{ Tried and Tasted } : Maquina, HKV
Where: 30 A, Hauz Khas Village
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Cost: 2500 for two
This was my very first experience at an authentic Tex-Mex Bar and I am glad it was at Maquina. It derives its roots right from the age-old bar culture in Mexico where the bike riders stop, chill and order the very same thing at every visit. Casual dining restaurant by the day and a pulsating club by the night, Maquina brings you the very best of Mexican flavours with delicious cocktails, tailor-made to assure you a good time.
My food journey at Maquina began with a White Wine Sangria, Watermelon Cooler and a Blissful Bellini, and each was better than the last one. The Watermelon Cooler was pretty basic, but refreshing, and the Sangrias and margaritas is what Maquina is rightfully known for. My favourite however was the Blissfull Bellini, a delightful concoction of complementary flavours of green apple and peach- just what you need on a hot Delhi afternoon.
Next up were the Mexican Nachos served with sour scream and a tangy salsa (these two you can expect with almost every dish at Maquina) . Naturally, the signature Mexican nachos are prepared in-house. Although, I felt they were a wee bit oily. The topping however, was spot on, consisting of cajun roasted bell peppers, olives and an awful lot of cheddar and mozzarella..yes, I was in nacho-heaven.
After this, the Mexican Grilled Veggies Enchiladas were a delight. A slightly crisp tortilla enveloping a hearty and flavourful mix of cottage cheese, bell peppers, onions came on a bed of melted cheese. It was a treat to eat but I think it could have used the chilly pepper sauce and guacamole dip as the menu mentions but the dish was missing. I was already full because of the amount of cheese I had happily stuffed myself with, but dared to go for another one- and a BIG one at that- Cottage Cheese and Spinach Steak with Mexican rice- the best dish of the three.
The steak had beautiful grill marks and I could tell by the first sight that I am going to overeat today but not going to regret it. The cubes were stuffed with a melt-in-mouth spinach mixture that complemented the cottage cheese and rice well. It was a very synchronized dish with a multitude of flavours coming together beautifully and enhancing each other. The rice were cooked perfectly in Mexican spices with some finely chopped bell peppers. Binding the two dry elements on the plate was a delicious curry that had a slight Indian zing to it. A big thumbs up to Maquina's Head Chef Ajay Chamoli for this one, who I got to know has been trained under Michelin Star chefs in the U.S.
The decor of the place has Mexican elements like the sombreros and you can see extensive use of wood. It is constructed like a submarine and the wall art is all about machinery, or 'maquina' in Spanish. It has an open-window seating at the entrance and a dimly lit casual dining section as you enter near the bar area. The overall look and feel of the place is super rugged yet traditional and warm.
Apart from serving authentic Tex Mex cuisine, Maquina gives you ample reasons to spend your time and money here. Mondays witness unplugged evenings ; 'Senorita Tuesdays', as they call it, has free Vodka cocktails and Cosmopolitan mags for ladies, Wednesdays are dedicated to live Sufi music, Thursday is again ladies night with a live band in the evening. Saturday and Sundays alternate between Sufi nights, DJ, live band performances. There's Happy Hours everyday till 10 (except Monday when there's Happy Hours all day), where you get 1+1 on IMFL and 2+1 imported liquor. There's a live DJ every night post 9 PM. Along with all this, you can expect fire juggling at the bar and the 'Flaming Lamborghini (a Vodka glass tower that is set on fire), every now and then.
I give a 3.5 out of 5 to this one and hope to visit it with my girlfriends soon!
Apart from serving authentic Tex Mex cuisine, Maquina gives you ample reasons to spend your time and money here. Mondays witness unplugged evenings ; 'Senorita Tuesdays', as they call it, has free Vodka cocktails and Cosmopolitan mags for ladies, Wednesdays are dedicated to live Sufi music, Thursday is again ladies night with a live band in the evening. Saturday and Sundays alternate between Sufi nights, DJ, live band performances. There's Happy Hours everyday till 10 (except Monday when there's Happy Hours all day), where you get 1+1 on IMFL and 2+1 imported liquor. There's a live DJ every night post 9 PM. Along with all this, you can expect fire juggling at the bar and the 'Flaming Lamborghini (a Vodka glass tower that is set on fire), every now and then.
I give a 3.5 out of 5 to this one and hope to visit it with my girlfriends soon!
1 comments
Looks to be a good place based on your description.
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