAURANT
Tomatillo #01-11 Esplanade Mall 8 Raffles Avenue Singapore 039802 Tel: 8029-1707 Open for dinner only, Wed to Fri: 5 pm to 10:30 pm; Sat & Sun: noon to 10:30 pm
YOU say tomato, I say tomatillo. You say tomatillo, I say no thanks, give me tomatoes. They’re less violent.
Tomatillos are tomatoes’ acerbic Mexican distant cousins, assault weapons of the nightshade family, unafraid to unleash their acidity on meek palates which can’t suck a wedge of lime without the approval of their dental practitioner.
Taming them is the task of Mexican chef Tamara Chavez, who’s leading the menu at yes, Tomatillo, the newest in a growing chain of Latin American/Spanish restaurants that she’s building with husband and fellow chef Daniel Chavez.
It seems the couple also toyed with naming it Guacamole, which is about as exciting to say as “avocado toast”. Tomatillo has a spunkier ring to it, and it also opens non-Mexican eyes to the potential of this perennially green non-tomato that’s native to that part of the world. It also hints at the kind of food you’re going to get at this casual new eatery at the foot of Esplanade Mall – lots of acidity and in-your-face punchy flavour bombs.
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That said, don’t expect a deep dive into Mexican cuisine. It might be fun to say tamale, mole and chimichanga, but the vocabulary here is mostly limited to the likes of nachos, enchiladas and tacos in various permutations. Not that there was any intention to be a bastion of the cuisine. This place is strictly casual, literally serving grown-up kids’ food to suit its family-friendly waterfront spot.
The weekend vibe is stronger than the weak air conditioning that struggles to be felt in the door-less space before it gives up and lets the natural breeze do its thing. Bright colours dominate, and a cheerful holiday resort ambience emanates.
Prepare for things to get messy, with most things best eaten by hand. You can try to be dainty with the ceviche tomatillo (S$22), which has cubes of raw tuna marinating in a bath of tiger’s milk, onions and chopped tomatillos competing to out-sour each other. Let the tuna soak for a bit to pick up more flavour and heat from the jalapeno chillies. While the acidity bites, it does mellow out.
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Salad on a corn chip best describes tostados de pulpo (S$22) – cold octopus chunks play hide-and-seek in the midst of pico de gallo (an onion-chilli-tomato salsa), spicy mayo and mashed avocado all piled dangerously on a thin, crispy tortilla chip. Forget decorum and dive in. This place is forgiving. Just hold off on the finger sucking.
It’s the same with tacos de jaiba (S$18), which we prefer for its chewy soft tortilla wrap folded over warm deep-fried soft-shelled crab, shredded cabbage and onions – all smothered in chilli mayo and salsa, with sweet mango for welcome contrast. There are two kinds of habanero sauce on the side, but your taste buds are already in overdrive trying to distinguish just what’s in the taco. Don’t think about it. Just add at will for extra spicy punishment.
By the time we come up for air, nachos chilangos (S$22) arrive, and it’s a TV snack after our own heart. It’s a perfect salve for unrequited love and other existential problems as you dip crunchy chip after chip in creamy melted cheese spiked with jalapeno and habanero chillies. The added grilled shrimp gives it an upmarket touch. It’s quite salty, but addictive. All we need is a big-screen TV tuned to a K-drama tearjerker.
Mexican pizza probably doesn’t exist, so Tomatillo’s version comes directly from Tamara’s imagination. Two large sheets of tortilla are pressed together and baked to a crisp, with assorted toppings that slightly soften the centre to give it a nice chew. Pollo Morcho (S$22) pulls together grilled marinated chicken, streaks of chipotle mayo, salsa and melted mozzarella. It’s salty, acidic and spicy, and a creative twist on the real McCoy.
By now, you’re familiar with the script and ingredient list, and before it gets overly predictable, there’s a meat dish – roasted pork ribs (S$26), which are hefty and slathered with thick BBQ sauce, Mexican style. A bed of sweet mashed plantains counters the saltiness, and the crunch of skinny fries is the best part.
Crepas Chidas (S$12) is the best ending. These are thin fluffy pancakes drenched in caramel sauce, with a mix of soft-cooked sweet plantains and bananas. We like it more than the pastel di lemon (S$12), a kind of layered cheesecake with thick lemon curd interspersed with crushed Marie biscuits, which is tangy but rich.
Tomatillo is welcoming and fun, with food that doesn’t stretch the imagination or pocket. It’s a pleasant chill-out space, albeit with public toilets that are clean only by coffee shop standards. Other than that, we’ll think of Tomatillo whenever we’re rejected in love and need some nachos to compensate.
Rating: 6.5
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